Linux SBC recommendations

[geoffrey mendelson]

On May 24, 2009, at 8:56 AM, Guy Corem wrote:

>
> I don't really care regarding the form factor and electric power.
> On second thought: preferably small with integrated power supply...
>
> Regarding processing power:
> My goal is to create a demo / POC of 3G to WiFi router.

Before you waste your time and money, there are some on the market. It  
would behoove you
to develop a competitive anlysis and perform an exhaustive patent  
search.  I forget the name,
but when I asked about it on this list, someone pointed me to one sold  
in Israel.

So not only are you not the first one to publicly ask, which kills  
patent priority, you are not the first to actually do it, which IMHO  
makes it not worth it unless you want to do it for fun or pro-bono  
(for the public good).

> I'll need to install two or three 3G modems on the USB ports.
> I've managed to use Sierre Wireless Compass 885  on Ubuntu 9.04  
> without any problems, so it will be nice if the SBC could support  
> Ubuntu.

Wow, something that actually runs on Ubuntu. :-) Last night I had to  
remove and re-install X
because one of my Ubuntu systems decided it no longer supported my  
video card and monitor.

> I forgot Ethernet (preferably 1 GbE) in the original requirements  
> list.


I would start out looking at WiFi routers. EDIMAX makes one that has  
802.11g, 2 USB ports, is ARM based, 2 ethernet ports (one with a 4  
port hub), small and runs on a five volt single supply. BUG has them  
on their website for under 300 NIS.

If it runs Linux (many EDIMAX products do), you  have exactly what you  
need for a POC.
If it doesn't you would have to go beyond just looking at a few local  
store's websites.

Geoff.
-- 
geoffrey mendelson N3OWJ/4X1GM
Jerusalem Israel geoffreymendelson at gmail.com