Prototype Hardware
Modem / WiFi Router
As a prototype, low cost is a significant point of concern and therefore finding an affordable solution took some effort. At the last minute I found a GL-X750 from GL.iNet to be an appropriate starting place at $120 for the model with expanded band capability. The main sacrifice of this model is that it does not have any external connector for WiFi antennas, but only for cellular. In the final version I intend to have external antennas as a feature so this could be a final solution if not for that. I do plan to investigate if this can be added with some modification.
Another possibility for the prototype was a modem / router from KuWFi, but I found this to be more of a cheaply produced product. It does, however, have external antenna connectors for WiFi.
The final factor in choosing the GL-X750 was that it comes with OpenWRT already installed and fully supported on the hardware, which will be a significant help in configuring the final software solution.
Battery Bank
The battery bank likely to be used is still undetermined. It does not necessarily have the performance (mAh) that I would prefer for this application, but it does conveniently have a 12V output which the Modem / Router requires. I would like to get a full day of use on one charge cycle. This may fall short of that, but should be adequate for testing.
Support PC
I am unsure if this is strictly necessary, but I may embed a Raspberry Pi Zero W in order to serve the payment portal web page, perform system monitoring and provide other miscellaneous functions.
Pelican Case
A form factor fitting in a small case for complete portability is desired.
No comments:
Post a Comment