OK formalizing the project more after much testing.

Had a whole day off yesterday.. more tinkering.. and load testing. Here's what I would and wouldn't do with the pi(s), if I were in the shoes of a generally non computer conversant High School director with semi working or non working Stage Comm, and no pc that you want to dedicate to mumble tasks..

1 Get Raspberry Pi 3 Full kit is about 70 bucks from Canakit (search amazon)

2. Get sd card or image from me (working on getting a clean version purpose built before I make available)

3. Plug sd into pi and power up. Position it Center on the Center stage front wall (it's black if you get the canakit) If you don't have power there, power from a cell phone charge block battery.

4. Download app to cell phone(s) connect to the picomm network with provided password. Give the provided ip to the phone app and talk away.

5. If picomm wifi signal strength not good enough, or too many cell phones interfere, plug in cat5 cable to router of your choice either on or off your network. (preferably off to avoid mischief) This image will auto configure.

6. Determine wired ip address of pi from your router. Connect to the wifi of your router, Plug in address to the phone apps.. and talk away.

7. Hook up to usb keyboard/mouse and hdmi monitor, Burn spare sd card using 4 mouse clicks and the built in copy utility and store in case of disaster taped to inside of your pi case.


With very little knowlege, you now have full duplex wireless stage communication for 70 bucks. The voice quality is great with headset or ear buds.
If you don't like it, sell the kit on ebay, and you're out maybe 20-30 bucks.

Don't want to depend on kids cell phones, or give out the connect info? Buy android prepaid phone from walmart for 30 bucks, download the app, and get headset or earbuds of your choice
headset with mute button is ideal, to avoid having the cell phone out to push to talk. Headset can be had on amazon for about 11 bucks.

If you have more computer knowledge.... Get another pi

1. Hook the pi to a keyboard and monitor, make a backup sd card
2. use Dr Google to find out how to set up the pi to use the sysid and password of YOUR choice
3. get another pi, and configure with a usb sound card and cheap wired headset, load mumble client
4 Configure mumble client, and connect either to the wireless or wired network.. Now you have a station for wired headset use on stage.
5 If you're really tricky, or ask.. I can tell you how to have mumble autostart once configured, and you can run without keyboard or monitor.. just power up and go.
those details are probably better left to an off forum discussion.

Unfortunately you have to have different user names for every station, so there's no way I can provide a zero config solution for client stations.

What I can do.. but wouldnt right now... too many config steps for the average joe...
Get the cheap pi zero kit 25 bucks...5 dollar usb battery brick (5000 ah ran all night) 13 dollar usb sound card. 3 dollar ear buds.
Tuck into pocket or mic belt... and you're mobile..
Why not? Harder to make your backup sd. Harder to swap sd in the zero depending on which case you have. Harder to set up dt less usb ports on the zero.
Finally... the cell phone solution is cleaner, all in one, and.... get ready.... cheaper. I might just run one for fun during a show though, just for proof of concept.