• Neighbourhood Groups and Local high-speed P2P Networking

• Neighbourhood Watch/Surveillance using X10 devices

• Community game servers

• Connectivity to Rural/remote sites, previously limited by cables.

• High speed Video Conferencing

• High speed Mobile content

• Localised 'Open Access' TV and Radio stations (streaming audio/video)

COMMUNITY WIRELESS

Welcome to Community Wireless :: The Internet Re-born

What is Community Wireless? In short, it's a global dream... and it's out there. Happening. Right now. Using 'off the shelf' and license-free Wireless LAN technology (802.11) various groups and individuals are embracing bandwidth and content, and sharing it with their community.

But it's not restricted to Internet access, It’s the Organic Internet. The Internet re-born. The Internet the way it should be;

Free from the restrictions of ‘Corporate’ thinking, and Revenue strategies.

• Free from ‘profit over performance’.
• Run by the users, for the users.

http://www.communitywireless.org/

Summer 2002

  consume.net

Featured in an item in Wired On-line August 2000, this group supports a thriving international discussion forum on WLANs.

Forum archive: http://consume.net/pipermail/consumate/ ..........."Wired - System & Networking People" orientated.

"Fed up with being held to ransom in the local loop, phased by fees to ISP's, concious of community?  OK so lets build a fresh network, one that is local, global, fast, expanding, public and user-constructed. This site outlines some starting points for such a network and the progress being made toward its establishment."

-  Julian Priest 

http://consume.net

Aug 2000

Why Airshare.org?

Airshare.org is a starting point for people whose passion du jour is wireless Internet access. The content comes from volunteers. The ownership is collective. The membership is varied. No matter who participates in the growth of this site, the aim is altruistic: if you get help, help; if you learn, teach; if you get, share.

December 6, 2002

http://www.airshare.org

By Kelly Abbott

Dec 2003

Surf Globally, Network Locally

The story of networking is the story of large corporations. Telephony (both land-line- based and cellular) and the Internet require a heavy, expensive infrastructure, the kind that only big business can afford to implement and maintain. Problem is, these costs get transferred to the consumer. Every time your phone bill comes along, you're still footing the bill for PBX boxes and cabling that was paid off decades ago. Even service and maintenance costs can only account for a fraction of the actual amount you and I pay for our telephone, our cable TV and our Internet.

What really sucks is that none of us have a choice. We can't lay our own phone lines or build our own cellular towers.

But what if things didn't have to be this way?

Dr. Joshua Ellis, Las Vegas CityLife
August 1, 2002

http://www.alternet.org/print.html?StoryID=13744

March 2004

The Association For Community Networking (AFCN) is an educational nonprofit corporation dedicated to fostering and supporting "Community Networking" -- community-based creation & provision of appropriate technology services.

AFCN's mission is to improve the visibility, viability and vitality of Community Networking by assisting and connecting people and organizations, building public awareness, identifying best practices, encouraging research, influencing policy, and developing products & services. (Printable brochure on the AFCN; PDF file).

http://www.afcn.net/

The word svoboda means ‘freedom’ in the Czech language.

Our network is probably the largest community network in the world (conservative estimates estimate about 15,000 connected users, but real number can be much higher).
Many small communities belong into our big CZFREE.NET community and many have their own web sites known mostly by their geographical locations.

For example:-

http://www.pilsfree.net/  community in Pilsen city
http://www.klfree.net/ community in Kladno town
http://www.czela.net/ community in Celakovice town and area
http://www.slovackofree.net/ community in Slovácko area
also founder of world famous FSO link RONJA
http://ronja.twibright.com/ is member
http://czfree.net/forum/member.php?s=e97d2748549f446d947609e8aac4043d&action=getinfo&userid=17
of our network

We consist of hundreds of local Czech communities who use commonly coordinated IP space in 10.x.x.x/8
http://ripe.czfree.net, we have created our RFCs
http://wiki.czfree-ng.net/index.php/CZF-RFC we use same routing protocols (OSPF, BGP) and many, many more.....

If you would like more information about our network, let me know because
the web site is in Czech language only (at this moment)

"Petr Láznovský" <lazna@volny.cz>

http://czfree.net

Dec 2005

The Original International Community WLAN promoting site.... Originating up from a U.K. Community Radio and Broadband Community Cable Media and Cybernetics perspective as well as not-for-profit BBS early Community Dial-up WebServer/IAP provision.....

Author: British Radio Amateur Henry O'Tani G8OTA,
Hon. Sec. Mendip Amateur Radio Repeater Group.

www.wlan.org.uk

The project grew out of a skepticism towards the claims of the telecom industry regarding the usefulness and success of the future "third generation mobile telephone systems" as the only means to implement "the wireless Internet". There is a strong belief in the Internet community that access to the Internet increasingly will use wireless technology, in homes, offices, schools, and public spaces, but telecom standards such as UMTS are based on some assumptions that might not hold true.

Welcome to Elektrosmog

Founded in Stockholm on August 30, 2000, Elektrosmog is a discussion group for public, wireless access to the Internet over non-telecom networks, such as the Wireless LAN standard IEEE 802.11b. Membership is open and doesn't cost anything.

We envision a cloud of free Internet connectivity that will cover most inhabited areas. The coverage might be spotty, vary over time, and be hard to control or predict, just like a fog or smog. The name of our project is a pun on a word used in Germany and Sweden to describe the potentially dangerous fields of electromagnetic radiation at varying frequenceis that surrounds all electric and electronic equipment. We don't intend to neglect these health risks, but want to point out that the radiation cloud can bring good effects too.

- Lars Aronsson

http://elektrosmog.nu/

FreeNetworks.org

FreeNetworks.org is inspired and fueled by Wireless Networking Projects that have sprung up all over the world, by people's desire to build community owned and operated networks and collaborative user spaces. It is designed to help facilitate the communication between these groups by providing a collaborative environment, mailing list archives, inter-wiki searches (coming soon), and web searchs of all the groups. FreeNetworks.org Affliates are wireless groups who have decided to support the FreeNetworks Mission Statement.....

http://www.freenetworks.org/

GAWD

Wiring the planet was the first step. Now the push to unwire it is in full swing. GAWD is an attempt to unify the knowledge about wireless access points around the world so whereever you travel, you can find a place to be online.

GAWD is a search engine that allows you to find your nearest wireless access point (note: lat/long searching is in the works). It also allows you to search for access points based on provider such as PersonalTelco or Seattle Wireless.

The catch here is all the access points are added by the community. If you are invovlved in a wireless project, feel free to enter the information on your AP's into GAWD. Even if you're not in a project, if you know of an access point somewhere (good examples are locations in airports, bus stops, locations on the BART, etc) feel free to enter them as well. The more AP's that are in GAWD, the more useful it will be to everyone.

GAWD is still under active development. If you have any feedback or ideas for improvements, please let us know.

http://www.shmoo.com/

The goal of our site is, to encourage/motivate people to set up their own cells and links in order to connect  each other and create an autonomous network, kind of similar to the consume/nocat/freenetworks/... approach. At the moment, there is only very small awareness about this topic here in germany.

We are currently building a nationwide directory of HotSpots and wireless communities for Germany.

Dieter Kneffel

http://mobileaccess.de/wlan/

The National Telephone Cooperative Association is a national association representing more than 500 small and rural independent local exchange carriers providing telecommunications services throughout rural America.

http://www.ntca.org/

This is a list of sites that will help you set up your own open node, or just inform you of how wireless networking works.

Guerrilla.net
FreeNetworks.org
Personal Telco Projet
Node Database
MacStumbler - Find a network
Hyperlink Technologies - buy wireless gear
Bay Area Wireless Users Group
Webopedia - 802.11
Unofficial 802.11 Security Web Page
warchalking.org
nocat.net
802.11b/Wi-Fi News
toaster.net

http://opennodes.com/resources/

Jan 2003

THIS IS A SUPURB SITE

The North Portland public library branch (near Alberta) will install a wireless LAN system at their public terminals. The Portland State University campus is also installing 20 wireless hubs. Students should be able to surf the net on their laptops around the campus or in the South Park Blocks. 
Shared-use LANs might even enable inexpensive access near community centers or schools. Individuals or housing authorities could create non-profit, shared wireless networks. Compaq's iPAQ goes wireless with a 802.11b LAN card and small webpads like 3-Com's colorful Audrey ($500) may soon be everywhere and connected anywhere. 

http://www.teleport.com/~samc/psuwireless/

Public Internet Project

Welcome to the Public Internet Project. We are a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the evolution and development of Internet access.

We specialize in the development of innovative strategies for the use of wireless Internet technologies in society and in conducting proprietary research into wireless technology. In the fall of 2002 we completed our most extensive research to date. The survey of 802.11b wireless access in NYC.

Our mission is to promote open access to the Internet for the benefit of all people and to gain understanding into how the adoption of Internet technologies such as 802.11b can increase the benefits of access thru pervasive connectivity. The Public Internet Project believes the Internet is something, we as a society, have a right to and an excellent example of this is the innovative, public access Bryant Park wireless network in midtown Manhattan.

http://www.publicinternetproject.org/

Jan 2003

SLOVAKIA

Sky Free Net

http://www.skfree.net/index.php

Dec 2005

THE WIRELESS COMMONS MANIFESTO

We have formed the Wireless Commons because a global wireless network is within our grasp. We will work to define and achieve a wireless commons built using shared spectrum, and able to connect people everywhere.

We believe there is value to an independent and global network which is open to the public. We will break down commercial, technical, social and political barriers to the commons. The wireless commons bridges one of the few remaining gaps in universal communication without interference from middlemen and meddlers.

You can see the full list of signatories or sign it yourself.

Adam Shand on 12/02/2002 - 00:23

http://www.wirelesscommons.org/

Jan 2003

Wireless Community Networks

A Guide for Library Boards,

Educators, and Communty Leaders

  by Robert L. Williams

Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Library Development Division
1999

This guide offers a look at the process of using radio frequency wireless technology to connect the computer networks of two or more local public organizations-school districts, public libraries, municipal and county offices, and others. Such links provide a way to share access to high-speed Internet connections and other electronic resources. 

Robert L. Williams. (Texas State Library and Achives Commission 1999)

http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/wireless/index.html

http://www.meetup.com/

wire.less.dk is an independent project working with
wireless technology to enable appropriate communications in community networks,
here in denmark as well as in the developing world.

we believe in open standards, open cooperation,
and in the importance of independent and affordable communication networks,
here and elsewhere.

wire.less.dk is a part of Informal in the U.K. -
Informal is a research and implementation group for collaborative research
with a focus on social development and technology.
Informal is a Non-Profit Organisation (Company No. :04453920) registered in the UK
with bases in the UK and Denmark.

http://wire.less.dk/

Jan 2003

WIRELESS WALES

Wireless Wales is a not for profit organisation who’s ultimate goal is to create high speed community Wireless networks (Community LAN’s) which will eventually link to the Internet. A network that is free of commercial interests and one that has the community at heart.

http://www.wirelesswales.net/faq.php