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