[Cu-wireless] new locales for CWNs:

Wed Feb 25 20:52:11 CST 2004

hey todd & brenda,

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004, Todd Boyle wrote:

> Sascha, I was excited to see your project [below].
> Champagne/urbana has been generating ideas and
> documents for years, and a functioning network if I recall?

yeah, we've generated a few documents and numerous resources are archived
on our e-mail list.  we currently have two fully functioning networks in
town and have delivered our software to other projects who are interested
in building their own CWNs.

> Can you help me kick-start a CWN here in our suburb?

sure thing.

> I have been lacking the necessary piece of hardware,
> to enable more than one hop.   we have been stuck at
> this point for about 3 years now.   The Seattle Wireless
> geeks can apparently get a node up and running, but
> that's not possible for non-engineers.

our software will do this all automatically.  we're working to get a new
stable build online.  hopefully within the next week we'll have it
available for download.  our software comes in two varieties -- compact
flash or cd-rom.  if you go with the cd-rom, all you need to do is have
your computer boot from the cd -- the software configures everything else.

> Bottom line here in the suburbs: the box needs to
> maintain its mesh network routes at least for 2 or 3 hops,
> and it has to do it 24x7 at least as reliable as we now
> experience with our APs and cable/dsl gateway routers...

yeah, our software already does this -- it just won't scale well beyond a
few dozen nodes (which is one of the problems we're going to solve over
the next year).

> When that happens then people will be able to share
> resources around the community, and somepeople
> will supply internet connectivity.  here is some stuff I
> have written.

thanks for these links.  i'll share them with the rest of the developers.
if you're not already, you might want to get on the CWN e-mail list -- you
can sign up here:

http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/cu-wireless

> Community networks
>    <http://ledgerism.net/requirementsCWNs.htm>CWN requirements
>    <http://ledgerism.net/BackFenceLAN.htm>Back Fence LANs
>    <http://ledgerism.net/GestureDxNode.htm>Gesture DxNode.htm
>    <http://ledgerism.net/BxNodeOffer.htm>Bx Node Offer
>    <http://ledgerism.net/devices.htm>Devices and reputation
>    <http://ledgerism.net/CarrierWrittenSpecs.htm>Carrier-Written specs
>    <http://ledgerism.net/vanlords.htm>Reputation=civil disobed
>    <http://ledgerism.net/kirkwireless.htm>Kirkland Wireless
>    <http://ledgerism.net/whyP2Pwireless.htm>P2P
> <http://ledgerism.net/whyP2Pwireless.htm>Revolution
>
>
> Can u help us?

it would be great to have you working on implementing a wireless system
using our software -- it'll help us create better user documentations,
anticipate problem areas, etc.  i think we can definitely help you all
out.

let me know if you have any questions,

--sascha

> Todd Boyle - Kirkland WA - 425-827-3107
> http://www.ledgerism.net/
>
>
> At 09:54 PM 2/21/2004, Sascha Meinrath wrote:
> >hi all,
> >
> >just a quick FYI about our project.  we got some great local press (see
> >www.saschameinrath.com/press) and are hoping to get the word out (and get
> >collaborators) as we move forward.
> >
> >--sascha
> >
> >*********************
> >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> >*********************
> >
> >CONTACT
> >Contact Name: Sascha Meinrath
> >Company Name: Community Wireless Network
> >E-mail:       sascha at ucimc.org
> >Phone:        (217)278-3933
> >Website:      http://www.cuwireless.net
> >
> >
> >LOCAL COMMUNITY WIRELESS NETWORK PROJECT RECEIVES MAJOR GRANT FUNDING FROM
> >THE OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE TO BUILD THE WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED COMMUNITY
> >WIRELESS NETWORK.
> >
> >
> >The Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network (CWN) has been awarded a
> >$200,000 grant from the Open Society Institute, funded by the Soros
> >Foundation, to develop wireless technology to be used around the globe,
> >with a focus on developing nations.  Urbana-Champaign, IL will become the
> >testing ground for this technology.
> >
> >The Community Wireless Network is building a high-speed communications
> >network that promises to support publishing and city-wide Internet radio
> >broadcast by citizens, a community-owned local telephone service, and
> >bandwidth sharing.  The network uses off-the-shelf wireless hardware to
> >spread a "web" of network connectivity across town.  The CWN uses
> >open-source software and open-architecture hardware created by the CWN
> >development team.  Using essentially the same "WiFi" equipment you may use
> >in your home or office, the CWN puts equipment on rooftops to connect
> >users with their neighbors to form a high-speed community network.
> >
> >The three-part mission of CWN is:
> >
> >1) to connect every local citizen to the Internet at low cost;
> >2) develop open-source hardware and software for use by wireless projects
> >around the globe; and,
> >3) build and support community-owned, not-for-profit broadband networks in
> >cities and towns throughout the world.
> >
> >Since its inception, the CWN has grown to become a leading source of
> >information, software, and hardware for building community wireless
> >networks.  Over the past three years, CWN research and development has
> >yielded two proof-of-concept CWN prototypes in Urbana.  The current Open
> >Society Institute grant will allow the CWN development team to refine this
> >software and build a large-scale Community Wireless Network testbed that
> >can be used by the Champaign-Urbana community to bring affordable
> >broadband connectivity to all.
> >
> >The Community Wireless Network is a program of the Urbana-Champaign
> >Independent Media Center Foundation (IMC), a federally-recognized
> >non-profit organization. The project has supported itself through
> >donations, foundational grants, and institutional support.  The Community
> >Wireless Network is composed of a consortium of researchers, programmers,
> >community activists, non-profit organizations, for-profit businesses, and
> >educational institutions.  OJC Technologies is the development home for
> >the Community Wireless Network and has generously agreed to donate office
> >space for the project.  The Acorn Active Media Foundation provides
> >infrastructure support for CWN.
> >
> >--
> >Sascha Meinrath
> >Project Manager & President      *      Project Manager
> >Acorn Active Media Foundation   ***     Eggplant Active Media
> >www.acornactivemedia.com        *      www.eggplantmedia.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Imc-wireless mailing list
> >Imc-wireless at lists.indymedia.org
> >http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-wireless
>

-- 
Sascha Meinrath
Project Manager & President      *      Project Manager
Acorn Active Media Foundation   ***     Eggplant Active Media
www.acornactivemedia.com         *      www.eggplantmedia.com