

Trying to find people in Chicago for a meshnet - normalocity
http://karmanebula.com/chicagomeshnet/

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thejosh
Here in WA, Australia we have/had a local meshnet for quite a while and it ran
for years. I can't remember the name of it (it was called WALocalNet or
something) but it worked out quite well.

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normalocity
Got a link to any information? Sounds interesting - would love to read up.

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zedpm
Could be WAFreenet ([http://www.wafreenet.org/](http://www.wafreenet.org/)).

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thejosh
That's the one!

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projectmeshnet
You should checkout the global meshnet map,
[http://atlas.projectmeshnet.org](http://atlas.projectmeshnet.org). You can
add your node and help organize a meshnet in your area.

~~~
normalocity
I will, thanks.

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normalocity
For anyone reading this that is interested in news on how this goes, but
doesn't have sysadmin skills, nor access to a building, I added a simple
newsletter signup field to the page.

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chrissnell
Like desireco42, this instantly reminded me of BBSes and the days of FidoNET.
While running point-to-point wireless would certainly be fun, there are
infrastructure limitations (namely, roof access) that may make this project
hard to achieve.

I'd much rather see a revival of a network of BBSes using POTS lines. FidoNET
went to hell decades ago but the protocols and software are still worthy. It
would be fun to use Fido tools (mailers, tossers, editors) to create a fun,
off-the-Internet electronic forum.

This probably sounds crazy to most of the younger crowd, I'm sure. I just wish
that those who grew up without modems could experience the joy of hearing your
phone line ring and watching your BBS answer and receive some mail from
someone on the other side of the world. The messages were routed from peer to
peer by folks who were willing to pick up the tab to make long distance (and
international!) phone calls.

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normalocity
I'm totally from this era but I don't quite have the nostalgia for it that you
do. I definitely remember the joy of getting mail when the idea of spam was
nonexistent, but I'm not sure I'd want to go back. That said, the protocols
people want to run on top of this would be whatever people want, I would
think, so if you can find enough people who wanted to do this I don't see
what's stopping you. :)

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medde
If only Super Wi-Fi could become a realty, mesh networks might become much
more usable over large areas ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Wi-
Fi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Wi-Fi))

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llamataboot
WasabiNet is a mesh wifi network cooperative dedicated to helping bridge the
digital divide in a low-income section of South St Louis

[http://gowasabi.net/](http://gowasabi.net/)

~~~
normalocity
Any chance the administration of nodes for this kind of technology could be
crowdsourced to the people in the neighborhood as well, giving not only access
but useful knowledge and a learning experience? I know when I was young I
didn't need new or expensive technology to hack on - just needed something I
had regular access to.

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calgoo
check out thefnf.org, they are currently trying to organize the different mesh
networks.

In Spain we have the guifi project www.guifi.net/en which works in
infrastructure mode, but we are migrating to a new system called qmp and which
is mesh based. This firmware is 100% auto config, and works natively over
IPv6. The project came from the www.battlemesh.org hacking sessions, where
they created the batman protocol.

If anyone is looking at building a mesh network, check tout these systems.
They make it so much easier (and cheaper) then it used to be.

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spamizbad
I live in chicago and meet one of their requirements. Unfortunately I don't
have access to the roof of a 5+ story building. I could probably put one in
the 7th floor of a west loop office though.

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toomuchtodo
West loop? Near 26 N Halsted at all?

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spamizbad
Not quite. Other side of 90/94.

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toomuchtodo
I work in the WCIU building. We should grab lunch sometime!

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normalocity
Thanks for the front page love, HN. Really wasn't expecting that. :)

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desireco42
I am looking at website, I always thought this would be excellent way to
communicate and if I can contribute somehow, I will. I see you are looking for
people in higher buildings.

Mesh reminds me of the BBS scene I really loved, and kind of puts you in
contact with your neighbors.

~~~
normalocity
I suppose this also doesn't require roof access in many cases. If someone is
willing (and your building super isn't going to get angry at you), you could
put an antenna on a balcony the same way people would put up a satellite dish,
and we get could get line-of-sight going at least in one direction from a
given building.

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n0rb3rt
Know your OTARD rules for antenna placement (occupant's rights for satellite /
TV / wifi equipment):

[http://www.fcc.gov/guides/over-air-reception-devices-
rule](http://www.fcc.gov/guides/over-air-reception-devices-rule)

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gasull
Is there anything like this in the Bay Area?

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ghouse
Yes, a many-year-old effort called SFLan in San Francisco:
[http://archive.org/web/sflan.php](http://archive.org/web/sflan.php)

