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I'd like to try to create a cheap, small, wireless "server" with
OpenBSD. I'm not sure where I want to start, but I'm not opposed to
soldering individual components, and I'm not opposed to hacking code
(Its my profession after all).

If possible, I'd like to design something that cost less than
(hopefully) $100, and has WiFi support. I'll want enough capability
to SSH into it, perhaps server some small files over HTTP (perhaps
using php). It would be a bonus if I didn't have to cross-compile
programs on a seperate computer to get them working on this box.

So, my guess as to what I need:
WiFi component
Power Supply (preferably solar powered or AA powered, but can do
wired if I absolutely have to)
Processor (cheapest possible with enough speed for what I need)
Memory (again, cheapest possible with enough for what I need)
Storage (you guest it, cheap but enough. I'm thinking 1 gig flash
drive should be enough)
Some way to connect for installation and maintenance.

Anyone have some starting points I can look at? The WiFi access
doesn't have to be secured, nothing important will be transmitted
unencrypted anyway.


Am I high thinking I can do this in less that $100? If so, what is a
more reasonable estimate? Price is one of my main driving factors.

DD,

P.S. I don't get e-mail at the address I'm posting at, please reply
here.

Droopy Dog <googlegroupie@coloraura.com> wrote:
> I'd like to try to create a cheap, small, wireless "server" with
> OpenBSD. I'm not sure where I want to start, but I'm not opposed to
> soldering individual components, and I'm not opposed to hacking code
> (Its my profession after all).
>
> If possible, I'd like to design something that cost less than
> (hopefully) $100, and has WiFi support. I'll want enough capability
> to SSH into it, perhaps server some small files over HTTP (perhaps
> using php). It would be a bonus if I didn't have to cross-compile
> programs on a seperate computer to get them working on this box.
>
> So, my guess as to what I need:
> WiFi component
> Power Supply (preferably solar powered or AA powered, but can do
> wired if I absolutely have to)
> Processor (cheapest possible with enough speed for what I need)
> Memory (again, cheapest possible with enough for what I need)
> Storage (you guest it, cheap but enough. I'm thinking 1 gig flash
> drive should be enough)
> Some way to connect for installation and maintenance.
>
> Anyone have some starting points I can look at? The WiFi access
> doesn't have to be secured, nothing important will be transmitted
> unencrypted anyway.
>
>
> Am I high thinking I can do this in less that $100? If so, what is a
> more reasonable estimate? Price is one of my main driving factors.

I'd start with picking up a free or near-free old machine from
somewhere; usually, some friend or family member has something like a
Pentium or even a Pentium II stashed away somewhere. Both of which have
enough power to do what you want.
Or find one of the odd 'old, old computers' outfits near you; I know of
a nice one in Utrecht, the Netherlands, but you'll otherwise have to
find out for yourself.

Then add a wireless card and install OpenBSD. You'll likely have money
left to spring for at least one of a better power supply (but I've never
heard of solar powered computers, or solar powered anything without a
standard power line for backup outside of some experiments), more
memory, or flash instead of the hard disk that came with it.

If you do keep the old hard disk, try to find two and use raidframe (or
maybe softraid? I don't know if that is usable yet, it might be). If the
disk doesn't die quickly, it's likely to last a long time - but the
chances of it dying quickly are definitely nonzero.

I'm not really into embedded systems, but I don't see how you could do
this new for $100 or less.

Joachim

On Aug 4, 8:08 am, "Joachim Schipper" <jdNoOtSPAMschip...@math.uu.nl>
wrote:
> Droopy Dog <googlegrou...@coloraura.com> wrote:
> > I'd like to try to create a cheap, small, wireless "server" with
> > OpenBSD. I'm not sure where I want to start, but I'm not opposed to
> > soldering individual components, and I'm not opposed to hacking code
> > (Its my profession after all).
>
> > If possible, I'd like to design something that cost less than
> > (hopefully) $100, and has WiFi support. I'll want enough capability
> > to SSH into it, perhaps server some small files over HTTP (perhaps
> > using php). It would be a bonus if I didn't have to cross-compile
> > programs on a seperate computer to get them working on this box.
>
> > So, my guess as to what I need:
> > WiFi component
> > Power Supply (preferably solar powered or AA powered, but can do
> > wired if I absolutely have to)
> > Processor (cheapest possible with enough speed for what I need)
> > Memory (again, cheapest possible with enough for what I need)
> > Storage (you guest it, cheap but enough. I'm thinking 1 gig flash
> > drive should be enough)
> > Some way to connect for installation and maintenance.
>
> > Anyone have some starting points I can look at? The WiFi access
> > doesn't have to be secured, nothing important will be transmitted
> > unencrypted anyway.
>
> > Am I high thinking I can do this in less that $100? If so, what is a
> > more reasonable estimate? Price is one of my main driving factors.
>
> I'd start with picking up a free or near-free old machine from
> somewhere; usually, some friend or family member has something like a
> Pentium or even a Pentium II stashed away somewhere. Both of which have
> enough power to do what you want.
> Or find one of the odd 'old, old computers' outfits near you; I know of
> a nice one in Utrecht, the Netherlands, but you'll otherwise have to
> find out for yourself.
>
> Then add a wireless card and install OpenBSD. You'll likely have money
> left to spring for at least one of a better power supply (but I've never
> heard of solar powered computers, or solar powered anything without a
> standard power line for backup outside of some experiments), more
> memory, or flash instead of the hard disk that came with it.
>
> If you do keep the old hard disk, try to find two and use raidframe (or
> maybe softraid? I don't know if that is usable yet, it might be). If the
> disk doesn't die quickly, it's likely to last a long time - but the
> chances of it dying quickly are definitely nonzero.
>
> I'm not really into embedded systems, but I don't see how you could do
> this new for $100 or less.
>
> Joachim


I guess I though I was implying small, but I want something that is
pretty small. I've had some luck on other newsgroups. I'm looking
into ZipIt, and GumStix. GumStix is around the size/power consumption
I want, and ZipIt is about the price I want. Someone also has
suggested a hacked "wrt54gl" linksys router, but I think thats
overkill, since all I really want is to connect to an existing WiFi
source, and run some services. Thanks for the suggestion though...

Thanks,
DD.

x-posted to comp.unix.bsd.openbsd.misc, comp.arch.embedded, comp.arch
follow-up to comp.arch.embedded

Droopy Dog wrote:
> I'd like to try to create a cheap, small, wireless "server" with
> OpenBSD. I'm not sure where I want to start, but I'm not opposed to
> soldering individual components, and I'm not opposed to hacking code
> (Its my profession after all).
>
> If possible, I'd like to design something that cost less than
> (hopefully) $100, and has WiFi support. I'll want enough capability
> to SSH into it, perhaps server some small files over HTTP (perhaps
> using php). It would be a bonus if I didn't have to cross-compile
> programs on a seperate computer to get them working on this box.
>
> So, my guess as to what I need:
> WiFi component
> Power Supply (preferably solar powered or AA powered, but can do
> wired if I absolutely have to)
> Processor (cheapest possible with enough speed for what I need)
> Memory (again, cheapest possible with enough for what I need)
> Storage (you guest it, cheap but enough. I'm thinking 1 gig flash
> drive should be enough)
> Some way to connect for installation and maintenance.
>
Good luck with those power requirements. Wi-Fi is not cheap in terms of
electricity, especially if you want the normal coverage. There is a
reason Nintendo devices are 1mbps with tiny ranges.

You can probably do battery backup, trickle-charged to keep them fresh,
but going completely mains-free will be a design challenge. You will
have to pick your hardware very carefully, and manage the services even
more carefully.

> Anyone have some starting points I can look at? The WiFi access
> doesn't have to be secured, nothing important will be transmitted
> unencrypted anyway.
>
You should be sending data over an SSH tunnel, anyway. Wi-Fi security
is a bad joke.

> Am I high thinking I can do this in less that $100? If so, what is a
> more reasonable estimate? Price is one of my main driving factors.
>
If you designed these right and then contracted a third-party to
construct hundreds of them, then you /might/ get the cost down to 100
units of your local currency.

Check out "Soekris" and similar offerings. Some people are finding ways
of setting up embedded or diskless OBSD edge boxes.
--
clvrmnky <mailto:spamtrap@clevermonkey.org>

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