Mobile IPv6 Demo
A team of engineers at Compaq's Cambridge Research Lab and Tru64 UNIX Network Engineering has created a demonstration of Wireless Mobile IPv6 using Tru64 UNIX as an application server and iPAQs as the wireless mobile devices.
The instructions provided here describe the steps involved in configuring and running this demo. We expect the demo will be duplicated in Competency Centers around the world and at trade shows to demonstrate that Compaq is a leading vendor for IPv6 and (in the near future) Mobile IPv6 technology.
The majority of these instructions cover the installation and configuration procedures. The demonstration procedures are also included at the end. Of course, this demo isn't perfect. We get noticable glitches in the audio streams during movement due to a series of bugs in the implementation. Mobile IPv6 can do significantly better than what we see here.
* - a Cisco router may be substituted for this machine but anymore information about that is beyond the scope of these instructions.
Installing the Tru64 UNIX Home Agent
The Home Agent runs on Tru64 UNIX V5.1A. Modifications are made to the router daemon configuration for mobility.Installing the Tru64 UNIX Correspondent Node
The Correspondent Node (application server) in our demo is a Tru64 UNIX V5.1A node with kernel modifications to support direct communication with a mobile node when the mobile node is away from its home network.Follow the Home Agent instructions above, select Correspondent Node in the script and all the necessary components for the Correspondent Node will be installed automatically.
Network Installation
Plug the 1st interface of the Home Agent into Hub 1.
Plug the Correspondent Node into Hub 1
Plug Access Point 1 into Hub 1
Plug the 2nd interface of the Home Agent into Hub 2
Plug Access Point 2 in Hub 2
Configuration
Follow the instructions form the Mobile IPv6 Demo kit to configure the Home Agent and Correspondent Node.
Using the provided Access Point software:
Turn everything on and you should be ready to go!
Requirements
Packages
Step One -> Boot loader
Your iPaq will need to be reconfigured to boot Linux. This is the end of the road for Windows CE or Pocket PC. Detailed instructions are provided by Cambridge Research Lab. Due to constant changes to the boot loader process, we've decided not to annotate our own instructions. Please follow the instructions found at the following link with one exception, substitute bootldr-2.14.15 for their listed boot loader image. This is very important, you must use boot loader version 2.14.15!
If you are installing Linux on an iPaq with Pocket PC for the first time, follow these directions.
--> ftp://ftp.handhelds.org/pub/linux/compaq/ipaq/stable/install.html <--
If you already have Linux installed on your iPaq and you have questions regarding our installation, please contact the engineering team.
Step Two -> Installing Linux
At the bootldr prompt type:
Following that command a number of funny characters will scroll across the bottom of the screen. Those characters indicate that you need to start the xmodem download. In HyperTerminal, select Transfer -> Send File. Enter the filename of the kernel, zImage-2.4.3-rmk2-np1-mipv6-hh3, and then select the protocol as xmodem.
This will take a couple of minutes.
Similarly to step 6, send the root file ipaq-demo.jffs2 using xmodem
Go for a long walk, this will take approx. 1 hour
Assuming you didn't get any error messages, hold your breath and type:
Step Three -> Running Linux on your iPaq
After all the boot messages stream by, you will be greeted by a login prompt.
familiar login: root
Password: rootme
Important commands:
ifconfig
List the network interface address information.
iwconfig eth0
Lists the wireless access information for network interface eth0. Useful to determine which access point the wireless card is communicating with.
Important Files:
/etc/hosts
Hostname address database, update the addresses of the correspondent node (cn6) and home agent (ha6) here.
/etc/sysconfig/network-mip6.conf
Mobile IPv6 configuration file.
/etc/sysconfig/roamd-threshold
Roamd configuration file. Set the signal strength threshold that will tell roamd when to switch networks.
Graphical Interface:
For the demo the iPaq is running a window manager called Ion. Ion has a few simple frame manipulation features available at the top of each frame.
You will probably want to set up a split screen before you start the demo.
Start the network
Menu -> Mobile IPv6 -> Start eth0
Initialize Mobile IPv6
Menu -> Mobile IPv6 -> Restart Mobile
Start roamd
Menu -> Mobile IPv6 -> roamd
If you have setup a split screen it is helpful to drag the roamd windows to the top frame
Start the audio
Menu -> Music -> <songname>
After a second you should hear music.
If not
The command will return an error if a previous song window is still open, ALWAYS, close the window when a song is over
Be sure the iPaq is fully charged, when the battery is low, the network card is the first thing to turn off.
Starting Roaming
Move the iPaq from one access point to the other, roamd will jump to the next ESSID when the signal strength drops below the threshold.
Instead of walking from one access point to the other, you may stand equidistance from each and cover the network card with you hand to initiate network switch
ALWAYS start on Purple1
There may be a 3-5 second delay when moving from Purple1 to Purple2. This is variable and will be negatively affected by other electronic interference in the room.
When moving back home, from Purple1 to Purple2, the delay will be shorter and often unnoticeable.
If there is a problem:
Pop out the network card, wait a second and reinsert it. The network should restart.
Proceed to the original instructions
last modified 4/12/02