Wireless community network
Free wireless networks are WLAN-based radio networks that are not offered by commercial providers, but by private individuals, associations or similar organizations. Thus, the users are also at the same time the operators of computer networks, which can crosslink from simple home networks based homes, neighborhoods, villages or entire cities.
Idea and operation
In a free wireless network provide all users and users of their wireless router for the data transfer of the other participants. In exchange, the users or users may also be data transfer such as text, music and movies on the internal network or chat about services furnished by participants in the network, phone and play together online games. Many participants also make their Internet access, and enable others to access the Internet. Free radio networks are self- Mach- networks. For the construction participants to use their wireless router special Linux distributions. Local groups provide the customized on your needs then software on their websites. In many towns and villages there are now groups and meetings in which meet interested parties.
Vision and Background
Initiatives that build free wireless networks are part of a global movement for free infrastructures. Your vision is the proliferation of free networks, the democratization of the media and the promotion of local social structures. Through the networking of entire neighborhoods, villages and regions initiatives want to counteract the digital divide and build free independent network structures. In these free networks, for example, royalty-free community radio, the transmission of local events, private sharing networks and the common cost-effective use of Internet access may be possible. The exchange in the free networks is based not on commercial interests but on the voluntary giving and taking each individual in the network. This idea was formulated in the Pico Peering Agreement.
The initial motivation to build a free network, is often the need to get cost-effective access to the Internet, especially in areas where DSL is not available. To enable this, however, is not the main objective of initiatives. You see the future of their efforts rather in the ability to connect with each other free networks - without having to submit to the restrictions of commercial suppliers.
Dissemination
The German -language free radio community is part of a worldwide movement for the establishment of open and free systems, in particular of free software and free infrastructures. This is done partly in large rural areas such as Djursland in Denmark, but also in cities with no broadband -enabled telecommunications infrastructure, such as some areas in Berlin, Weimar, Leipzig, Rostock, Halle and Dresden.
Similar considerations are made in the framework of the project of the non-profit organization " One Laptop per Child " in the development of the 100 dollar laptop. Thus, to be achieved by cheap laptops, in combination with a built-in wireless transmitter, a fully automatic networking of individual villages or communities, particularly in developing and emerging countries. The project so far countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Libya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Thailand and Uruguay have declared their participation.
Technology
With free wireless networks more wireless access points are connected to form an intranet, which can also be connected to an ISP to the Internet. Free wireless networks operate mostly on the basis of mesh routing protocols as a meshed, self-employed building up and configure ad hoc networks. Usually, routers are set to be loaded firmware used (eg Freifunk firmware) which is based on OpenWrt and the mesh protocols OLSR or BATMAN supported. These protocols allow the participants in the network to network in large areas without their own broadband Internet access. In addition, a new participant, known as a mesh node without great technical effort to be part of the existing network and thereby increase its reach. Most projects so try a free and alternative network infrastructure in addition to the existing network infrastructure of major Internet service providers build.