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diff --git a/design/overview.page b/design/overview.page index 262c359..f4ed6e2 100644 --- a/design/overview.page +++ b/design/overview.page @@ -1,29 +1,110 @@ -Below is the best-guess set of features that a rooter hardware device would -include; this is a balance between good functionality, engineering feasibility, -and cost at the 1k or 10k production batch size: - - - Core - - ARM SoC, Freescale i.MX6 - - Power management/regulator IC for SoC - - 512MB RAM - - No onboard FLASH, 8GB+ uSD card - - FRAM chip for routing table persistance - - WiFi - - full-size miniPCIe slot for off-the-shelf dual-band card - - 802.15.4 - - all-in-one stm32w chip, trace antenna (?) - - Ethernet - - GigE switch chip w/ PHY, 5 ports - - 4x LAN jacks with drivers for longer cable runs (w/ LEDs) - - 1x WAN jack - - Power - - 5/12v regulator, ~1amp - - Power connector - - Reverse voltage diode - - USB Host jack - - USB mini jack for UART/JTAG/Mass storage (how? USB2 hub?) - - Second SD or uSD connector (for expansion) - - status LEDs and drivers (PWM from SoC?) - - reset button - - power switch +## Specific Design Goals and Requirements + +**A standard Linux server environment** for hosting applications, meaning that +web applications and most daemons (eg, appropriate to run on a single VPS) do +not have to be specifically re-ported to run on rooter. + +**Simultaneous 200Mbps down, 109Mbps up routed ethernet throughput** between +local and remote ports. This performance ensures that rooter would not limit +the performance of [DOCSIS 3.0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOCSIS#Speed_tables) +cable modem connections. + +**No surprises generic router functionality**, meaning that the device should +meet the expectations of non-technical users in it's default configuration: +standard firewall configuration, DHCP and DNS auto-configuration, support for +common upstream authentication mechanisms, configuration via a web interface at +the gateway's IP address. + +**Hardware Hackability**, a vague concept. In this case meaning (at a minimum) +that new firmware can loaded and debugged on the device, and that low-level +electronics can be integrated using standard connections (3.3/5v GPIOs, UARTS, +SPI, ADCs, etc). + +Ability to **participate in alternative networks** like wireless mesh networks +(BATMAN, OLSR, etc), darknets (i2p), or Tor without excessive difficulty. This +may require some network-specific porting and may contra-indicate some other + +**"Line-rate" WiFi routed throughput** (to local or upstream ethernet ports). +For 802.11n this means 150Mbps for a single 40MHz channel. + +**IPv6 fully supported out-of-the-box.** + +**No reboot reliability** under defaults with "normal usage", meaning that end +users should never have to manually power cycle the device to resolve local or +uplink DHCP or routing connectivity issues. + +**No NDAs, special vendor deals, or binary blobs.** A mostly free/libre +software and hardware stack, reproducable by anybody with capital and +manufacturing facilities. + +**"Internet-of-Things" connectivity** via a low-power IP-based wireless +protocol (eg 802.15.4 6lowpan, ZigBee, Bluetooth Low-Energy, etc). + +## Hardware features + +See [design/hardware]() for specific components and costs. + +- 1GHz dual-core ARM SoC processor +- 512MB+ RAM +- Internal uSD card storage, expandable through SATA and USB ports +- Modular WiFI via miniPCIe slot +- Second USB-only miniPCIe slot for expansion +- 2+ powered USB ports for expansion +- 5x Gigabit ethernet ports: 4x local + 1x upstream +- Serial and JTAG debugging via USB port +- Low-power "internet of things" gateway with 802.15.4 radio +- Hardware entropy generation device + +## Comparison + +<table> + <tr> + <th>Device + <th>Price (est.) + <th>CPU/RAM/Disk + <th>Ethernet Ports + <th>Router? + <th>Server? + <th>Libre? + <th>Hack? + <tr> + <td>rooter + <td>$175 + <td>dual 1GHz ARM / 512MB / 8Gb uSD + <td>5x 1000Mbps + <td>Yes + <td>Yes + <td>Yes + <td>Yes + <tr> + <td>FreedomBox (DreamPlug) + <td>$180 + <td> + <td> + <td> + <tr> + <td>Raspberry Pi + <td>$35 + <td> + <td> + <td> + <tr> + <td>Netgear N600 Router + <td>$90 + <td> + <td> + <td> + <tr> + <td>Soekris net6501 + <td>$300+ + <td> + <td> + <td> + <tr> + <td>Mesh Potato + <td>$100 + <td> + <td> +</table> + |