So Cal Free Net.org

Here's some pictures of the inside of the Proxim Harmony 802.11a AP with removable antennas:

Update (Dec 2004): The device can be reflashed with Linux, but its 'nontrivial'. Read the gory details. Also the telnet password is 'notbrando'. Not sure what extra facilities that provides.

This radio was recently available for $15 + shipping and tax (originally $600).

Its features, well documented in the manual include:

• detachable antennas using SMA-female connectors (not RP-SMA)
• uses dhcp by default then a web interface for config
• supports channels 56,60 and 64 only
• supports SNMP (disabled by default)
• allows config for RTS/CTS and fragmentation
• has optional integral POE (but its NOT standard), see page 26

Getting inside was a little tricky. The screws are some special type with an outside pattern and inside hump that makes using a screwdriver, torx or hex key impossible. However by drilling out the center hump with a 5/64 bit, its possible to then use a 5/64 hex (allen) key to remove the screws. Failing that you can easily drill out the screw head - but then its hard to get the cover back on.

POE is supported, sort of. Its designed to be used with the Harmony Power System which supplies 24VDC with ethernet pins 4-5 DC+ and 7-8 DC-. Thus a regular 48V POE is likely to be problemmatic (though I don't pretend to understand the POE spec in any detail!). It definitely should be ok to use for short runs with a homebrew POE adapter like this one where we reuse the supplied PS which is marked 12VDC but measures 14V under load. Having the wiring already internal to the AP saves building the splitter part of a standard homebrew PoE injector.