Sudo Room - User contributions [en]

Internet

2013-12-29T00:49:36Z

Saxon: /* DSL */

We have a dedicated paired fusion line from LMI.net. Upon installation our reported speeds (with dual Annex M) are 26.5/3.7. Our Sonic (we used to have sonic.net, but switched) modem is in bridged mode, and the wifi network "sudoroom" is served by an Asus RT-N10+ running OpenWRT compiled from the latest git trunk. The router is named '''torta''' - admin access is by ssh & https. Contact [[User:Yardena|Yardena]] for the key or password.

There is also wired and wireless internet throughout the building, which is provided by the Landlord and is another Sonic.net (14Mbit/2Mbits;down/up) line.

==Service Provider Research (for Sudo Room) for Posterity==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! ISP !! Available? !! Speed (dl/ul in Mbits) !! Price !! Static IP
|-
| Sonic.net || Yes || 14/2 or 10/3 (per line, max 2 lines) || $107/first month, $59/mo. thereafter || Yes
|-
| Monkey Brains || Not until Q3 2013 || 8-20 symmetric || $250 install, $35/month || Yes
|-
| Raw Bandwidth || ADSL2 in 4months, but Ethernet over Copper work around avil || 3 or 5 symmetric || $360 or $475 / mo. || Yes
|}

== Internet options for Oakland residents ==
Relevant email thread starting Nov. 23, 2013, with some good info: [http://lists.sudoroom.org/pipermail/sudo-discuss/2013-November/004670.html]

=== DSL ===
* DSL is a digital Internet signal transmitted over an ordinary phone line. It's typically faster than dialup, and it uses the line in a way that allows simultaneous use of the phone.
* The phone lines in Oakland are owned by AT&T, and you can buy DSL service (called "UVerse") through '''AT&T'''.
* Other Internet Service Providers also sell DSL service over those same lines; you can get this service without any direct business relationship with AT&T.
* '''Sonic.net''' is one such service. DSL plus phone costs a little under $50/month (including taxes, equipment rental, etc.)
* '''DSLextreme.com''' provides good customer service and reliable connectivity (in my experience); $33/mth for 5-6 mbps
* The quality and length of the phone line between your house and the [[wikipedia:Class 5 telephone switch|telephone exchange's central office]] will dramatically affect the speed you can expect. In parts of West Oakland (and elsewhere?) the lines are very poor. On poor lines, you might get speeds like 3 MBit downstream, and 1 MBit upstream -- enough for a video stream like Netflix or a video call like Skype, but not enough to do multiple high-bandwidth tasks at the same time.
* It is possible with some DSL providers (at least with Sonic) to adjust the balance between upstream and downstream speeds. See Sonic's [https://wiki.sonic.net/wiki/Annex_M_FAQ Annex M FAQ] for details. For a data point: my connection over crappy copper is 4 Mbps down/1Mbps up (under the default Annex A), and when tested with Annex M it was 1.4 Mbps down/1.6 Mbps up.

=== Cable ===
* '''Comcast''' is the cable TV provider for (all of?) Oakland. You can get Internet service through their lines. There are several speed categories; all are faster than DSL. Comcast offers many different packages; typically you will have to get cable TV and/or phone service along with your Internet connection. Many of their plans require a 1 or 2 year contract, which you will probably not be able to get out of if you move or change providers.

=== Fiber optic, T1, direct ethernet ===
* Fiber optic based Internet can be outrageously fast.
* AT&T offers fiber to the home in some parts of Oakland. There is a 1 year contract. Be sure you know what you are getting, since AT&T uses the "UVerse" brand for both DSL and fiber. [http://www.buyatt.com/u-verse-internet/]
* Other service providers seem to only offer it as a business service, not residential. See '''[http://sunstreamnetworks.com/internet/ Sunstream]''', '''[http://www.fastmetrics.com/fiber-optic-internet-availability-map.php#.Urnl_WRDvPc FastMetrics]''', and '''[http://lmi.net LMi]'''.
* A T1 line (copper wire similar to phone wire, dedicated to networking) is what businesses have used for decades. It's generally too expensive for residential use and there are usually better options for business use.

=== WiMAX/other wireless ===
* '''[http://www.lmi.net/services/high-speed-wireless LMI offers point-to-point wireless]''' service, which involves installing an antenna on your rooftop. You need a line-of-sight to either the Berkeley Hills or Sausalito. Setup cost is high because of the installation (over $300) and 6 Mbps down/3 Mbps up costs about $55/month.
* '''[http://www.telepacific.com/offer/data-networking/wireless-internet-access/ Telepacific]''' also offers fixed-wireless service.
* Many cell phone providers now offer home Internet service that may be competitive with the options above. For instance, '''[http://shop.sprint.com/mysprint/shop/plan/plan_wall.jsp?tabId=pt_data_plans_tab&flow=AAL&planFamilyType=null Sprint]''' has plans as low as $35/month. This approach also has the advantage that you can take your Internet connection with you (if you have a portable modem).
* You may be able to "tether" your existing cell phone, providing Internet service to your laptop, without even signing up for a new plan; this can be really useful as a temporary measure, but is probably not practical for everyday use!
* '''[http://Monkeybrains.net MonkeyBrains]''': Currently available in San Francisco only. (Not sure about the note above, though -- perhaps it is coming to Oakland??)

=== Satellite ===
Satellite connections typically offer high downstream speeds but low upstream speeds, and higher latency than other connection types. (Latency is the amount of time it takes to initiate a connection.) Fine for watching streaming video, not so great for video conferencing, uploading your own videos to YouTube, etc.
* [http://www.hughesnet.com/index.cfm?page=Plans-Pricing HughesNet Gen4] is available through dealers in Vallejo and Hayward, and should work anywhere in Oakland that you can see the sky!

=== Building-specific ===
* '''[http://www.webpass.net/ WebPass]''' offers ''very'' fast Internet (100 Mbps) for $50/month, but it is only available in apartment buildings that have made an arrangement with WebPass. If you live in an apartment building, use their web site to check if your building has WebPass.

=== Mesh ===
* Some Sudo people are currently (fall 2013) trying to establish a "mesh" network that would allow you to make wireless network connections to your neighbors, and perhaps the Internet or other services. This is an aspiration, but will hopefully become a reality soon. See the wiki page '''[[mesh]]''' for techy details, or the more public-facing site:
* '''[https://peoplesopen.net peoplesopen.net]'''

==== Terms of service ====

Some ISPs allow sharing of Internet access and others do not. We provide node owners with a list of local ISPs that are known to allow sharing of Internet access and advise them that some ISPs may not allow sharing. The worst case scenario here is that one or more users get their Internet disconnected for terms of service violation.

The ISPs in the East Bay that allow Internet Connection sharing (that we know of) are:

*[http://www.monkeybrains.net/ MonkeyBrains wifi]
*[http://www.sonic.net/ Sonic.net DSL]
*[http://www.lmi.net/ LMI (Sonic.net reseller) DSL]
*[http://www.netwood.net Netwood DSL]
*[http://www.hughesnet.com Hughes Net Satellite Internet]

=== Dialup ===
* Dialup Internet used to be the only common way to get online. Your modem allows your computer to "talk" over your phone line to the Internet. You can't use the phone for voice calls while you are online. The speeds are very slow compared to all other options listed here.

Alcohol

2013-02-04T02:12:33Z

Saxon:

[[File:keeping it weird booze.jpg|thumb|250px|right]]
Alcohol at Sudo Room. This page is intended as a digital meeting room for us to converse about alcohol consumption at Sudo Room and other broader issues that come up during the exploration. What questions come to mind when thinking about alcohol consumption and safe space? Do you have any doubts, proposals, questions or proclamations? Please let us all know!
=='''Legal implications'''==
* Is there any particular risk that Sudo Room, as an unincorporated entity, holds should there be a negative and/or police/medics-involved event related to alcohol consumption there?
* Space Federation is working on compiling legal documents for creating policies and reporting accidents in hackerspaces. If we end up drafting some documents, we could use [https://atrium.schoolfactory.org/spacefed/node/107778 their working documents] for inspiration and extend them.
**The Ace Monster Toys wiki's "[http://wiki.acemonstertoys.org/Becoming_a_Member Becoming a Member]" page has potentially relevant documents, such as a ''Liability Waiver'', ''Membership Agreement'' and ''Emergency Contact Form''. [[User:Bleeblahblue|Bleeblahblue]] ([[User talk:Bleeblahblue|talk]]) 23:46, 3 February 2013 (UTC)

=='''Human implications'''==
* Should sudoers have the freedom to drink with one another to promote friendship as is customary in society?
**The general (unofficial) consensus at the Wednesday (Jan. 30th) meeting was that there is no push to ban alcohol consumption in Sudo Room. [[User:Bleeblahblue|Vicky]] ([[User talk:Bleeblahblue|talk]]) 08:57, 3 February 2013 (UTC)
**If we invite students in for after-school activities, then it would be wise not to have alcohol available
* What should we do should someone inside of Sudo Room suffer from alcohol poisoning? This question should also be more broadly interpreted for other medical/psychiatric emergencies.
**Do we have any regular members who have emergency medical/psychiatric training? [[File:vietnamese snake wine.jpg|thumb|right|'''Snake wine, anyone?''']]
***[[First_Response_Oakland|First Response Oakland]] (tentative name) is an effort to connect sudo room to information, training, and contacts for coordinating an emergency / crisis response network in Oakland.
**Where are our first aid supplies? Really, I don't know!
***A [http://sudoroom.org/wiki/First_aid_kit First Aid kit] is the #1 listed item on the sudo room wishlist, which can be found on the sidebar at left under 'Things We Need'

=='''Questions, etc. that don't fit the Legal-Human duality'''==
*Think about providing non-alcoholic beverages for Hacker Happy Hour!
*Brew more kombucha (doesn't ''really'' count!! Added bonus: delicious.)

Alcohol

2013-02-04T02:12:06Z

Saxon:

[[File:keeping it weird booze.jpg|thumb|250px|right]]
Alcohol at Sudo Room. This page is intended as a digital meeting room for us to converse about alcohol consumption at Sudo Room and other broader issues that come up during the exploration. What questions come to mind when thinking about alcohol consumption and safe space? Do you have any doubts, proposals, questions or proclamations? Please let us all know!
=='''Legal implications'''==
* Is there any particular risk that Sudo Room, as an unincorporated entity, holds should there be a negative and/or police/medics-involved event related to alcohol consumption there?
* Space Federation is working on compiling legal documents for creating policies and reporting accidents in hackerspaces. If we end up drafting some documents, we could use [https://atrium.schoolfactory.org/spacefed/node/107778 their working documents] for inspiration and extend them.
**The Ace Monster Toys wiki's "[http://wiki.acemonstertoys.org/Becoming_a_Member Becoming a Member]" page has potentially relevant documents, such as a ''Liability Waiver'', ''Membership Agreement'' and ''Emergency Contact Form''. [[User:Bleeblahblue|Bleeblahblue]] ([[User talk:Bleeblahblue|talk]]) 23:46, 3 February 2013 (UTC)

=='''Human implications'''==
* Should sudoers have the freedom to drink with one another to promote friendship as is customary in society?
**The general (unofficial) consensus at the Wednesday (Jan. 30th) meeting was that there is no push to ban alcohol consumption in Sudo Room. [[User:Bleeblahblue|Vicky]] ([[User talk:Bleeblahblue|talk]]) 08:57, 3 February 2013 (UTC)
**If we invite students in for after-school activities, then it would be wise no to have alcohol available
* What should we do should someone inside of Sudo Room suffer from alcohol poisoning? This question should also be more broadly interpreted for other medical/psychiatric emergencies.
**Do we have any regular members who have emergency medical/psychiatric training? [[File:vietnamese snake wine.jpg|thumb|right|'''Snake wine, anyone?''']]
***[[First_Response_Oakland|First Response Oakland]] (tentative name) is an effort to connect sudo room to information, training, and contacts for coordinating an emergency / crisis response network in Oakland.
**Where are our first aid supplies? Really, I don't know!
***A [http://sudoroom.org/wiki/First_aid_kit First Aid kit] is the #1 listed item on the sudo room wishlist, which can be found on the sidebar at left under 'Things We Need'

=='''Questions, etc. that don't fit the Legal-Human duality'''==
*Think about providing non-alcoholic beverages for Hacker Happy Hour!
*Brew more kombucha (doesn't ''really'' count!! Added bonus: delicious.)

Users

2012-12-21T04:24:10Z

Saxon:

User:Saxon

2012-12-21T04:23:20Z

Saxon:

* who are you: Hilary Naylor
* irc nick: n/a
* what do you work on // what do you want to work on: electronics, after-school activities
* what hours do you usually work: not established yet
* if you have a conflict with me, how should you approach me?: directly, face-2-face, or with a mediator if you think best.
* what resources do you have to offer?: experience with [http://ca.mousesquad.org/ Mouse Squad] after-school tech training program; fundraising
* workshops/classes you'd like to lead or have lead in the past: action/event planning, public speaking, priority setting.
* what would you want to learn/what classes would you want to take?: learn basic electronics, arduino, Raspberry-Pi
* what equipment would you be interested in?: 3D printer
* what else would you like to share about yourself? I used to be a programmer/systems analyst at UCSF. I have been a volunteer leader at Amnesty International for many years.

User:Saxon

2012-12-21T04:21:11Z

Saxon:

* who are you: Hilary Naylor
* irc nick: n/a
* what do you work on // what do you want to work on: electronics, after-school activities
* what hours do you usually work: not established yet
* if you have a conflict with me, how should you approach me?: directly, face-2-face, or with a mediator if you think best.
* what resources do you have to offer?: experience with Mouse Squad after-school tech training program; fundraising
* workshops/classes you'd like to lead or have lead in the past: action/event planning, public speaking, priority setting.
* what would you want to learn/what classes would you want to take?: learn basic electronics, arduino, Raspberry-Pi
* what equipment would you be interested in?: 3D printer
* what else would you like to share about yourself? I used to be a programmer/systems analyst at UCSF. I have been a volunteer leader at Amnesty International for many years.

User:Saxon

2012-12-21T04:14:17Z

Saxon: Created page with "Also known as Hilary."

Also known as Hilary.