I need to warn you all first.. I am completely, Linux ignorant (outside of being able to navigate around a bash shell a little bit)... I apologize, but I haven't had the time or the real need to wrangle with it long enough to learn it, sorry but as a small business computer consultant, the bulk of my potential clients are on Windows based systems... gotta go where the money is, but that's neither here nor there... suffice to say, I know Linux is the superior OS (never hurts to suck up to the Linux gurus hehe). anyway. I have a situation where I need the capabilities that a linux based wireless router will offer.... (ie stock firmware from Wind River Systems, Inc. sucks and won't let the router work the way I want it to work, as a bridge, router, access point and print server, all at the same time, preferably with some sort of web based configuration like it has now [gee, I don't want much, do I... but I'm certain some form of Linux is up to the task])
I've been looking at the various xAP (openap, opensta, linuxap, openap-ct and openap-ng) options as well as uCLinux.
First some background on the hardware I'm trying to configure to use embedded Linux.
I got a smoking deal ($20 each through TigerDirect as "open box") on a couple Siemens (Efficient Networks) SpeedStream 2623 802.11b DSL Routers, they work perfectly, within the limitations of the stock firmware... they'd work a heck of a lot better if I could change the firmware to one of the xAP variants. I'm using the routers to offer a simple free hotspot. I want one of the routers to have the broadband connection and serve as the DHCP server, which it does stock now, so I suppose I could leave one of them stock? The other, I want to be able to act as a bridge to the first router, and any other AP's I may add, while at the same time allowing clients. ie multi-point to multi-point.
I've done some research on this router (including cracking the case open), and they have a Samsung S3C4510X01-QER0 (ARM7TDMI based) processor and utilize a Eumitcom WL11000-1 PCMCIA card for the wireless radio. The Flash RAM in this box is an Intel Flash TE28F800-B3B90 which I believe is a 512k x 16... I 'THINK' the router will accept a new kernel from a BOOTP server
Since they were so cheap, I can afford to do a little experimenting on one of the units... although I'd rather avoid toasting it, since I doubt I can get any more at that price.
Doing a little further research, I was able to find this little blurb on the uCLinux site.....
[Wiscore Inc. (Taipei, Taiwan) announced an ARM7TDMI evaluation kit that includes a uClinux operating system. Previously available exclusively in Taiwan, the "NET-Start!" kit is intended for use by system developers, instructors, and students, the company said.According to Wiscore, the hardware/software kit features a single-board computer based on a 50 MHz Samsung S3C4510B (ARM7TDMI) system-on-chip processor, with uClinux preinstalled. Both binaries and sources for the uClinux (with uClibc) OS are included, providing the ability to easily tailor the system to fit specific requirements, Wiscore said. Other features of the hardware include 16MB SDRAM, 2MB Flash memory, 10/100 Base-T Ethernet interface (RJ-45), dual RS232 serial ports, I/O expansion interface (wich can be used to add an additional Ethernet interface daughter board), JTAG port, real time clock, watchdog timer, 7-segment display, programmable LEDs, DIP switch inputs, and push buttons. Required power and interface cables, power supply, software, and documentation are also included.]
So aparantly there is a uCLinux binaries and source available out there for the Samsung S3C4510B processor like what is in this router....And seems they make their uCLinux Kernel v2.0.38 and uClibc 0.9.5 source code available for download (which I have downloaded) don't know how significantly helpful that info is or not.
So... with all this useful or useless information.... can anybody help me with this project?
I truly know nothing from this point... I have got cygwin installed on my windows machine so I can at least play around in a linux type environment to start learning some things. I'm going to try compiling a uCLinux kernel later tonight, but again, being Linux ignorant, have no idea what I'm doing. I don't know if once I have a kernel I'm going to need some sort of boot loader for it to work on the Samsung chip or what. Linux is new territory for me... and embedded Linux even more so.
Any and all help is MOST appreciated.