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The Green Wifi Concept - Router - Grid - Solar - Power Control - The approach of Green-WiFi is to use software, hardware, and components easily available and low cost, but assembled and compiled to make smart use of technology. Following the MIT roof net approach, the project started by using off the shelf hardware from Netgear and open source wireless grid software. The Netgear WGT634U Wi-Fi router is based on a Linux. The Netgear router has been discontinued since the project started. Moving forward, we are planning to use the Linksys WRT54G model router.   Wi-Fi hotspot and wireless grid
router: OpenWRT-based WGRT634U 802.11b/g router - NetgearLinux 2.6 kernel madwifi-ng driver OpenWRT ipkg support  Wireless
802.11b/g Grid Network Application (roofnet - MIT): Srcr is the
routing protocol used at MIT for their roofnet project, it finds good
paths despite generally low-quality radio propagation. Wireless Grid
Network software operate without extensive planning or central
management, automatically figures out the fastest way to reach from
point A to point B and continuously monitors the network paths, and
acts as a NAT for connection from Roofnet to the Internet. Solar Panel: The
Shell ST10 solar panel was used in the prototype unit. This solar
module is composed of a monolithic structure of series connected Copper
Indium Diselenide (CIS) based solar cells. Great performance under low
light conditions, shade and high temperature tolerance that offers
reliable power in adverse or changeable conditions. Highly transparent
tempered glass delivering more power and ensuring high impact
resistance and protection against hail, stones, ice, and storms. Since
we started the project this model has been discontinued and we are
evaluating models from other manufacturers. Charge
Circuit and Power Management : The SunGuard's 5.5 amp 12 Volt
unit was first used to see how a low cost, off-the-shelf unit would
work. Without any type of power control to the router, the up time was
very short. A few cloudy and raining days and battery drained dead in
four days. A modified designed was then used that could control the
router over a time period, with shut down and restart. This allowed the
router to operate during a specific time period, i.e. when school is
open, and specific days, which allowed the weekend to be powered down.
This extended the up time to 28 days. Still two weeks of cloudy and
raining weather did not meet the goal of +30 days of continues
operation. The third design can then control, not only day and time
but, user access via the router software and the power output of the
device through a web browser interface. Access to these features are
locally set or permissions can be set for remote access and control.
This version also allows monitoring the battery charge level and will
allow the router to stay up if level is above the set level. We are
testing what would be optimal level for this with a 10 watt solar panel
and 19 amp hour battery. |
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