Mesh/Mounting

Mounting Rooftop Nodes

This wiki article is perhaps more accessible than GitHub, and content here is appreciated. However, please see also https://github.com/sudomesh/mounting .

Node Mount Inventory Checklist

Nodes

  • Pre-flashed NanoBridge and/or Nanostation, plus POE injector
  • Pre-flashed home node(s) as appropriate, plus power supplies and ethernet cables

Tools

  • Drill and appropriate bits
    • Standard
    • Green concave(?) for loosening/tightening hose clamp screws
  • Impact drill & 10" bit (for drilling through walls)
  • EZ Crimper (blue handles)
  • Needle-nose plyers
  • Wrench
  • Wirecutters
  • Hammer
  • Compass
  • Binoculars

Things to Attach Things to Other Things

  • Hose clamps of various sizes
  • Small and industrial-strength zip ties
  • J-pole, flagpole or pipe for extending height of node
  • Large cable ties
  • Nails & screws
  • Nuts & bolts
  • Small blocks of wood

Cable & Accessories

  • Outdoor shielded ethernet cable
  • Box of indoor ethernet cable
  • Shielded & grounded RJ45s
  • Regular RJ45s
  • RJ45 boots

Safety Equipment

Contingent on weather and roof conditions:

  • Sunscreen
  • Hat / Visor
  • Climbing Harness
  • Safety Goggles
  • High Visibility Clothing
  • Work Boots

110v materials

Contingent on weather and roof conditions, and assuming the need for extending 110v supply:

  • 1x Receptacle, duplex
  • 1x weather-tite box, switch
  • 1x weather-tite cover, switch
  • 1x weather-tite extension box, switch
  • 1box ground screws
  • 2x box connector
  • 50x exterior straps for:
  • 500 lf flexible conduit
  • 1 spool 12g thhn, red
  • 1 spool 12g thhn, black
  • 1 spool 12g thhn, white
  • 1 spool 12g thhn, green
  • 1 spool 14g thhn, red
  • 1 spool 14g thhn, black
  • 1 spool 14g thhn, white
  • 1 spool 14g thhn, green
  • 1 box yellow wire nut
  • 1 box red wire nut
  • 1 roll black vinyl tape
  • 1 box pan-head screw, 1"

Conduit, depending:

  • ? ½" EMT conduit ?
  • ? ½" EMT straps ?
  • ? ½" flexible weathertite conduit ?
  • ? straps for above ?

ID appropriate circuit

  • Confirm meter source
  • Confirm breaker aligns with wire-size
  (12g to 20 amp, 14g to 15 amp)

Copied from Mesh/Flashing_extender_nodes

For some reason, this was hiding at the very bottom of the extender node flashing guide,

Installation Order

  1. Flash home nodes and extender nodes
  2. Get on roof and determine which direction to face the extender nodes
  3. Install J-Pole
  4. Crimp end onto Ethernet cable
  5. Run Ethernet cable from j-pole down to location of home node (either through a soffit indoors or to an outdoor enclosure)
  6. Crimp other end of Ethernet cable and connect to home node via a POE adaptor
  7. Install extender node on J-Pole using zip-ties - check lights to make sure unit is powered up
  8. Walk around the neighborhood to check the signal

Gear Checklist

Protective and personal gear

  • Wear clothes you can get dirty and sturdy boots for roof walking
  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses
  • Pocketknife (for cutting zip ties etc)
  • Ladder
  • Safety harness & rope in a bucket
  • Smart phone (to check signal and take pictures)

Home node gear

  • 2 flashed Western Digital Mynet N600 Home Nodes
  • paperclip (to reset equipment)
  • Laptop (to configure equipment)
  • Plastic outdoor enclosure for router (optional)
  • Power Strip

J-Pole gear

  • J-Pole
  • Latex gloves (for dealing with roofing sealant)
  • Roofing sealant
  • Ratchet set - 10mm for small bolts, 13mm for large bolts
  • Corldless Drill
  • 3/16" drill bit for J-pole bolts
  • Steel One-Hole Conduit Straps (for holding Ethernet cable along eves)
  • Screws for the Steel one-hole straps

Ethernet cable gear

  • Ethernet Spool
  • Ethernet Ends
  • Ethernet Crimper
  • Laminated card showing the Ethernet cable order
  • Label Maker - so you can know which cable is which

Extender node gear

  • Flashed Ubiquiti Nanostation M2 or M5 extender Node(s)
  • Power over Ethernet (POE) adapters
  • Zip Ties