I sent Doug and Reg a private message with my thoughts (thanks again Reg
for your efforts and being as upfront as possible, we appreciate it), and
before I go into that letter further, here's my thoughts on the $499
"deal"...
As an exercise, let's put together pricing for quantity ten non Karlnet
CPE's and see what shakes out for price:
Pacific Wireless 2.4GHz 18dBi RooTenna Antenna - $73
PC Engines WRAP.2C SBC with Star-OS License and CF Card - $140
Wistron Neweb CM9 Atheros 5004 based 802.11a/b/g Radio - $52
PoE Injector and Tap - $17
Total - $282
And, that wasn't even "scrounging" for the best possible deal.
Will the $499 "street price" reach $282 in quantity 10 from a reseller or
distributor? I doubt it, but even if it did, I'd still seriously think
about going this route, and here's why:
1) More powerful hardware - WAY, WAY, WAAAYYY more powerful.
2) More software features - WAY more features, shaping, QoS, firewalling,
NAT, and more.
3) Common parts - you can buy the pieces listed at four or more online
vendors every day of the week. Not to mention the base and CPE's use the
same hardware.
4) Expandability and flexibility - you can run that software on any
hardware platform it supports (which is reasonably broad). Soekris, PC
Engines, Routerboard, Thin PC's, desktop PC's, and more.
5) Versatile hardware platform - don't like Star-OS? Fine, how about
Mikrotik? No? How about LEAF? No? PicoBSD? Or virtually any other
commercial, free, or homebrew software package that runs on x86 hardware.
Too bad Karlnet isn't among the list.
It would also elmiminate the need for a separate hardware firewall/NAT
device at each of our customer's locations, which adds another $40
disparity in price - in favor of this route.
The value of Karlnet is in the SOFTWARE not the hardware. The hardware is
an overpriced, crippled, dead-end product.
There, I said it.
I could go on, but that's my main point - Karlnet's value is in the
software they provide that gives customers the features they need.
Realistically, the hardware provides no added value to Karlnet customers,
and is more of a hinderance to future software development and added
features than anything else.
Brad
> A $499 CPE? And this is a 'Deal'!!
>
> Bull! Using the KN-50, adding my own antenna, I get a short range CPE
> for $210 and a long range CPE for $250. (my cost, USD) Why would I wish
> to trade these for a $499 CPE?
>
> I said way back when Karlnet was acquired by YDI that this was not good
> for the customers. Seems events are proving me right.
>
> I'm also not sure what good an Atheros based CPE is to me as last I was
> told the Atheros based Karlnet gear would not talk to the PCMCIA
> Prism/Hermes based Karlnet gear.
>
> So, where do we go from here? Well, we will now quit using Karlnet for
> our residential customers. We have been testing mesh ap's and using the
> CB3 with them. They seem to work well. For the moment, our business
> customers will be installed on Karlnet, but, I am now actively seeking
> another product.
>
> And after this treatment you can be sure it won't be from YDI!!!
>
> PS: Reg, thank you for keeping us informed. Ed and you in the support
> department have always been knowledgeable and helpful. Thanks!!
>
> Blair Davis
> West Michigan Wireless ISP
> 269-686-8648
>
> A Division of:
> Camp Communication Services, INC
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Karlnet mailing list
> Karlnet@WISPNotes.com
> http://lists.wispnotes.com/mailman/listinfo/karlnet
>
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