Mesh/13 June 2013

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Wepay campaign: at 2/3ds. $1293. We have 100 mesh routers! https://www.wepay.com/donations/oakland-community-mesh-network

Goals of the mesh project

  • off the grid communication,
  • create an alternate way to communicate. more controlled by the people
  • a way for disadvantage people to get internet access
  • sustainable business model
  • share internet connections. everybody has to buy their own internet connection
  • usable phone service.
  • why are you paying comcast?
  • load balancing
  • access to the internet
  • .oakland domain name (or .sudo?)
  • replacing the internet, not controlled by the powers
  • encryption by default
  • low-bandwidth free internet

Name

  • sudonet mesh
  • sudomesh
    • confusion with the word psuedo
  • 510pen
  • optomesh ??

Organization

  • nonprofit 501c3
    • paperwork
    • lots of tax forms
  • umbrella under noisebridge
  • nonprofit isp run by volunteers
  • 501c4 same benefits as 501c3
  • "social welfare" organization
    • still get donor tax deduction
    • orgs might have bias against them
  • coops
    • can’t get tax deductible donations
  • nonprofit where donating can get you on the board
    • we need to talk to lawyers

Business models

  • cost
    • buying routers
    • people adopt routers
    • people buy routers
  • couple of full time real employees
    • mounting routers/antennae
    • managing of network
  • bandwidth
  • electricity
  • advertising on splash page
  • name the wifi network as the web address
  • sell service to business districts
  • digital bulletin boards
  • skill share board
  • begging for cash model
    • OLPC model: people pay 2x for themselves and someone else
  • ISPs ToS don’t allow you to share bandwidth
    • get local ISPs to contribute
    • monkeybrains?
    • competing with Unwired, and their radio frequency
  • legal advisers???

Metaplanning for node deployment

  • get in touch with people that have mesh network experience
  • get familiar
  • look at google earth for 3d building structures
  • ham license
    • study cram sessions
    • get in touch with that community
  • aprs network by ham radio operators
  • weather
  • packet radio
  • allows you to mount masts
  • allows you to amplify wifi
  • fog/rain?
  • aprs.fi


Mesh protocol Openwrt

  • cjdns
    • new
    • runs as a program
    • scales ?
    • encrypted by default (end-to-end)
  • untested
  • batman-adv
    • lower level
    • efficient multicast
    • no encryption
  • olsr
    • older, stable
    • runs as a program
    • runs on a lot of devices
    • more tested
    • 2000-3000 node network
    • every node can be part of the mesh
    • windows, android, linux
  • babel
    • really easy??
  • Create an image that you can flash on all routers, two options:
    • script after boot
    • web page that generates a custom compile
  • Get people with experience to come talk to us

Plan for testing received hardware and inventory management

  • 100 routers
  • mostly ubiquiti picostations
  • tagging
    • barcodes
  • put it in a spreasheet
  • etch them
  • test them all

Plan for getting the local community involved and finding people willing to adopt a node

  • highschools and college students
  • Community watch
    • neighborhood surveillance
  • generalized outreach: cafe bulletin boards, libraries, churches?

Action items

  • Form sub groups: Community outreach, network management, development.
  • Next week: Testing, tagging, and logging the routers that arrive Monday
  • Reach out to experienced folks to come talk with us
  • Talk with lawyers!

Neighborhood choice

  • San Antonio neighborhood
    • we have some good partners in the community
      • LOLspace/Bikery
    • none of us live there
    • maybe harder to do troubleshooting/outreach
  • West Oakland neighborhood
    • Lots of us live there - many collectives and coops