Mesh/25 September 2014

Attendees

• Marc (juul) - interested in replicability), Jannik (Reseau-Libre), Bayo (LISP programmer, interested in learning networking), Jehan (javascript), Jenny (documentation, replicability, outreach, global community), Alex (math, programming, works on firmware), MaxB (firmware, frontend, network infrastructure), Glen (ad-hoc comms, HAM background), Sam (programmer), Matt (social hacking, diagrams, getting into codes), Jeff (data center guru, RF, experience w/ mesh in Chicago, SDN experience), Paige (design & outreach), Kwik (spreading positive vibes), Deekoo (contributes paranoia), 5c077 (Scott) - interested in sneakerNet, BBS, making widgets for mesh, and design/dev for main site.

Project overview & Q&A

* Sudomesh: organization which is CA non-profit
  - Thin
  - Recieves funding, facilitates workshops
  - Develops tech
* Peoplesopen.net: actual network
  - license
  - Ideally forkable with one script
* How do nodes work and what do they do?
  - Provide SSIDs:
      - peoplesopen.net (public, accessible by everyone)
        + tunnels over our virtual public network
        + should legally protect 
      - private (a private AP for a home user)
      - Ad-hoc node->node ssid
* What are the benefits of a local network?
- Local services (accessible even when The Internet is down
- increase bandwidth by uploading / down
* Other examples of mesh networks?
* Several networks up to 3,000 nodes
* Guifi.net is the largest community network (22,000+ nodes)
* What does the FCC think?
  * We're using unlicensed spectrum
* How do we cover Oakland?
  * More towers for people to point nodes at
  * Google Earth now has 3D building data
  * USGS makes topo data available publicly afaik, city zoning DBs are likely to have building height data.
* Cost?
  * In-home node for $30
  * Street-facing node for $50-60
  * Rooftop node for $120
* How does it get to the internet?
  * Public SSID is routed through a VPN tunnel that
  * Configured to share existing bandwidth (user-determined) and connect to the nearest node
* Latency?
* TDMA
* VPN tunneling
* Hardware
* Check out new MonoPrice routers
* Name recognition?
* ZeroConf networking, Eg Apple's Bonjour
* mDNS (decentralized resolution of DNS)
* Fiber?
* We've talked to the director of BART twice, re: dark fiber
* "You should talk to Berkeley Labs"
* DisasterRadio - super low-bandwidth delay-tolerant mesh - http://sudoroom.org/wiki/DisasterRadio

Brainstorms/Ideas

* Crypto Currency to encourage folks to host nodes
* Scavenger hunt-style game (eg unlock badges for connecting to nodes)

Technical

• Update on home routers tested (3)
• Firmware update and todo (how far away from 0.2 are we)
• exit node provisioning script
• monitoring (mini_snmp and cacti)
• service browser
• fake captive portal (MDNS + node.js)

 - someone's experience suggested that adding a google search form was useful
 - There's a mesh-dev list at https://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/mesh-dev for more technical dev discussion.

• Deekoo hosting firmware images moving forward @ http://deekoo.net/mesh

 - Contact Deekoo if you want a login/passphrase on it.

• Mitar / Cloyne colo offer,

Call out to Developers!

• Building mesh services!

 - What would you want to see a local network provide (service wise)?
 - https://sudoroom.org/wiki/Mesh/Distributed_Services
 - Perhaps just thinking about what it would take to implement previously developed services

Outreach

• Matt and Jenny have been talking with a community organizer in Richmond re: interviewing local residents and activists
• Also beginning conversations with Nerds for Nature re: sensor networks
• Berkeley cooperative houses

Finance

• We have about $4000 ($3K and 2 BTC)
• We should buy some new hardware!

Hardware

• Lots of available rooftops in W Oakland
• Nanostations (6), Nanobridges (6), Western Digital home routers

Action Items

* Max is going to talk with folks about services/service-browser
* Deekoo is still being paranoid about security audits of openwrt, but doesn't have time to rewrite the build process.
* "How to Care for Your Node" guide
* Set up a build server that can be remotely and automatically shut down and booted up
* Pester people who've checked out hardware [Jenny]
* Buy some newer hardware so we can start keeping stock [Jenny]