Port And Test Unstrung¶

Unstring is an RPL implementation in progress for Linux.
RPL is a mesh network protocol that operates at layer-3, using IPv6.
Other mesh networks have operated at layer-2.

RPL will be very important in building sensor networks. One can envision it being used in crowds of people to provide
peer to peer communications within the crowd, without using any uplink. For those who have read Verner Vinge's Deepness in the Sky,
one should think "localizer".

Unstrung uses the network testing framework that was developed for testing Openswan: http://www.sandelman.ca/SSW/talks/fsumltesting/

• challenge one: is this the best framework to use? There is a newer framework for virtual ethernet called VDE2 at http://vde.sourceforge.net/
  maybe it is better? Can it be made to support UserModeLinux (which is a nice way to do testing)?
  Can it be extended to simulate speed-of-light delays and data drop-offs present in wireless networks?
  How about half-duplex communication, where one node can hear another, but can not be heard by the other?

• challenge two: this system needs to be ported to Android. There are some challenges:
  • including getting IBSS mode to work well,
  • can the unit join more than one ESSID at the same time (probably not. How fast can it jump?)
  • how big will the code get?

• could it work on iPhone? How. Could a proof-of-concept be developed by a non-Apple developer?

• what about on netbooks? Apparently atheros radios can join two IBSS networks at the same time. Can this be used?