WLAN GROUP - STARTUP PACK
HOW TO SET UP A WIRELESS
COMPUTER NETWORK CLUB or LOCAL SOCIETY
Summary:
A community owned WLAN SERVER is simply intended to facilitate non-profit-making digital media and sharing of common services by subscribing members at very high (broadband) speeds (in the year 2000 to mean in excess of 10,000 Kbits/sec).
This document sets out to assist your creation
of a local WLAN society or club with the aim of installing
a common Wireless Access Point (WAP) and WLAN SERVER, or
set of them, located at some common visible vantage point(s).
Check-list:
Someone (Benjamin Franklin or John Ruskin rsvp)
remarked that "a good form or check-list enables
most people to do something which originally required the work of
a genius!"
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/__ / A minimum of 2 or 3 people form a
group.
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/__ / Decide on approximate service area and
name of group. (e.g. Location of WAP or name of neighbourhood).
__
/__ / Decide on whether the WAP(s) provided
by your group can be short range Licence Exempt or long-range
Amateur Radio Repeater Licence specification.
__
/__ / Adopt a "RSGB
Model Club Constitution" (http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_rules_1.htm) This will be essential for obtaining gratuitous (free)
site permissions from other public bodies such as community
centres, schools and churches as a non-business non-profit-making
entity. A formal non-profit-making status is also
important in respect of local authority fund-raising, acceptance
by Regional and National bodies such as the WLAN/CIA (http://www.wlan.org.uk) or RSGB (http://www.rsgb.org.uk) and permits wider
integration with future non-profit-making national umbrella
network IAP or ISP services.
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/__ / Hold inaugural meeting: Appoint
Officers (4 posts). Decide on membership fees (say £50 to join
& £10 per year). Resolve which bank to open Club Bank
Account (You must name a Bank in the minutes). Resolve that funds
permitting, will affiliate to RSGB (£20) and WLAN/CIA
(£20?)(http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_resolve_1.htm)
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/__ / Open Club Bank Account with founders
initial subscriptions and donations.
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/__ / Print off some posters e.g. the
attached template (http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_po_1.htm) Put up in local shops,
library, college etc.
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/__ / Fax or e-mail PRESS RELEASES to local
RADIO, TV & NEWSPAPERS (e.g.http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_pr_1.htm)
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/__ / Print off some membership certificates
e.g. the attached template (http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_memcert_1.doc) Hold meetings - visit other local groups - recruit
members.
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/__ / New member: take money, issue
membership certificate (Issue private Network "WEP"
encryption key when network is running) Issue a copy of the Club
Constitution & Rules (http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_rules_1.htm) store information, add new members to e-mail address
lists etc.
__
/__ / Seek local grants and particularly local
business sponsorship - A local WAP or Community Server can be
named after its principal sponsor e.g. "John's
Computer Shop" , "Jane's Cafe"
__
/__ / When members subscriptions, donations
and sponsored have accrued sufficient funds - it is time to set
up the group's first WAP.
The First WAP:
__
/__ / Use a microwave propagation program (ftp://www.wlan.org.uk/g4jnt-atv.zip) to enter members National Grid Reference NGRs
and check these against possible locations for the (first)
Wireless Access Point (WAP).
__
/__ / Validate individual sight lines
to all members who are to use the new WAP.
__
/__ / Check positioning of the new Wireless
Access Point (WAP) in respect of it having a clear path to any
possible distant Community based neighbour(s) - ideally
every WAP in the country should "see" at least 3
others.
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/__ / Establish site owner's general
approval in principle.
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/__ / Decide whether to use WAP or WLAN+Server
or WAP+Wired Network configuration.
__
/__ / Establish power supply (WAP 12 volts
at 4 - 6 VA) or (WLAN+Server = AC mains) or WAP+Wired
Network = 12 volts at 4 - 6 VA). "line powered" or
"off grid".
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/__ / Decide on and "order"
antenna or WAP weather proof box (radome).
__
/__ / Decide on mast or pole requirements.
Mounting details.
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/__ / Formal site owner's approval. Simple
agreement. Set up system of payments for nominal rent,
electricity, installation of meter etc.
(http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_site_ag_1.doc)
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/__ / Equipment procurement.
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/__ / WAP equipment bench test and
integration.
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/__ / Initial user installations of WLAN
cards and roof-top antenna.
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/__ / On-site trials
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/__ / Invite local celebrity to
"open" the new WLAN.
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/__ / Fax or e-mail PRESS RELEASES to local
RADIO, TV & NEWSPAPERS (e.g. http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_pr_2.htm)
__
/__ / "Official Opening".
Media meeting/Hospitality. Member's Party. Video Archive
production.
Equipment Required:
__
/__ / Wireless Access Point = WAP &
remote Server or WLAN+PC Server or WAP+Wired
Network+PC Server.
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/__ / WLAN card and a rooftop antenna
installed for each user.
Software Required:
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/__ / Microwave propagation program ( FTP:
wlan.members.beeb.net/G4JNT-ATV.zip) WLAN card drivers (supplied
by dealer)
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/__ / WAP configuration (supplied by
dealer)
Reference:
General Reading:
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/__ / How Radio WLANS work (http://www.wlan.org.uk/hrww.htm)
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/__ / WAP user manuals
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/__ / WLAN card user manuals
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/__ / The market-free communications
ideals of Cybernetics
(http://www.wlan.org.uk/wiener2.htm).
Radio Hams:
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/__ / Mendip Repeater Group Newsletter Dec. 1998 (http://www.wlan.org.uk/nl1.htm)
WLAN GROUP - STARTUP PACK
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/__ / RSGB Model Club Constitution (http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_rules_1.htm)
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/__ / Inaugural Resolution document (http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_resolve_1.htm)
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/__ / Posters template (http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_po_1.htm)
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/__ / START UP PRESS RELEASE (ditto http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_pr_1.htm)
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/__ / Membership certificates (ditto http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_memcert_1.htm)
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/__ / Site Owners Agreement (http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_site_ag_1.htm)
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/__ / LAUNCH DATE PRESS RELEASE (e.g.http://www.wlan.org.uk/wg_pr_2.htm)
The Community Internet Association wg_sp_1.htm
+++++NEW +++++
Broadband Computer 11Mbit/sec
Community Wireless Networking
for the City of Bath and North East
Somerset Area
Licence exempt Community Wireless LAN equipment makes it possible to develop "Amateur and Community Broadband LANs" as not-for-profit, local community owned and managed 3rd Generation broadband networks.
These offer via a local community, club or co-operative group, completely profit-free access to possibilities of a wide range of local non-commercial radio and television, free local personal data, telephone and especially modern face-to-face video communications......
Your Local Contact: Henry O'Tani, Bath Community Media Group, 23 Bennett Street, Bath, BA1 2QL.
ISDN Video: 01225 789143 email: henry-otani@beeb.net
The Community Internet Association: www.wlan.org.uk
wg_po_1.htm