I wonder if such a mess could be built as an extension to the FON network. http://www.fon.com/en/
You buy one of their WAP devices, called a La Fonera (or get one for free) and hook it up to your internet connection. You can then sign up as a "Linus", which entitles you to use any FON hotspot in the world for free. Total outlay, cost of their WAP. Or nothing if you get a special deal somewhere. Now lets consider this mesh idea. (This is not implemented and would require some negotiations with FON to make it work. So let's imagine those issues are dealt with.) Someone without an internet connection, but within a WIFI hop to an existing FON hotspot buys one. His then becomes a mesh extension to the FON network. It isn't free to everyone, but it is at least free to all who make this rather small outlay and hook up a La Fonera at their house. There are a bunch more wrinkles to this. But I just want to cover this initial concept. I wonder if FON would be interested... -- Allen Brown http://brown.armoredpenguin.com/~abrown >> Message: 2 >> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 12:39:44 -0700 >> From: "Ben Barrett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Subject: Re: [Eug-lug] war driving & establsihing a local free wifi >> networ >> To: "Eugene Unix and Gnu/Linux User Group" <[email protected]> > ... >> Realistically, all uplinks would likely have to be a business-class >> service. Most folks who already have a wifi router/repeater have >> private uplinks with qwurst or bumcast, but if you could come up with >> a couple hundred firmware-upgradable devices we could prolly setup a >> mesh. > > Does anyone know whether the unfinalized "ad-hoc mesh" spec, 802.11s, will > directly advance such wifi networks, as is purported? > > Regardless, it seems to me that the kernel (financial) problem underlying > "free" > services is some sort of commercial-, public- or angel-based subsidy. > I've long > been interested in a mesh-related commercial application that helps cover > the > cost of devices and infrastructure, but is also suited to such general use > and > accessibility, i.e. the local community. > > A commercial application lowers the cost to users and can expand the > market for > ancillary applications very quickly. Mesh throughput, as I understand the > architecture, improves with the number (density) of transceiving devices. > The > trick in working on a potentially useful application is having an > "umbrella" > that keeps potential me-too interlopers from lowering (commoditizing) the > value > of one's development efforts, if you get my drift. > > I'd like to get comments, on or off the list, as appropriate. > > Dennis Hollenberg > > _______________________________________________ > EUGLUG mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.euglug.org/mailman/listinfo/euglug > _______________________________________________ EUGLUG mailing list [email protected] http://www.euglug.org/mailman/listinfo/euglug
