Mike Doty

So, not satisified with the free wifi that the apartment provides(it's only to be used for occasional access), I bought a PePLink CPE device, recommended by google. This a ARM9 SBC with a 200mW 802.11b/g radio and a 5dbi antenna. Google caps your link at 1M/1M, but it's really a reasonable speed, considering it's free. A one time payment of $180(I paid more than I had to to pick one up locally) to bring the signal indoors is well worth it IMO. Testing at all the popular sites shows me at 960k/930k. I'm debating purchasing a higher gain antenna just for stabilities sake.

Now for the bad news on all of this. The PePLink device runs linux(no, this isn't bad), but it seems they violate the GPL license. I can't find the source code or a written offer anywhere on their website or in the support CD provided. I also cannot find a copy of the GPL license text anywhere in the mentioned areas.

I find this quite odd as peplink has openly supported linux in the past. They were a supporter of FOSDEM in bruxelles back in 2005. A quick google search returns lots of articles regarding peplink and OSS. Even some of the PR material they use mentions linux.

I suspect this is merely an oversight by the company(perhaps a www redesign?) and not a blatent misuse of GPL code. I'll be emailing their business development department in the next couple of days to point out the possible license violation and ask where I can find the source. I'll blog as I receive more information.

For the record, this is some info that I extracted from the kernel in the firmware image:


Linux
(none)
2.4.24-rmk2
#492 Fri Dec 2 13:03:43 HKT 2005


So I needed a plane ticket to california. Usualy I'd book something on cheaptickets.com, but I need to travel with my 2 cats. So I call united, get transfered to india or pakastan or whereever and try to understand the moron on the other end of the line for 20 minutes. Here's what I need: a one way flight to california with room for 2 cats. so she tells me that the 3:30 flight has only room for one cat, would I like to book this flight? NO! I told you 2 cats, not one cat. Clean out your fucking ears! So then she looks again and says there is space for 3 pets on the 7:55 flight. fine, I'll book that one. The stupid bitch books me on the 3:30 flight. I call back and explain that the moron that helped me got it wrong and that the reservation needed to be changed for the 7:55 flight. Sure, no problem. I look at my credit card statment and I've been charged twice! I call up united yet again, and I'm told I have to call customer service. no, they can't transfer me. no, they can't help me. I need to call another number. then as I'm hanging up they try to get me to rent a car. I don't want a car, I want my fucking money back! Tommorow I'll call again and scream, as well as call my bank and see if they can do anything. If I'm satisifed I'll give my laywers a call.

Long story short: United get your shit in order or get the fuck out of the game. You've just lost a customer.