Do you want Internet in the Paddock?

**Johnny B** · 10-02-07, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by Carl McAllister

The track management is not looking for all the problems caused by having hundreds of people on their computer system.

Carl ain't management. He's just trying to scare you away so that you don't cut into the broadband he needs to surf for porn.
(I'm thinking of filling his antenna with Pringle's Potato Chips.)

**SVRACER01** · 10-02-07, 06:43 PM

they act like if it gets put in then no one will come up to race. they will all come up just to use the computer.

**Doc** · 10-02-07, 07:13 PM

Am I missing something over on NEAR?

**Doc** · 10-02-07, 07:28 PM

Jessh, What a bunch of namby pambys!!

**Johnny B** · 10-02-07, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by Doc

Am I missing something over on NEAR?

I'm just being a little bit sarcastic because sometimes people jump in and talk down to you. Not an intelligent way to discus an issue.
I would probably double check with Steve Aspland about this. I know this has been dragging along for God knows how long, but this is an infrastructure issue which means NHIS and not LRRS. The point man for a lot of this is Fred Neergaard the track's PR guy. I think he has issues with the whole deal that are prolly delaying this stuff. Just got do deal with it, and just jumping in and doing it on your own might blow up in your face. It's really best to talk to Steve and maybe he can fill you in on technical issues that might be delaying this.

**Doc** · 10-02-07, 07:49 PM

Thanks Johnny... Sarcasm I can take, dish it back out too.

I am understanding the logistics a little better now.

Maybe you will give me a straight answer. Do people "steal" the bandwidth anyway and they don't want me to ruin it for them?

**Kitt** · 10-03-07, 08:00 AM

im confused, but yea, internet would be cool

**daviid** · 10-03-07, 08:07 AM

ignoring the logistical issues you have right now. your using your best case scenarios. you are not taking humidity and other rf traffic into account. which is going to drop your signal distance

**Doc** · 10-03-07, 08:13 AM

Ok so to clear this up a little.

They LRRS/NHIS have wireless to send the lap times to the scorers booth. It is easy enough to jump on because it is not secure (plug in the cat cable to a router, which someone does already) especially if that is all we would want to see is Laptimes.

The problem lies with the security of the server (I guess). It is rather open and NHIS doesn't want the headache of investing ANYTHING into this at the moment.

There IS internet in the garage area because someone (who will remain nameless) plugs in a wireless router and in effect "borrows" the bandwidth, allowing others to get into that "borrowed" bandwidth as well.

The above individual is concerned with allowing the whole paddock in on the bandwidth as it may 1. Screw up the timing and scoring and 2. Mess up the "haves" internet access "privleges".

The only other option I can see at this point is getting a bunch of people in the infield to set up internet with secure wireless routers and give out passwords to your friends and or those in the know to keep the access limited so it wouldn't be too slow.

Or you can sneak over and "borrow" the wireless access

That is until someone gets smart and puts up WEP enycryption on their router.

**Kitt** · 10-03-07, 08:29 AM

got it, that's sweet, didn't know you could see lap times... is it done on the web, or through some software package?

**Doc** · 10-03-07, 08:32 AM

Software package.

They have it on LRRSracing.com

**Kitt** · 10-03-07, 08:38 AM

I can't keep up!

**Kurlon** · 10-03-07, 11:13 AM

Re wireless range: Yeah, I used conservative numbers, and I would expect with a solution like this that there are more than the 5 nodes I drew up, so even in poor RF scenarios there would be full coverage. (Basically, as long as a group of people buy nodes for themselves, as long as a decent number show up, coverage is solid.)

As far as NHIS preferring we stay off their network, fine. I'm thinking we talk with Sprint/Nextel and see about an EVDO wireless contract, hopefully getting a break due to Nextel tie in at the track?

If an individual does this, the track isn't involved in any way, but we're at the mercy of said indvidual to make or break the network. Looking at coverage, I may be game for doing this myself, on non race days I can justify the card for personal use.

The meraki units run full access control, so bandwidth/unauthorized access isn't a problem. If the group feels it's needed, we can require logins, etc. All easy cheasy.

If NHIS/LRRS is using wireless for transponder reporting, we need to find out what channel they're on so we can avoid it.

**RyanNicholson** · 10-03-07, 11:51 AM

i dunno who you guys have for cell phone carriers but I know with verizon you can buy either a cellular internet card (like $125) or a connectivity kit (like $50) and get internet that way, anywhere you have cell phone service.

and most people get free nights and weekends, so minutes arent so much an issue. I use a connectivity kit for work a lot and it works great. its just a wire that plugs the phone into a usb port and uses the cell phone as a modem.

= no logistical problems, and roughly the same cost of the nodes

**daviid** · 10-03-07, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Kurlon

Re wireless range: Yeah, I used conservative numbers, and I would expect with a solution like this that there are more than the 5 nodes I drew up, so even in poor RF scenarios there would be full coverage. (Basically, as long as a group of people buy nodes for themselves, as long as a decent number show up, coverage is solid.)

As far as NHIS preferring we stay off their network, fine. I'm thinking we talk with Sprint/Nextel and see about an EVDO wireless contract, hopefully getting a break due to Nextel tie in at the track?

If an individual does this, the track isn't involved in any way, but we're at the mercy of said indvidual to make or break the network. Looking at coverage, I may be game for doing this myself, on non race days I can justify the card for personal use.

The meraki units run full access control, so bandwidth/unauthorized access isn't a problem. If the group feels it's needed, we can require logins, etc. All easy cheasy.

If NHIS/LRRS is using wireless for transponder reporting, we need to find out what channel they're on so we can avoid it.

1. Sprint is not going to be thrilled with 200 users using 1 connection
2. That one connection is only going to be good for 800KBps until 4G (wimax) is installed
3. If you need allover inet access. Get a aircard. Most people cannot justify the cost unless your in a position that requires it.

**Jaynnus** · 10-03-07, 01:22 PM

Can I just ask why? Why do you need internet in the paddock??

When I go to the track it is to get away from all the bullshit...not bring it with me.

**Kurlon** · 10-03-07, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by daviid

1. Sprint is not going to be thrilled with 200 users using 1 connection
2. That one connection is only going to be good for 800KBps until 4G (wimax) is installed
3. If you need allover inet access. Get a aircard. Most people cannot justify the cost unless your in a position that requires it.

1) They have plans for multiple user access, you just have to inform them up front thats what you're doing. (Puts you into their business account tiers).

2) For web browsing/email, 800KBps will EASILY handle 50 to 100 people at a time, as long as they stay off Youtube, etc. Turn on per user bandwidth constraints, problem solved. It won't be blazing fast for everyone, but it'll be enough to stay connected.

**Doc** · 10-03-07, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Jaynnus

Can I just ask why? Why do you need internet in the paddock??

When I go to the track it is to get away from all the bullshit...not bring it with me.

I want it for lap times and streaming announcements. Thats it. Not to surf.

**Kurlon** · 10-03-07, 01:56 PM

That we can do sans EVDO/borrowing ethernet from the garage. : )

**Kitt** · 10-03-07, 01:57 PM

we could set up a router that does not give internet access, just connects from a computer or server at the track for live updates.

Do you want Internet in the Paddock?

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