<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div>Our organization, <a href="http://www.charityhelp.org" class="">CharityHelp International</a> will provide remote technical support for organizations using the offline educational information server. To view the step-by-step instructions we developed to enable educational organizations to create their own server, visit: <a href="https://charityhelp.org/sets-of-instructions-to-convert-a-computer-into-an-educational-information-server/" class="">Setting up an educational information server</a>.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">We want to enable individuals and organizations to re-purpose older computers into offline educational information servers. If a computer has Windows 10 or later on it, they can install the free server apps. If a computer has Windows 7 or earlier, we recommend they replace the Windows with Linux OS. This is a very low-cost way for children in developing countries to access a wide range of educational information.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Regards,</div><div class="">Paul</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class=""><div><br class=""><div class="">On Jul 19, 2024, at 8:18 PM, bitmap <<a href="mailto:bitmap@imap.cc" class="">bitmap@imap.cc</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" class="">This thread makes me very curious. <br class=""></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" class="">Who will be maintaining this setup? <br class=""></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" class="">And what do they have to say about the most suitable hardware? What are their priorities? </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" class="">On Fri, Jul 19, 2024, at 6:53 PM, Paul Stevers via talk wrote:<br class=""></div><blockquote type="cite" id="qt" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow-wrap: break-word;" class=""><div class="">Hello Mauro,<br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><br class=""></div><div class="qt-">Thank you for you recommendation to purchase a <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/TP-Link-TL-WR802N-Wireless-Repeater-300Mbps/dp/B00TQEX8BO?th=1" class="qt-">TP-Link-TL-WR802N-Wireless-Repeater</a>. I have ordered and received it. I tried to configure it but do not see any option to create a data connection to the Linux laptop computer (which is running two apps to that serve education content) through the USB cable to this router. Then I plugged a standard ethernet cable into the Linux laptop and into the Tp-link router. (If one of ethernet ports will not switch to server mode from climate mode, I may need to have a special ethernet cable to that enables a connected to two devices in client mode).<br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><br class=""></div><div class="qt-">I then set the TP-Link router to “Wireless Router” mode and set it to “auto-detect”. It then chose “Dynamic IP” connect type but it did not connect to the Ethernet port on the Linux computer. I then assumed that both the Tp-link ethernet port and the laptop computer ethernet port are both looking connect via DHCP to a router providing internet access. As a result, I set the IP Address on both devices to manual. The laptop was set to 10.42.0.1 and the TP Link router was set to 10.42.0.2, however, it did not appear to work. Using my phone via WiFi, I connected to the TP Link router to its ip address, which is 192.168.1.1. When I did, I could not connect to the linux laptop.<br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><br class=""></div><div class="qt-">Is there another way to get the TP-Link router to become WiFi hotspot for my linux laptop, which is running two apps that serve educational content?<br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><br class=""></div><div class="qt-">Regards,<br class=""></div><div class="qt-">Paul <br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><br class=""></div><div class="qt-">Note: The two apps that serve educational content on the linux laptop are Kiwix and Kolibri.<br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="qt-">On Jul 18, 2024, at 8:31 PM, Paul Stevers <<a href="mailto:steversp2@charityhelp.org" class="qt-">steversp2@charityhelp.org</a>> wrote:<br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><div class="qt-" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="">Hello Mauro,<br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><br class=""></div><div class="qt-">Thanks! That is useful info.<br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><br class=""></div><div class="qt-">Regards,<br class=""></div><div class="qt-">Paul<br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><div class="qt-"><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="qt-">On Jul 17, 2024, at 2:35 PM, Mauro Souza via talk <<a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" class="qt-">talk@gtalug.org</a>> wrote:<br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><div dir="ltr" class="qt-"><div class="">You can grab this one:<br class=""></div><div class=""><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/TP-Link-TL-WR802N-Wireless-Repeater-300Mbps/dp/B00TQEX8BO?th=1" class="qt-">https://www.amazon.ca/TP-Link-TL-WR802N-Wireless-Repeater-300Mbps/dp/B00TQEX8BO?th=1</a><br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><br class=""></div><div class="qt-">It's similar to the one I have, just a couple generations newer than mine. Costs CA$34, can be powered by the USB port, it's small and light so double sided tape can support it on a wall or behind the monitor, supports AP mode, repeater mode, and has great reviews. My router was set up 15-ish years ago, and still works just fine. IIRC, I had to plug it on USB, connect an Ethernet cable to it and my PC, and a captive portal let me adjust network name, password, mode and so on. It's as plug and play as it can be.<br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><br class=""></div><div class="qt-">A USB wifi dongle solves the kind of problem you don't have. It's great when the internal wifi isn't powerful enough, or the old computer does not have internal wifi. Not for creating a wifi network.<br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><br class=""></div><div class="qt-">And it gives you a new problem to solve. Messing around with hostapd can be fun when you are the kind of guy who likes a tech puzzle out of nowhere, or can be a waste of time. You can grab a great USB dongle, make it work after hours fiddling around, just to forget what you did and a new kernel version breaks it and you don't know if it's the kernel, the dongle, the USB port, or the moon. If only you depend on the network, it's one thing. But others depend on it, so save you time and sanity, and a travel router was made for this.<br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="qt-"><div dir="ltr" class="qt-gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr" class="qt-"><div class="">Mauro<br class=""></div><div class=""><a href="https://www.maurosouza.com/" target="_blank" class="qt-">https://www.maurosouza.com</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>- registered Linux User: 294521<br class=""></div><div class="">Scripture is both history, and a love letter from God.<br class=""></div></div></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="qt-gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="qt-gmail_attr">On Wed, Jul 17, 2024 at 2:52 PM Alvin Starr via talk <<a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" class="qt-">talk@gtalug.org</a>> wrote:<br class=""></div><blockquote class="qt-gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="">You could try OpenWRT.<br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">It supports a number of hardware routers along with generic versions for<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""></div><div class="">CPUs like the X86_64.<br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">It can be a good way to repurpose an older wifi router and with a bit of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""></div><div class="">luck it may work on a laptop.<br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">On 7/17/24 11:25 AM, Giles Orr via talk wrote:<br class=""></div><div class="">> Hi Paul.<br class=""></div><div class="">><br class=""></div><div class="">> I understand your desire to keep costs down, and to keep all the<br class=""></div><div class="">> functionality in one box. But Mauro's advice is sound: Linux isn't<br class=""></div><div class="">> particularly good at being an Access Point. It's good at many things,<br class=""></div><div class="">> unfortunately you've found something it's not great at. If more<br class=""></div><div class="">> people used Linux as an AP, more development would be done, and the<br class=""></div><div class="">> path you're choosing to walk would be easier. Support for Wifi cards<br class=""></div><div class="">> and dongles as clients is pretty good on Linux, but as an AP ... not<br class=""></div><div class="">> so much. You solicited expert advice on the subject, and I think<br class=""></div><div class="">> Mauro qualifies - particularly on this subject, given his experience<br class=""></div><div class="">> with `hostapd`. Here's a second (dubious expert) opinion: admit<br class=""></div><div class="">> defeat on this particular aspect of the server and follow Mauro's<br class=""></div><div class="">> advice ... Sorry, but I suspect you'll be saving yourself a lot of<br class=""></div><div class="">> grief.<br class=""></div><div class="">><br class=""></div><div class="">> Of course the great thing about experts is that they rarely agree:<br class=""></div><div class="">> someone here may come up with different advice for you. Enjoy the<br class=""></div><div class="">> diversity of opinions!<br class=""></div><div class="">><br class=""></div><div class="">> On Wed, 17 Jul 2024 at 06:26, Paul Stevers via talk <<a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" target="_blank" class="qt-">talk@gtalug.org</a>> wrote:<br class=""></div><div class="">>> Hello Mauro,<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> Thanks for the feedback.<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> I did a quick search for a travel router and found this one:<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> TP-Link: TL-WR902AC - AC750 Wireless Travel Router<br class=""></div><div class="">>> • Travel-Sized Design – Conveniently small and light to pack and take on the road, creating Wi-Fi network via Ethernet, 3G/4G USB modem or WISP<br class=""></div><div class="">>> • Dual Band AC750 Wi-Fi – Strong, fast connection for HD streaming on all your devices<br class=""></div><div class="">>> • One Switch for Multiple Modes – Perfect for Wi-Fi at home, your hotel room or on the road<br class=""></div><div class="">>> • Flexible Power – Micro USB port to an adapter, portable charger or laptop<br class=""></div><div class="">>> • Versatile USB – For file sharing or internet access from a 3G/4G USB modem<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> Amazon sells this router for about CA$50.<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> Can you recommend a D’Link travel router model that can work? I would like it to be powered and receive data via the USB port.<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> Instead of a travel router, I would prefer a more compact option such as a USB Wifi dongle. Amazon sells a range of these devices. Since I do not have time to check out all the options to find a solution, I prefer if a linux specialist would do this for me. I am pretty sure the Linksys AE6000 Wireless USB Adaptor can work but if it does not, I expect we can purchase a different one that will work.<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> Regards,<br class=""></div><div class="">>> Paul<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> On Jul 16, 2024, at 6:29 PM, Mauro Souza via talk <<a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" target="_blank" class="qt-">talk@gtalug.org</a>> wrote:<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> A little tangent here, but wouldn't just buying a cheap AP work better?<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> I ran hostapd several years on different hardware, and something consistent was the inconsistency... Worked or not, depending on kernel version, on clients, on internal wifi cards, on external wifi cards... A cheap D'Link travel router fixed all the issues, and now it's honored as my personal wifi printing server.<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> It cost 10 dollars, maybe it could work for you too.<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> Mauro<br class=""></div><div class="">>><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.maurosouza.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" class="qt-">https://www.maurosouza.com</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>- registered Linux User: 294521<br class=""></div><div class="">>> Scripture is both history, and a love letter from God.<br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> On Tue, Jul 16, 2024 at 5:01 PM Paul Stevers via talk <<a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" target="_blank" class="qt-">talk@gtalug.org</a>> wrote:<br class=""></div><div class="">>>> Hello Linux Community,<br class=""></div><div class="">>>><br class=""></div><div class="">>>> We are seeking a knowledgeable Linux specialist who can help us solve some Linux-related issues on older computers that we convert into educational information servers. As well, we are also seeking someone who is interested to help us provide refurbished computers with free educational information to people around the world who do not have access to or cannot afford high-speed Internet.<br class=""></div><div class="">>>><br class=""></div><div class="">>>> Currently, we have a Lenovo IdeaPad V460 laptop computer that has been converted into a Linux Mint-based educational information server using this instruction: Setting Up An Educational Information Server (Linux Mint). Unfortunately, the hotspot feature did not work on the built-in WiFi hardware so we added this USB-based WiFI transmitter/receiver; Linksys AE6000 Wireless USB Adaptor. It works but other devices are not able to connect to it. My phone says “it cannot obtain an IP address” from the SSID transmitting from this laptop.<br class=""></div><div class="">>>><br class=""></div><div class="">>>> I look forward to your reply.<br class=""></div><div class="">>>><br class=""></div><div class="">>>> Regards,<br class=""></div><div class="">>>> Paul<br class=""></div><div class="">>>><br class=""></div><div class="">>>> ---<br class=""></div><div class="">>>> Post to this mailing list<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" target="_blank" class="qt-">talk@gtalug.org</a><br class=""></div><div class="">>>> Unsubscribe from this mailing list<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" class="qt-">https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk</a><br class=""></div><div class="">>> ---<br class=""></div><div class="">>> Post to this mailing list<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" target="_blank" class="qt-">talk@gtalug.org</a><br class=""></div><div class="">>> Unsubscribe from this mailing list<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" class="qt-">https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk</a><br class=""></div><div class="">>><br class=""></div><div class="">>> ---<br class=""></div><div class="">>> Post to this mailing list<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" target="_blank" class="qt-">talk@gtalug.org</a><br class=""></div><div class="">>> Unsubscribe from this mailing list<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" class="qt-">https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk</a><br class=""></div><div class="">><br class=""></div><div class="">><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">--<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""></div><div class="">Alvin Starr || land: (647)478-6285<br class=""></div><div class="">Netvel Inc. || Cell: (416)806-0133<br class=""></div><div class=""><a href="mailto:alvin@netvel.net" target="_blank" class="qt-">alvin@netvel.net</a> ||<br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">---<br class=""></div><div class="">Post to this mailing list<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" target="_blank" class="qt-">talk@gtalug.org</a><br class=""></div><div class="">Unsubscribe from this mailing list<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" class="qt-">https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk</a><br class=""></div></blockquote></div><div class="">---<br class=""></div><div class="">Post to this mailing list<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" class="qt-">talk@gtalug.org</a><br class=""></div><div class="">Unsubscribe from this mailing list<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk" class="qt-">https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk</a><br class=""></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="">---<br class=""></div><div class="">Post to this mailing list <a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" class="">talk@gtalug.org</a><br class=""></div><div class="">Unsubscribe from this mailing list <a href="https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk" class="">https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk</a></div></blockquote></div></div><br class="">
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