Mesh Network Nodes – Example 1

In the process of engineering the club’s mesh network we have come up with some “standard configurations” that the members could utilize as a basis for their own mesh nodes that can participate in the network.  This is the first of a few different ones that we’ll present over the next couple of months.

This first example consists of a Ubiquiti Bullet M2 HP router, a power over Ethernet adapter, and an omni-directional 15 db antenna.  This combination is essentially the same system we intend to get installed on all the water towers in Sullivan and would work best in a situation where you have a clear visible line of sight path to another known node in the network.  Click each of the pictures below to see an enlarged view of the item.  In this configuration, the Bullet router actually screws on the bottom end of the antenna and that assembly is then mounted by the bracket on the antenna.  Outdoor rated Ethernet cable would then run down from the Bullet, and into your shack where it would then be connected to the power injector and to your local network.  Power and data to the router are carried up through the cable.

The following table shows a representative list of the items required.  Cable and connectors are not shown.  At the time of this writing, the total cost of the three components should come in around $150.00.