Wi-Fi Walkie Talkie

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vk3xem

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#5776 25-Nov-2005 15:12

I would like to see a cheap little walkie talkie made to work on 802.11 that could use each of the channels to talk on. Sure it wouldn't have much range but if there were additional software we could run on a router that would act like a local, intranet and/or internet repeater the possibilities could be increadible!

I have a small 802.11 b/g USB dongle that only cost AU$30, so it wouldn't be too hard for a manufacturer to re-design one of these. Let's face it we have 2.4 and 5.8 GHz cordelss phones, so why not a digital walkie talkie?

geekiegeek

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#23847 25-Nov-2005 15:28

I could see applications in large warehouses perhaps. Just set-up access points around the place for range and use a Skype phone maybe?

chiefie

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#23848 25-Nov-2005 15:30

ooh cool. sounds like a great idea... mmm any kiwi innovator that willing to pick up this idea? i think it'll be great!

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vk3xem

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#23849 25-Nov-2005 15:31

Now that's the idea, but forget skype and telephony. Just a straight digital walkie talkie! :D

Software to run through a wireless router could have a repeater on all or some of the 12 channels and could be configured to be just local or to virtual rooms on the internet.

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#23871 25-Nov-2005 21:08

Surely a ham can build themselves? :-) Wifi protocol has good amateur radio origins.

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geekiegeek

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#23874 25-Nov-2005 22:37

is this one of those "I thought of that once but did nothing about it" moments

vk3xem

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#23875 25-Nov-2005 22:51

Unfortunately we are not all up to design level of theory. It is like chess, I know how to move all the pieces but planing many moves ahead is beyond me.

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#23877 25-Nov-2005 22:57

so we are kinda like pinky with no "the brain"

vk3xem

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#23879 25-Nov-2005 23:02

No not really, I like to dream up the ideas and pass them on to others who might be able to make them happen.

Sooner Al

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#23885 26-Nov-2005 02:43

I think the closest you will come with the stock PocketPC is to use Microsoft Portrait in an adhoc 802.11b link to another PocketPC for audio chat. I can't comment about range considerations however...

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#23888 26-Nov-2005 08:41

Sooner Al: I think the closest you will come with the stock PocketPC is to use Microsoft Portrait in an adhoc 802.11b link to another PocketPC for audio chat. I can't comment about range considerations however...

I guess that's probably the closest. now if only someone will package the "potrait" style interface for video/audio or just audio and utilise adhoc on b/g band as well as infrastructure mode for WLAN/Internet. then it'll be cool. think about how this will piss Telecommunication companies off? as long as you can find a free wifi spot! WOW!

to extend that, perhaps a simple basic interface to enable log in to some pay-Hotspot? mmmmmmmm

i know i know.. all ideas but no invention! i'm not the inventor, i'm just a idealist! LOL

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#23891 26-Nov-2005 10:59

Technically speaking you could do something similair with a SIP capable WiFi cordless phone but they aren't cheap (a few hundred for a cheap one).

Transmitting voice in a digital format over WiFi channels is easy, transmitting voice in an 802.11x compatible format is a little more complex, you would need some sort of gateway to act as a controller. The walkie talkie could register itself with the controller when turned on, when you push the talk button the radio would start transmitting the data to the controller which would use multicast to send the audio out.

There are a few devices already available which allow you to use any sort of 2 way radio over the internet, you simply plug it into a radio and PC which then travels over the internet/lan to a remote location where another radio transmits the audio, it probably wouldn't surprise me if a company builds a radio with a wireless connection at some stage in the future.

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#24026 29-Nov-2005 11:38

I was about to say something similar - our theatre department stage crew wants to make sure of the wireless network for walkie talkies. I'm thinking about trying Cisco wireless IP phones and setting up a "Meet Me" conference (software conference bridge) so you get the same basic idea.

Ok, so you don't have Cisco money (I probably don't have enough for tons of phones either).

You can try installing and configuring Asterisk (open source PBX, http://www.asterisk.org) and configure the Meet Me Conference http://www.digium.com/asterisk_handbook/meetme_meetmecount.htm, buy some less expensive compatible phones and voila! In theory, use a spare box around the office and all you need is to buy the phones! (unless you want to make real calls...)

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#24027 29-Nov-2005 12:08

An alternative if you have a larger infrastructure (and budget probably) is the Vocera Communicator. It can be used as a badge (a la Star Trek) and respond to voice commands. I remember seeing these here in New Zealand too.

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vk3xem

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#24028 29-Nov-2005 14:10

Yes I saw these and not really within the price range of the average user.

I've reading and it appears bluetooth would be a lot easier to use in an-hoc enviroment and would achieve basically the same result of using 802.11, being digital transmissions rather than analogue.

Would make it much simpler with only one channel. But the idea of talking through an access point is still what would interest me the most.

The main idea is to keep it cheap and easy to use so many people would be interested. Software to run on a PC with a Bluetooth dongle shouldn't be too hard for a programmer to knock up.

Maybe a pipe dream, but would be nice.

mpmorrison

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#24053 30-Nov-2005 09:39

Well, if you just want a single site solution without WiFi - get a lot of DECT phones, say the Uniden ones that will operate with 4 basestations and 6 handsets each.

They'll happily do intercom at ranges of ~300 metres from a basestation.

However, it aint WiFi, and if you wanted to move to another 'network', the procedure to join a new basestation is often not very intuitive or user freindly.

In terms of WiFi VoIP phones, i've been following them for awhile. The main things they lack at the moment are decent security (none properly available with WPA - although several new models should be hitting availability within the next few months if the corresponding press statements are to be believed) and intercom between phones on the local WLAN.

Motorola have had a good solution since the start of the year with there CN620 phones - seamless handover between AP's on the WLAN, and seamless handover between WLAN and GSM even (and even a VPN client). However, it's only 802.11a, only available in the US as far as i'm aware, and they're only offering it to big corporates.