Opinion - freethenet with Maraki
14/04/08 22:51 |
Opinion
Usually,
I'd find the whole idea of community driven wifi
networks...well...scary, but the Meraki 'system'
seems to inspire something in people akin to the open
source software movements...just look at Firefox. It
certainly has inspired me. Although I've often been
interested in community projects, none have captured
my attention long enough or provided me with the
interest needed to devote what little spare time I
have. Perhaps this particular project is a little
closer to home given the state of the Internet in
Australia and being a Mac user...but I'll get to that
shortly.
This is a repost of a thread I started on mactalk.com.au about some thoughts on 'freethenet' and Meraki...
This is a repost of a thread I started on mactalk.com.au about some thoughts on 'freethenet' and Meraki...
I've
recently been doing some reading about the
'freethenet'
campaign in San Francisco and the
Meraki mesh network
devices.
Let me say firstly, I'm not assosiated with Meraki in any way - these are my own thoughts.
Usually, I'd find the whole idea of community driven wifi networks...well...scary, but the Meraki 'system' seems to inspire something in people akin to the open source software movements...just look at Firefox. It certainly has inspired me. Although I've often been interested in community projects, none have captured my attention long enough or provided me with the interest needed to devote what little spare time I have. Perhaps this particular project is a little closer to home given the state of the Internet in Australia and being a Mac user...but I'll get to that shortly.
There are groups starting to pop up to help co-ordinate the distribution of the Meraki hardware, Free Australia Wireless as an example. I commend their efforts, although I'm slightly (selfishly) disappointed that there is no Free Melbourne Wireless website as yet, I'm sure in time, that will come - there already is a Facebook group and a Google groups mail list. The great thing about this is the idea that 'you' can help without being a member of any particular group or require any special skills. You are free to add devices, and bandwidth to the mesh as you see fit.
The Sydney arm of Free Australia Wireless got sick of waiting for the government to provide the city-wide wifi they were promised and went about bulk ordering Meraki hardware to do it themselves. Free Canberra Wireless are steaming ahead too, their advantage being the city is much smaller than Sydney or Melbourne so things can happen, and happen fast.
This must be a scary idea for companies like Telstra. In the news again today yet another victory speech from the telco that they have 'successfully enabled ADSL2+ in 900 exchanges'!. That's fantastic news, but 'the mob' is already starting to 'route around' Telstra, their ludicrous pricing and various attitude problems. The balance of power can rapidly tip back in favour to the general public, although it is a way away at this point - the potential is there.
As a Mac user, especially now, wireless just comes with the territory. If you have any modern Mac, you have wifi. If you have an iPod touch or an iPhone wifi is a staple. While cheap wifi may be more common elsewhere, in Australia we are quite undernourished (compared to my perception of the demand) when it comes to free or near-free access to the Net where ever and when ever you need it. This looks as good a way forward as I've seen and the best thing about Meraki is its simplicity. Something that is at the core of the Mac and therefore should be easy for us as Mac users to relate too.
Over at netlife.com.au there is a brilliant blog entry about their personal experience over the first 5 days of contributing to the Meraki mesh. This guy has met his neighbours and already earned $20 to recoup purchase of the hardware. It's not perfect by any stretch, but what is? All you can do is have a go. From the blog: "And to adapt a phrase from the Treasurer of the last Federal Government: "Get a Meraki for yourself, one for your husband and one for the country."
As I said earlier, you don't need to be associated with any group to contribute, but there are some advantages not least of which is bulk buying. Given the friendly and knowledgeable community here at Mactalk I thought it would be interesting to open this up to you and hear your thoughts, comments and ideas on contributing to 'freethenet' with Meraki here in Australia (or wherever else you might be!).
Not only is this a way to contribute to your local community and the wider community but also a way to do something for yourself. I'm sure I'm not the only one that wished my iPod touch wifi worked at 'that cafe at the corner'.
Zillatron
Let me say firstly, I'm not assosiated with Meraki in any way - these are my own thoughts.
Usually, I'd find the whole idea of community driven wifi networks...well...scary, but the Meraki 'system' seems to inspire something in people akin to the open source software movements...just look at Firefox. It certainly has inspired me. Although I've often been interested in community projects, none have captured my attention long enough or provided me with the interest needed to devote what little spare time I have. Perhaps this particular project is a little closer to home given the state of the Internet in Australia and being a Mac user...but I'll get to that shortly.
There are groups starting to pop up to help co-ordinate the distribution of the Meraki hardware, Free Australia Wireless as an example. I commend their efforts, although I'm slightly (selfishly) disappointed that there is no Free Melbourne Wireless website as yet, I'm sure in time, that will come - there already is a Facebook group and a Google groups mail list. The great thing about this is the idea that 'you' can help without being a member of any particular group or require any special skills. You are free to add devices, and bandwidth to the mesh as you see fit.
The Sydney arm of Free Australia Wireless got sick of waiting for the government to provide the city-wide wifi they were promised and went about bulk ordering Meraki hardware to do it themselves. Free Canberra Wireless are steaming ahead too, their advantage being the city is much smaller than Sydney or Melbourne so things can happen, and happen fast.
This must be a scary idea for companies like Telstra. In the news again today yet another victory speech from the telco that they have 'successfully enabled ADSL2+ in 900 exchanges'!. That's fantastic news, but 'the mob' is already starting to 'route around' Telstra, their ludicrous pricing and various attitude problems. The balance of power can rapidly tip back in favour to the general public, although it is a way away at this point - the potential is there.
As a Mac user, especially now, wireless just comes with the territory. If you have any modern Mac, you have wifi. If you have an iPod touch or an iPhone wifi is a staple. While cheap wifi may be more common elsewhere, in Australia we are quite undernourished (compared to my perception of the demand) when it comes to free or near-free access to the Net where ever and when ever you need it. This looks as good a way forward as I've seen and the best thing about Meraki is its simplicity. Something that is at the core of the Mac and therefore should be easy for us as Mac users to relate too.
Over at netlife.com.au there is a brilliant blog entry about their personal experience over the first 5 days of contributing to the Meraki mesh. This guy has met his neighbours and already earned $20 to recoup purchase of the hardware. It's not perfect by any stretch, but what is? All you can do is have a go. From the blog: "And to adapt a phrase from the Treasurer of the last Federal Government: "Get a Meraki for yourself, one for your husband and one for the country."
As I said earlier, you don't need to be associated with any group to contribute, but there are some advantages not least of which is bulk buying. Given the friendly and knowledgeable community here at Mactalk I thought it would be interesting to open this up to you and hear your thoughts, comments and ideas on contributing to 'freethenet' with Meraki here in Australia (or wherever else you might be!).
Not only is this a way to contribute to your local community and the wider community but also a way to do something for yourself. I'm sure I'm not the only one that wished my iPod touch wifi worked at 'that cafe at the corner'.
Zillatron
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