How should our communication set up

[dahlboy15]

How does the system they have at competition work? Should we mount the bridge on the robot in ad-hoc or infrastructure mode. Should we use our game adapter and communicate like last year? Does the competition use a router to link into our bridge/game adapter? Our network mentor is frustrated that we don't know how it works, so if someone could explain it exactly then we could prepare for it.

[Greg McKaskle]

I think the document about dlink setup also describes the event configuration.

The basics are ... the dlink is capable of being an access point or a bridge. Gaming adapters are essentially a fancy name for a bridge. For the shop, the intent was to use the dlink in access point mode with computers joining the robot network. For competitions, the same dlink will be switched to bridge mode, configured to bridge to the AP network that the field will host each time your team is on the field. It will also be encrypted so that only your robot can join. The event will have a radio programming kiosk that does this for you. The DS will be connected to the field via the ethernet cable at the end of the field.

Greg McKaskle

[Mark McLeod]

At competition (not at home)...

You will take your DLink to a special WPA kiosk to make the event specific settings. These include setting the switch on the back to Bridge mode, resetting the DLink, hooking it up to the WPA kiosk, and the kiosk will supply a WPA security key unique to each team.

When you return home you will return your DLink to AP mode and remove the WPA security set at competition.

Last year's gaming adaptor is not legal for game play in 2011.

At the event for your match, you will plug your driver station laptop into an ethernet cable at the player station.
The Driver Station application will link up with the Field Management System (FMS), and through a VPN unique to your team the field router ill connect to your robot.