Red Hook Wifi
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This document summarizes the process of creating a community mesh network in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Key aspects included establishing trusted community organizations as anchors, collaborating with an outside technical support provider, and using a community-led design process. Technology included Ubiquiti routers and the Commotion wireless platform. The network grew organically from 2012 onward and now provides WiFi coverage for the area. Lessons learned emphasized the importance of social relationships and investing in early organizing.
Red Hook Wifi
- 1. Georgia Bullen! georgia@opentechinstitute.org! @georgiamoon / @redhookwifi!
- 2. Creating digital networks is mostly a social process.!
- 5. Key Aspects: Social & Technical Infrastructure ! • Main network anchors are trusted community organizations.! • Solid relationship with technical support provider from outside of the community.! • Community-led design process emphasizes local needs and enhances engagement.! • Rapid prototyping of applications designed for the local area network. !
- 6. Technology! • Ubiquiti Routers! – Nanostation! – Picostation! • Commotion! – Ad Hoc Network Platform! – OpenWRT! – OLSRd Routing Protocol! ! ! ! ! ! 5 1 4 2 3 https://code.commotionwireless.net/projects/commotion/wiki/Newbie_How_It_Works !
- 7. Mesh networks are distributed, noncentralized, and self-healing.! Hub and Spoke Network Mesh Network
- 8. February 2012 – 1st Mesh Node! WAP + Internet Gateway!
- 9. March 2012 – 2nd Mesh Node ! Out of Range of Node #1, No Internet Gateway! Local Server with applications!
- 10. Community Collaborative Design Workshops, Photo: Becky Kazansky!
- 11. A resident working with Tidepools, a local Mapping Application, Photo: Becky Kazansky!
- 13. Red Hook Initiative: ! Recovery & Communication Hub!
- 14. RHI Status!
- 16. February 2013!
- 17. February 2013!
- 18. 2013
- 21. Site Surveys!
- 23. Potential Partners! Businesses Non-‐Profits Schools Parks ExisAng/ Agreed to host
- 24. Broadband Adoption! FCC Form 477 Data ! NYC Department of City Planning PLUTO Data! NYC Department of City Planning Buildings Data !
- 31. October 2013!
- 32. August 2013!
- 33. http://redhookwifi.org! powered by Tidepools (http://tidepools.org)!
- 34. Lessons Learned! • Social relationships are paramount.! ! • The most challenging investment is in the initial organizing and design phase before any value is realized. ! ! • Community-designed applications add value to a local network, even at a small scale. ! ! • Having relationships and anchor wireless nodes in place prior to a disaster facilitates rapid network deployment through: ! – Already-established relationships with key community stakeholders.! – A heightened level of technological literacy in the community.! – Pre-positioned wireless network equipment in the neighborhood.!
- 35. What’s Next?! texting sensors outreach apps
- 37. Cost of the Network! • • • • • • Donated labor from local residents and technologist. ! Institutional support from RHI and OTI. ! Hardware (~$50 to ~$85 each router). ! Installation (3-5 work hours for two people per site). ! Bandwidth (donated by RHI, Brooklyn Fiber, and FEMA). ! Training program for local residents to maintain and expand network as part of a municipal employment program. !
- 38. Modular mesh wireless tile People in or next to the tile area can extend the network by installing their own routers. 1/2 to 3/4 mile (1 unit) Internet Gateway Connection to the global Internet or point of presence (point-to-point wireless or fiber-optic backhaul, white space device, etc.) (5 to 10 units) Gateway distribution layer Point-to-point or -multipoint directional mesh wireless nodes. (25 to 100 units) User-facing access points Omnidirectional mesh wireless nodes mounted on lightpoles, building exteriors, rooftops, or windows. Wired connection Wireless connection The bandwidth delivered to the end user can be up to 50 Mbps, but is dependent on available bandwidth at the gateway connection. There are various models for determining how many users can share a given connection. Each user-facing access point can support up to 25 simultaneous connections, but speed will depend on available bandwidth at the gateway, interference, and other factors. Engineering study is required to determine the technical feasibility of each tile. Community participation is key in determining rooftop anchor sites and pilot "early adopter" candidates. Hardware = approximately $25,000 Installation labor = approximately $75,000 to $150,000