[K12OSN] Wireless - TC boot status

[Jeff Siddall]

On 10/24/2010 10:10 AM, Barry Cisna wrote:
> Hello All,
> 
> Been out of the loop for a while now,in regards to wireless boot
> possibilities for TC's. I have seen as of late several low cost TC's
> that can be gotten with onboard wireless modules.
> I'm not smart enough,but wonder if anyone would be able to figure
> something out in a script to add to the rc.d folder of the ltsp
> root,that would simply initialize the onboard wifi of the TC, and try
> and scan 'the area' for any available AP,and connect to it transparently
> at boot time of the TC.
> This would be one more nice uncluttering feature of the classroom to
> pitch TC's,,,:).
> With the miriad of ever changing wireless onboard chips and changing
> specifications,I am sure this would be a very big challenge to make it
> actually happen.
> Ideas?

The real issue with wireless LTSP is the bandwidth -- or lack of it.

It might be usable for a client or two but I suspect it would quickly
fall apart as the number of clients grew.

The next issue is finding a way to get the wireless to run something
like PXE.  I kinda doubt that works.

I have encountered the same wireless issue when trying to come up with a
mobile thin client that could work across the internet.  I decided to
use a minimal fat client (installed from a live CD) on the laptop that
allowed the normal NetworkManager tools to find and connect to APs as
well as firing up a VPN tunnel to the terminal server, then ran an NX
client.  It has the side benefit of being a useful fat laptop in case
the user doesn't have internet access.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to get freeNX to work on Fedora 12 :(

Anyway, if you find a solution please post it.

Jeff