General Meeting
Packed house! We need a bigger meeting place. If you know of one and can organize the meeting, let us know!
This is turning into a great place for sharing ideas and learning from each other. A few folks came with their questions on using wireless for their projects and started getting a lot of feedback on how they can proceed. Remember that the SoCalWUG Discussion List (signup form on the left) is a great place to continue those Q&A’s.
We started a lot of talk about two-way internet access in US and remote locations (like the Amazon jungle, for example.) Various ideas were tossed around, mostly based on satellite. And a few long distance point-to-point concepts - since there is no US FCC in these remote environments, spectrum use is largely unregulated - deployments basically become a cost issue. In the continental US, we basically determined Direcway (formerly DirecPC) was the cheapest fast link for motorhome/mobile links - and CDPD is still a great low-speed ubiquitous internet link.
One of the hot topics is the upcoming Burning Man project - some folks are using this as a test-platform for highly-mobile network access (aka “Technomads”.)
We also talked about Warchalking and the ethical, logistical, and cursory legal issues (none of those in attendance were legal professionals.) Warchalking is an interesting way to bring the concept of open networks to the public, but it has some drawbacks - we discussed this with some vigor.
Frank Keeney talked about his interview with Fox11 News in Los Angeles. We watched the segment and had some discussion. Most people felt it covered the story responsibly (though briefly!) Way to go Fox11 News!
We talked a bit about mesh networks using 802.11b and proprietary products and the work going on in that area. Some folks doing firmware changes to Linksys products, and others designing systems from the ground up. Also, we mentioned a few wireless ISPs - most of these are doing point-to-multipoint following the traditional telecom model of installation & monthly pricing based on bandwidth of the wireless link.
Oh yeah - And don’t forget the Doonsbury comic strip! Garry Trudeau brings open network access into the limelight with his nationally syndicated comic strip on Sunday July 21st 2002.
The meeting was streamed live via the UNWIRED show at the Linux Public Broadcasting Network, http://www.LPBN.org.Watch an archived video of the meeting with Real Player:
View the Fox11 News segment here:
URLs mentioned at the meeting:
- www.boingo.com - Startup that is attempting to make WiFi Hotspots easy to find and use
- nanp.pasadena.net - Frank Keeney’s Neighborhood Area Network project
- www.pasadena.net/media/ - Frank’s site on news articles
- www.blackbeltjones.com/warchalking - The site that started it all and the best resource to learn what it means, and how it started - “Let’s Warchalk!”
- www.freenetworks.org - - A lot of info and news on the open network movement
- www.nocat.net - User authentication open-source software for WiFi hotspots
- www.ReefEdge.com - Manufacturer of robust wireless security hardware for the enterprise
- www.TransStellar.com - Tech Service company working in wireless networks & wireless security
- www.direcway.com - Provider of satellite internet access
- www.tachyon.net - Provider of satellite internet systems
- www.attws.com - AT&T Wireless - Provider of nationwide CDPD Wireless Data Services
- www.sierrawireless.com - Manufacturer of mobile internet hardware (CDPD, GSM, CDMA)
- www.locationconnect.net - SoCal-based company that deploys the Tachyon satellite system
- www.burningman.com - The Burning Man project
- www.playanet.org - Burning Man network access providers
- yin.espnow.net/projects/bm - Burning Man “Technomads” project
- www.hackvan.com - One of the many URLs mentioned at the meeting
- www.orinocowireless.com - Manufacturer of wireless products
- www.fab-corp.com - Get some antennas and parts - Tell them SoCalWUG sent you
- www.ahmisainternational.org - Non-profit humanitarian org using technology around the world
- www.westlinkwireless.com - Wireless ISP in Ventura County
- www.skypipeline.com - Wireless ISP in Santa Barbara
- www.digitalputty.com - Wireless ISP in San Luis Obispo
- www.skypilot.com - Mesh network ISP (Nice diagram, too)
- www.meshnetworks.com - Mesh networks and a lot of info on the subject
- www.nwr.nokia.com - Nokia Wireless Broadband Routing (formerly Rooftop.com)
- www.tessco.com/nokia_rooftop - TESSCO Nokia rooftop wireless routing equipment
- www.doonesbury.com - Read the July 21st 2002 strip about using another’s WLAN
- email Mike@TransStellar.com with additions to this list
Special Thanks to the following:
- LPBN for providing the live streaming video and the video archive of the show
- Frank Keeney’s show UNWIRED for giving us his timeslot at LPBN
- TransStellar, Inc. for providing the meeting location and video projection
Pictures:
