RISC OS friendly client wireless access point?

I am currently using a sapido 3-in-1 device on my Pi/Lapdock.

This is fine on my home network, but since it cannot be configured on Netsurf, not particularly useful outside.

It is also a bit ugly with an aerial.

Does anyone have an recommendation for a more suitable device?

It would either be able to be configured to automatically connect to open networks (with a blacklist, ideally) and known networks, so it could be configured in advance, or it would have NAT, dhcp server and a web interface which doesn’t need javascript to control it.

AFAIK this one doesn’t need a fancy browser:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Netgear-WNCE2001-100GRS-Universal-Internet-Ethernet/dp/B0047CT8IM/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_0

Have you direct experience of it?

I use an Asus WL-330N 5-in-1 150Mbps Wireless Mobile Router on my Lapdock. Very small, can be powered from one of the LapDock USB ports (but NOT the Pi port) but does need Javascript to initially set it up.

Have you direct experience of it?

No but it was mentioned by a German Acorn user* saying “works well with my classic Amigas and uses the browser for setup. Doesn’t require javascript or CSS.”
It seems Steffen Huber of CDBurn fame has one as well, so perhaps he’ll turn up.

*Edit: just asked him and while he seemed rather enthusiastic about it in general, he also told me he hadn’t been able to configure the device with Netsurf. So not what you’re after I’m afraid.

Thanks. What would be nicest is one that can be configured at home on big browser to automatically connect to defined networks in preference order and to connect to open networks automatically failing that. (prefereably with a blacklist).

Otherwise one that puts you behind a NAT (so you always get an IP and access to the interface, and then works with Netsurf.

I have built a network bridge/wireless access point with dd-wrt using an old D-Link broadband router that Virgin left behind when they upgraded me to a SuperHub. It works OK for a while and then after 30-60mins RISCOS denies any knowledge of any DNS servers, I can’t connect to the internet and have to reboot. I don’t seem to have same problem with Windows or Linux not sure why.

I wouldn’t recommend it but at least it didn’t cost me anything :-)

I have a little old thingy that a friend sent me that is supposed to be a wireless access point, however it has a mode where it can work in reverse as a wireless bridge. In my case, it appears to be the stupid Livebox that says “don’t wanna”.

Why is it so hard to:

          .- - - - - - - netbook
          |    (wifi)                         .-------beagle
phone----ADSL- - - - - - - - - - bridge----router-----computer 
         box       (wifi)        box          '-------pvr

I can do this sort of topology with wired ethernet, but if you use WiFi as a network section, it’s all-bets-are-off mode.

Pfft!

Rachel,

It works OK for a while and then after 30-60mins RISCOS denies any knowledge of any DNS servers, I can’t connect to the internet and have to reboot.

Have you tried *RMReinit Resolver to restart the DNS resolver?

Failing this, try going to http://173.194.66.106/ with your browser. That is Google referred to by IP address. It should give you pointers as to if the link itself is working (thus just DNS messed up) or not.

Aside: I originally wrote the IP address with ‘at’ symbols around it to make it stand out better. Textile usefully converted the address to a URL, then quite uselessly obeyed it as “code” in its most literal sense, namely, this: <a href="http://173.194.66.106/">http://173.194.66.106/</a> Duh!

Thanks Rick,

I tried the *RMReinit but it had no effect. When I tried to ping locations on the internet using IP-addresses it could not find a route. I could ping my local devices but not internet addresses. I have my windows laptop plugged into the same device and this seems to be working fine. When I look at the control panel on the router staus web-interface the Windows computer shows up as an active client. The Raspberry PI/RISCO’s does not even though it works. shrugs shoulders I think I will try a Linux distro just to see if it looks any different to the device.

It works OK for a while and then after 30-60mins RISCOS denies any knowledge of any DNS servers, I can’t connect to the internet and have to reboot.

I presume that the DHCP source for the setup is the superhub. What is the DHCP lease time this hands out?¹
If you have a Windows PC then “ipconfig /all” will show you a lease obtained and lease expires value as well as showing the dhcp server that handed out the IP.

¹ Note:On some routers you can change this.

I can do this sort of topology with wired ethernet, but if you use WiFi as a network section, it’s all-bets-are-off mode.

Your “bridge box” is in bridge mode, your adsl box is in client mode and therefore only talking to client devices.

adsl <—-wired—→ bridge <—-wifi—→ bridge <—-wired—→ beagle

should work.

chuffin’ textile naffing up simple text diagrams…

Thanks Steve,

That fixed it. Checked on the SuperHub and the lease time was one hour. Set it to one week and the problem has gone away. The windows PC was able to seemlessly negotiate a new address and keep going but the Raspberry PI/RISCOS couldn’t.

Your “bridge box” is in bridge mode, your adsl box is in client mode and therefore only talking to client devices.

Wait… so even though the Livebox does WiFi connections, I need another bridge to make this work? Can’t the first bridge just appear as a client and share on the connection?

The windows PC was able to seemlessly negotiate a new address and keep going but the Raspberry PI/RISCOS couldn’t

That bit needs looking at – checking on my router the other day the names of windows devices show, RO devices don’t. Never good when a device isn’t registering properly.

Can’t the first bridge just appear as a client and share on the connection?

Be a client and a bridge at the same time? I can’t recall seeing a home router that has a brouter functionality.

Edit: http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57529336-285/reuse-an-old-router-to-bridge-devices-to-your-wireless-network/

So hacking a home router seems to add the functionality (also a local DNS facility as I recall)