[OpenWrt-Devel] RFI: OpenWRT for #DisasterRelief: LoRA: ClusterDuck, LTE, 5G, Mesh, Throttling

[Wes Turner]

A thread for discussing OpenWRT for #DisasterRelief: LoRA: ClusterDuck,
LTE, Mesh

(cc'ing and re-formatting from
https://twitter.com/westurner/status/1238859774567026688 )

Please LMK if the forums are the appropriate place for these questions.

## Project OWL ClusterDuck
Homepage: http://clusterduckprotocol.org/
GitHub: https://github.com/Code-and-Response/ClusterDuck-Protocol

The Linux Foundation > Code and Response:
  https://www.linuxfoundation.org/projects/code-and-response/
GitHub:
  https://github.com/code-and-response

> Project OWL (Organization, Whereabouts, and Logistics) creates a mesh
network of Internet of Things (IoT) devices called DuckLinks. These
Wi-Fi-enabled devices can be deployed or activated in disaster areas to
quickly re-establish connectivity and improve communication between first
responders and civilians in need.
>
> In OWL, a central portal connects to solar- and battery-powered,
water-resistant DuckLinks. These create a Local Area Network (LAN). In
turn, these power up a Wi-Fi captive portal using low-frequency Long-range
Radio (LoRa) for Internet connectivity. LoRA has a greater range, about
10km, than cellular networks.
> [...]
> You don't actually need a DuckLink device. The open-source OWL firmware
can quickly turn a cheap wireless device into a DuckLink using the -- I
swear I'm not making this up -- ClusterDuck Protocol. This is a mesh
network node, which can hook up to any other near-by Ducks.
>
> OWL is more than just hardware and firmware. It's also a cloud-based
analytic program. The OWL Data Management Software can be used to
facilitate organization, whereabouts, and logistics for disaster response.

## LoRa + OpenWRT: ClusterDuck, ChirpStack
A ClusterDuck opkg would make it possible to use WiFi/LTE routers with a
LoRa transmitter/receiver connected over e.g. USB or Mini-PCIe.

Is there anything special that would need to be done to create an opkg for
ClusterDuck?

> OpenWRT uses opkg packages:
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/additional-software/opkg

I searched for "Lora" in OpenWRT/packages:

- lora-gateway-hal opkg package:
https://github.com/openwrt/packages/blob/master/net/lora-gateway-hal/Makefile
- lora-packet-forwarder opkg package (w/ UCI integration):
https://github.com/openwrt/packages/pull/8320
- lora-feed: https://github.com/xueliu/lora-feed :

  > Semtech packages and ChirpStack [(LoRaserver)] Network Server stack for
OpenWRT

## Mesh architectures: ClusterDuck // B.A.T.M.A.N
How does ClusterDuck compare to BATMAN and other mesh routing approaches?

Is there a reference implementation with WiFi, LTE, and LoRa and IDK link
prioritization?

>> [In addition to providing node2node/2net connectivity, #batman-adv can
bridge VLANs over a mesh (or link), such as for “trusted” client, guest,
IoT, and mgmt networks. It provides an easy-to-configure alternative to
other approaches to “backhaul”, […]]
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/wifi/mesh/batman

## LTE Routers, LTE Tethering
LTE is useful for disaster relief scenarios.

Tethering an OpenWRT router to an LTE phone over WiFi/USB/Bluetooth is one
alternative to buying a router with an LTE modem, external LTE antennas,
and one or more SIM card slots.

I have no affiliation with either of these manufacturers. I have a few
different [quad-core, MIMO] ARM devices without 4G. TIL about routers with
LTE modems in them (and cell providers that allow adding additional SIMs
that just draw from a shared bandwidth quota).

> TIL that the @GLiNetWifi devices ship with OpenWRT firmware (and a mobile
config app) and some have 1-2 (Mini-PCIe) 4G LTE w/ SIM slots.
https://twitter.com/GLiNetWiFi

> Also, @turris_cz has OpenWRT w/ LTE and LXC in the kernel build.
https://t.co/Rz0Uu5uHJQ
https://twitter.com/turris_cz

Are there other [OpenWRT-compatible] devices with LTE and/or LoRa that
would be useful for disaster relief?

"Table of Hardware: LTE Modem supported"
https://openwrt.org/toh/views/toh_lte_modem_supported

## 5G
Are there any 5G-compatible OpenWRT devices yet?
Presumably, devices with Mini-PCIe are theoretically compatible given built
modules.

## Throttling
In a disaster relief scenario, burning through the limited available
bandwidth for certain media-heavy sites can be problematic.

Is there a recommended way to e.g. throttle / traffic shape individual
clients so that no one user can exhaust the bandwidth resources? AFAIU, SQM
can be configured for individual VLANs, but that would require an SSID per
user?
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