RE: [PLUG] "geek-net" (was: FYI - FIOS/DCAnet)

["Bob Leming" <leming@dca.net>]

Hey,

Could this have real applicability in the Digital Divide issue? A way to
provide viable, affordable access within the home to a city block e.g.?

Is this a way that a Community Technology Center could expand its work to
provide home access in the surrounding community? Perhaps only after the
hours that the Center was active?

I am on the advisory board to the Teaming 4 Technology project at the United
Way and have a particular interest in expanding access (and thus
opportunity).

Just thinking out loud.

By way of disclosure - I am part of the team with Keith Duncan and DCANet.


Bob Leming


-----Original Message-----
From: plug-bounces@lists.phillylinux.org
[mailto:plug-bounces@lists.phillylinux.org] On Behalf Of Eugene Smiley
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 5:47 PM
To: Philadelphia Linux User's Group Discussion List
Subject: Re: [PLUG] "geek-net" (was: FYI - FIOS/DCAnet)

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Jeff Abrahamson wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 24, 2005 at 02:59:33AM -0400, William H. Magill wrote:
>
>>If you want "current DSL like" data service, you will be stuck with 
>>the RBOC or CLEC version only.
>
> In the realm of fantasy, what obstacles would stop a parallel 
> "geek-net" from forming?  That is, in many cities we live close enough 
> to our neighbors that an 802.11 peering network can form, each access 
> point running inter-router protocols.  Of course, here and there these 
> things would have to peer to the standard internet, but it's cheaper 
> to band together to pay for a T1 or better here and there than to have 
> everyone have to pay a lot for descent service.

I'd really like to see something like this as well. I've been debating this
very project (only with myself, however). For example, I've been able to see
as many as 4 APs (including my own) simply sitting at my desk here in my
South Philadelphia home.

Openwrt on a Linksys WRT54G looks like a good platform.

> Of course, only the geeks and nerds would care, so it may simply not 
> be affordable.

I don't know about that... It would need some marketing skill, yes.
You just have to make it cheaper and faster than dial-up for the
non-broadband crowd to be willing to pay for it, while making it ubiquitous
enough for those with broadband to be able to use it where they wanted
(giving them the incentive that will have them share their access.

The only problems then become Comcast and Verizon (and possibly the City of
Philadelphia)...



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