I wonder whether this is another reason<br>Comcast got a yen for implementing <br>monthly byte quotes. A router ( I'm <br>assuming this is a router? ) with that kind<br>of range could provide free Internet access<br>to a big piece of a neighborhood if no <br>
encryption is used.<br><br>So how does Comcast decide whether that<br>kind of range is legitimate, or has this ever<br>come up? Can using boosters be considered<br>redistributing a service? But then, boosting<br>only affects the outgoing signal. From how<br>
far can a typical laptop send info upstream?<br><br>Well, one could still provide a neighborhood<br>radio streaming service.....<br><br> -- Bob<br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, May 18, 2009 at 12:13 PM, Michael Mol <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:mikemol@gmail.com">mikemol@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">I've recently been thinking about mesh networking and Internet access.<br>
<br>
802.11 can have some incredible range; My ASUS WL-330ge can be<br>
associated with 300 yds from my house, and that's stock hardware--I<br>
applied no signal boosting or special antennas. What if someone were<br>
to take a number of these (or similar) devices and set them up with<br>
mesh network software? Have the mesh routing operate entirely within<br>
IPv6 addressing, and have occasional point access to a local Internet.<br>
(Such gateways could be for-pay or for-free, depending on the operator<br>
of the node.) One could build a mesh infrastructure that way, and<br>
could even avoid congestion if one limits the number of hops allowed<br>
along the mesh before reaching an external destination.<br>
<br>
My thought is that if one could take existing high-range access point,<br>
attach a small computer to it (Pico-ITX or smaller), and use that<br>
computer as the platform for the mesh routing logic. Once the<br>
software is developed (which I do believe this is the tricky part),<br>
the mesh routing nodes could be assembled and sold at a profit;<br>
Initial customers would be managers of--or communities in--apartment<br>
complexes, parks and other large-area recreational areas. It's also<br>
worth considering the millions of handheld game units out there that<br>
use 802.11 as a means of connecting to each other for network play; A<br>
kid in Grandvile suddenly becomes able to go head-to-head with a kid<br>
in Wyoming or Allendale, without his parents having to pony up for a<br>
subscription from Nintendo's or Sony's central service.<br>
<br>
Initially, it would be useful as a means of setting up point-to-point<br>
connections such as between related businesses or as between friends'<br>
homes (with a hop or two between). As lines of mesh hops between<br>
related parties connect, the mesh starts growing horizontally as the<br>
smaller meshes see each other and exchange routing information.<br>
<br>
Ultimately, there are two pieces to the puzzle: Choke-resistant mesh<br>
networking software, and assembly and sale of the mesh nodes.<br>
<br>
The mesh nodes themselves can be sold as part of a branded network; A<br>
not-necessarily-global alternative to AT&T, Comcast, Charter, etc. It<br>
can also act as a localnet for businesses and other local<br>
organizations; Throw a webserver up and use mDNS or similar to<br>
broadcast its availability. Or keep its IPv6 address relatively<br>
private, and only give access to the people you want to use it.<br>
<font color="#888888"><br>
--<br>
:wq<br>
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