Standalone digipeater & igate? I like the idea!!!

While browsing product availability at argendata website, I came across a daughterboard design for ot+ and wrt54gl. Hey, that could be an interesting mini project that I could take.. I've wrt54gl laying around collecting dust, it was supposedly my backup & working as WDS client for my home office but it doesn't work reliably .. so it was replaced by a Buffalo WHR-G125 instead.

I don't have an OT+, but I've TinyTrack4 that is connected to a PC running UI-VIEW32. Following the K6DBG website below, I could try to connect the TT4 via serial port.

http://www.dimebank.com/cak/k6dbg/k6dbg_igate.html

Linksys built few WRT54G series of wireless routers with additional 10-pin header which we could use. This header gives a two TTL input/output ports. In order to convert this TTL signal, I need a MAX232 chip...

I will start this little project within this few days and see if I can get it anywhere.. now I can spare the old DELL PC that I bought to run UIVEW + sound card based interface for other usage ..

The guide to add serial ports to the router could be found here:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/WRT54GL_MAX232_Serial

Update 1: The internal .. RS232 interface ready ..



Update 2: I couldn't fit TT4 inside the casing .. added one DB9 to the front/face of the wrt54gl. There is one that should go to the side but will add it later on.

Update 3: Software wise, I've loaded OpenWRT/X-WRT Kamikaze (with disabled GUI interface) and APRS4R .. I need to configure it though.. that'll be the hard part I guess.

Update 4: Finally, it is up and running, some more photos to share:




Update 5: There seems to be a problem with the router running out of memory or something else, after running for a day, it just stuck there.. and not igate-ing any packets. Need to look into the log and see what happened.

Update 6: Solved this by having a cron job which kills the aprs4r process in every four hours.