Re: [olpc-software] Servers

[Michail Bletsas <mbletsas laptop org>]

Low end access points do indeed have limitations on how many users they 
can support.
I do expect those to be gradually phased out as the chips (SoC - system on 
a chip) that are usually inside these are getting faster CPU cores and 
more memory.
If Thailand is willing to wire all schools, that is great news! However I 
really don't expect this to be the universal case. Installing ethernet 
wiring in remote areas is not as easy as it sounds, simply because we 
can't assume that there will be a geek volunteer (or an IT pro) around to 
do it. (I do expect the kids to be able to do it shortly after they get 
their laptops though ;-).

As far as the laptops acting as access points, I don't know the number of 
clients that they will be able to support yet (since we switched WiFi 
chips a couple of weeks ago), it will depend on whether we can run the 
802.11 AP stack on the Geode (instead of the embedded ARM core that 
normally drives the WiFi radio).

The more connectivity options the laptop will have the better, we are just 
trying to cover the no-infrastructure-at-all case.

M.


Jim Gettys <jg laptop org> wrote on 03/30/2006 10:32:12 AM:

> Michail Bletsas is expert at this, and explain much better than I can.
> 
> On Thu, 2006-03-30 at 19:53 +0700, James Clark wrote:
> > > > A related issue is networking.  In all but the smallest schools, I 
would
> > > > envisage deploying some number of cheap, commodity access points 
and
> > > > having them connected via wired ethernet. 
> > > 
> > > Most commodity access points don't work well with large numbers of
> > > clients; their design center is a house with a few users. 
Identifying
> > > pretty cheap, access points that don't have this problem would be 
good
> > > to do.
> > 
> > I talked to some people here in Thailand that make access points, and
> > they reckoned on a maximum of about 30 users per access point.
> 
> And one per class room implies pulling cable to nearly every classroom;
> I know that has been a big problem even in the school my own children
> attend here in the Boston area, and a serious expense.
> 
> > 
> > > The laptops, even used as an access point, will function much better
> > > than the typical cheap access points you buy in a store.
> > 
> > How many users would you expect to handle with the laptop as an access
> > point?  Is there any inherent hardware reason why the laptop should be
> > able to handle more users or is it just a matter of most access point
> > manufacturers not making an effort in this direction?  Access points 
are
> > still quite a bit cheaper that the laptops and also have the advantage
> > of including wired ethernet capability.
> > 
> 
> As I understand it, the cost margins are very low, so they cut
> everywhere they can, and optimize for the home and small case.
> 
> I know Michail is looking around for much better than the typical access
> points you buy in a computer store.
> 
> -- 
> Jim Gettys
> One Laptop Per Child
> 
>