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1* What is ECA (Embedded Connectivity Appliance)?
2
3ECA is a platform for building network appliances. ECA is not a product itself
4but it can be used to create networking devices. ECA is also a platform for
5prototyping various networking technologies, like use of Bluetooth low
6energy devices in IP networks.
7
8ECA is Yocto based layer that ties together various open source
9connectivity components like ConnMan for connection management,
10oFono for cellular access, BlueZ for Bluetooth connectivity and
11neard for NFC support.
12
13As an example, a tethering network appliance (mobile access point) is built
14using ECA. This tethering application can provide Wifi AP that various devices
15can use to connect to internet via ECA.
16
17
18* What do you mean by tethering in this context?
19
20Tethering means that ECA provides network access point that clients can use
21it to connect to internet. ECA can tether wifi, bluetooth and ethernet networks.
22These technologies can be tethered all at the same time.
23
24
25* What is Wifi tethering?
26
27In Wifi tethering, ECA creates a Wifi access point using a configured
28name (SSID) and passphrase. The created AP uses WPA security. The internet
29access is typically provided by ethernet interface.
30
31
32* What is Bluetooth tethering?
33
34In Bluetooth tethering, ECA creates a PAN network and Bluetooth clients can
35connect to it. Internet access can be provided by ethernet, cellular or wifi.
36
37
38* What is ethernet tethering?
39
40Ethernet tethering means that client is connected to ECA via ethernet cable.
41ECA runs a DHCP server, and provides an IP address to the client. The internet
42access is typically provided either by wifi or cellular network.
43Note that ECA device that is configured to use ethernet tethering MUST not be
44connected to network that has other dhcp servers running, like corporate network
45or your home network. The corporate or home network might get confused if
46there are multiple DHCP servers running and providing IP addresses.
47
48
49* What hardware platform does it run?
50
51ECA is created using Yocto (see https://www.yoctoproject.org/ for details),
52so in theory it can run in all the devices that are supported by Yocto.
53In practice there are some restrictions, like available RAM, CPU speed etc.
54It is also important to have enough connectors for networking devices that
55are typically connected via USB, like usb wifi or cellular dongles.
56
57ECA has been successfully running in the following devices:
58- Intel NUC
59- Beagleboard
60- RaspberryPi
61- Intel Atom PC
62- Intel FRI2 (Fish River Island 2)
63- Beaglebone
64- VirtualBox image
65
66
67* What wifi USB dongles are supported?
68
69The ECA kernel is compiled with all the wifi devices supported by the kernel.
70It is still possible that some wifi hardware is not supported by the ECA.
71Even if kernel supports the wifi hardware, it is possible that the wifi dongle
72firmware is not available for Linux.
73
74
75* What Bluetooth USB dongles are supported?
76
77Same issue as in Wifi dongles, your dongle might be supported or not.
78Usually the issues are firmware related i.e., the firmware file is missing.
79
80
81* What cellular USB dongles are supported?
82
83Same issue as in Wifi dongles, your dongle might be supported or not.
84Usually the issues are firmware related i.e., the firmware file is missing.
85Many cellular USB modems are complicated to configure as they provide
86also mass storage mode that contains the Windows setup files. When cellular
87modem is inserted, the usb-modeswitch program tries to activate the cellular
88chip but sometimes it fails to do so.
89
90
91* What USB ethernet dongles are supported?
92
93All the kernel supported ethernet dongles should work. If the ethernet dongle
94is a new one, it might be that the kernel support is not yet activated.
95
96
97* Where do I get it?
98
99You can get the meta-eca layer for Yocto from
100git://git.yoctoproject.org/meta-eca
101
102
103* How do I start using the ECA tethering appliance?
104
105See the README file in the meta-eca sources or blog at
106http://metaeca.wordpress.com \ No newline at end of file