6) we provide solutions based on open source
Susper provides solutions based on open source software to guarantee the longterm support of your mesh network and independence from monopolies.
We use free and open source software, because we believe in open industry standards and want to guarantee a high performance of our networks. The Susper Firmware is build on top of the OpenWRT embedded Linux with additional modules for commercial usage.
By using and developing freely licensed software, we at Susper want to show that we respect the freedom of our customers to choose their own tools and partners over time and adapt the software we provide to their own needs.
With our partners we have a long history of developing freely licensed software and building open mesh networks in Europe, Asia and the Americas. It is our goal to develop a viable ecosystem around wireless mesh networks with partners who want to work with us on a mutual benefit not tight up by strict proprietary licensing models.
Free and Open Source Routing Protocols
A research group of the Fraunhofer Institute, inventor of the mp3 audio format, observed the Berlin mesh network in March/April 2007. The data showed 604 stable node connections and more than 3000 participants over a 29 day period. Observations of the Institute showed that data loss with connections over 30 hops increases immensely, thus reducing the efficiency of wireless networks. A way to improve efficiency are enhanced wireless routing protocols like OLSRd and B.A.T.M.A.N. .
To guarantee efficient communication in our mesh networks, we use the OLSRd mesh protocol (international standard - RFC 3626). It was originally developed in military research laboratories, however, practical implementations in big mesh networks were only successful after numerous adaptations and changes implemented after extensive and year long tests in free wireless networks mainly in Germany and Austria. Through their engagement in the freifunk community the founders of Susper have been involved in these experiments since the beginning.
Today OLSRd is ported to and compatible with different radio and wired technologies (PLC, fiber, Ethernet,...). A team in Vienna currently works on an implementation to OSI layer 2.
In 2006 some of our friends in Berlin also started to work on a new mesh protocol with the goal of enhancing traffic efficiency. The protocol implementation named Better Advance To Mobile Adhoc Networks (B.A.T.M.A.N.) is continuously tested by us and is supported through plugins in our devices.
Susper is closely linked to the developers of OLSR and B.A.T.M.A.N. for years and retains a friendly and supportive relationship. The open source development model of protocols guarantees the steady improvement and adaption to new challenges.
