[wirelesstoronto-discuss] WT blog: Another attempt at Toronto muni wifi?

[Gabe Sawhney]

Thanks!  I've been keeping on eye on the VillageTelco Mesh Potato project --
they're doing amazing work.  The problem they're working on is quite
different from what we do, but certainly we all stand to gain from better
open source mesh.

Meraki's FreeTheNet network in San Francisco is often cited as a
surprisingly big and stable mesh, with many repeaters installed in "unideal"
locations by people with no particular knowledge of mesh networking.  But
because it's a privately-run network, we don't have much info on how it
really works.  The idea is understandably seductive!

Gabe


On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 2:55 PM, Nicholas Kovats <nkovats at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi List.
>
> Building "meshes" is no easy task as close proximity of wireless nodes
> can cause issues. The City of Toronto staff are a bit naive to see it
> as a plug and play attempt.
>
> Users will not utilize the network if they can't get reasonable access
> to their local internet gateway.
>
> Has anyone been tracking the Village Telco project? i.e.
>
> http://www.villagetelco.org/villagetelco/about/
>
> Mock up of the prototype, i.e.
>
> http://www.villagetelco.org/villagetelco/about/
>
> These guys are very serious about wireless mesh, hardware and voice.
> One of the co-founders has real world low cost Asterisk embedded
> fanless Linux hardware for sale. They have working prototype
> "potatoes" and are running actual tests, i.e. wireless APs in 2-3 hop
> meshes at the moment utilizing the Batman routing protocol. They are
> finalizing antenna design. They have a super dense technical
> discussion list including people from FreiFunk in Germany.
>
> They are focusing on keeping all this as cheap as possible and
> completely open - hardware and software.
>
> So basically web based administration of single radio meshes w/
> ethernet (WAN) + Analog Telephony Adapter ( fxs port for analog
> phone). Yep. Analog phones.
>
> But the backend can be connected to Asterisk or the new Asterisk +
> open source GSM software called OpenBTS, i.e.
> http://openbts.sourceforge.net/
>
> OpenBTS just cleared legal hurdles with the GSM developers and were
> operating a test site at the recent Burning Man Festival.
>
> I am also aware of research whereas you can cluster single radios
> separated by an approx. foot whereas two radios are for backend
> (non-interference) with 802.11a and the other two are regular 802.11g
> clients. Interconnect the APs via ethernet. Then utilizing directional
> antennas to start connecting all these stationary mesh nodes, i.e. 2 -
> 4 radios per mesh node.
>
> Good to see the list still talking.
>
> Nicholas K.
>
> On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 10:13 AM, Gabe Sawhney <gabe at pwd.ca> wrote:
> >
> http://wirelesstoronto.ca/blog/2009/11/09/another-attempt-at-toronto-muni-wifi/
> >
> > Another attempt at Toronto muni wifi?
> >
> > November 9th, 2009 by Gabe
> >
> > At today’s Government Management Committee meeting, a report will be
> > received updating the committee on three public policy initiatives:
> >
> > Setting up a “Meraki-style” mesh network in one of the priority
> > neighbourhoods.
> > Allowing the Oxford Group to install free-to-use, sponsored public
> Internet
> > terminals in one of the priority neighbourhoods.
> > Setting up free-to-use public wifi at City Hall and in
> publicly-accessible
> > areas in other city buildings.
> >
> > The report is here; it’s quite good, actually:
> > http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/gm/bgrd/backgroundfile-25011.pdf
> >
> > In addition, the committee invited (through an RFI) “major leaders in the
> > Wireless marketplace” to “present an overview of their Wireless strategic
> > directions and plans.” Each will have 15-20 minutes to present. There’s a
> > bit of info on this here:
> > http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/gm/bgrd/backgroundfile-25060.pdf
> >
> > Item 26.21 is scheduled for 1:30pm, and the meeting is in Committee Room
> 1;
> > I hope to be there.
> >
> > —
> >
> > As I mentioned, I think the Staff Report is pretty good — it’s the first
> > City document I’ve seen that shows a realistic approach to public wifi.
> Some
> > highlights & thoughts:
> > Read the rest of this entry »
> >
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