Handle With Linux

If you need wireless internet access on your boat, car, helicopter or while hiking, this may be the solution you are looking for. A Linux powered device sharing mobile broadband EVDO/HSDPA on a wifi router. The hardware runs on 110/220 volt with a DC power supply but it's very flexible allowing for 11-56 Volt DC input and even 5 volt trough an internal connector.

The idea is simple, use your existing HSDPA data card to provide Internet access via WiFi. People use them for their car's, boats, rapidly deployable wifi access points anywhere high speed data cards work.

The device is based on the original idea of Tor Amundson who wanted an always on internet link in his car, he even used this to make an automatic gps tracker which shows his location in google maps.

Metrix communications is now selling a kit based on their Pyramid Linux OS making it easy to assemble one of your own.

The Stompbox II kit is based on a Soekris net4521 single board computer.

The kit comes with two PC-Card/PCMCIA slots for you high speed data card and other PC-Card such as USB, or second Wifi card. The Wifi is provided via the mini-pci wireless card that comes with it. The EVDO/HSDPA to wifi routing and NAT is handled by the Pyramid Linux operating system.

Some applications for this kit:
# Mobile hotspot
# Access Point with captive portal
# Automobile fleet management (add a GPS!)

Kit comes with:
# Soekris Net4521 Board and Metal Case
# CM9 802.11a/b/g
# u.fl to RP-TNC pigtail
# 5dbi RP-TNC Rubber Ducky Antenna
# DC power supply for normal 110/220 operation
# 128mb Compact Flash card with Pyramid Linux pre-installed

The device can easily run from a battery or even a small solar panel. I think it would be interesting to build a rogue access point which can be installed in a hidden location near an open network (for experimental purposes only).

Specifications of the soekris board:

* 100/133 Mhz AMD ElanSC520
* 16-64 Mbyte SDRAM, soldered on board
* 1 Mbit BIOS/BOOT Flash
* CompactFLASH Type I/II socket
* 1-2 10/100 Mbit Ethernet ports, RJ-45
* 1 Serial port, DB9.
* Power LED, Activity LED, Error LED
* Mini-PCI type III socket. (t.ex for optional hardware encryption.)
* 2 PC-Card/Cardbus slots, for wireless adapters
* 8 bit general purpose I/O, 14 pins header
* Hardware watchdog
* Board size 9.2" x 5.7"
* Power using external power supply is 11-56V DC, max 14 Watt
* Option for 5V supply using internal connector
* Supports Power over Ethernet according to the 802.3af standard
* Operating temperature 0-60 °C

Just about enough processing power for a wireless autonomous sniffing device ;-)

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