Wireless, Wireless Everywhere (3 Links on 802.11b)

Just in time for a holiday weekend project, a book review
regarding wireless networking and information about a software
package that replaces the firmware of several wireless access
points with an embedded Linux distribution designed to provide
enhanced functionality by providing a complete Linux
environment.

• Linux Journal:
  Building Wireless Community Networks: A Book Review

  “There’s a wealth of reference information on antennas,
  cables and where to put them, including surveying with the aid of a
  GPS. After reading this, you should be able to order a “pigtail” or
  an “omni” for your site with confidence. If you prefer to build
  your own, there are plans, photos and instructions for making the
  famous Pringles can antenna. To solve lack of line-of-sight, you
  can build a repeater out of two Airports or a surplus 486 “tablet”
  PC. The projects will inspire your own ideas, and the connector
  information certainly won’t change as rapidly as the software does.

  Finally, there’s the question of authentication and a partial
  answer in the form of an intro to NoCatAuth, a web-based login
  service similar to those you might have encountered in a hotel.
  It’s under development and looks very promising as a way to keep
  possible abusers under control.

  If I had to come up with some savage criticism of this book, it
  would be that Flickenger’s web articles, and others out there, are
  good enough that you could probably get started with just on-line
  information. But the book does provide a way to get the basics
  down, get up to speed, order parts with a lower chance of getting
  the wrong thing and having to return it, and find other local
  enthusiasts who want to network with you.”

• LinuxDevices.com: New open
  source solution for Linux-based 802.11 access points

  LinuxDevices.com reports that Instant802 Networks Inc.
  has announced the release of OpenAP, an open source Linux
  distribution for 802.11 access points. OpenAP is said to be a
  complete set of open-source software (including a customized
  Embedded Linux distribution) needed to produce a fully 802.11b
  compliant Linux-based wireless access point.

• The Instant802
  homepage

  “Here you can find the complete source code, build
  environment, and instructions for flashing an 802.11 access point
  with linux 2.4.17. The end product is a linux-based access point
  providing full wireless services, including multipoint to
  multipoint wireless bridging (802.1d), while at the same time
  distributing fully standard 802.11b connections to end
  users.”