[Freedombox-discuss] mesh network [was: FreedomBox Testing 2012.0617 Image Published]
Yan,
Thank you. A great beginning here! :-)
I'd like to hear some details on your 15 sq. km. mesh setup if possible. What you describe is what I envisioned.
I don't see FBX as a replacement for Internet using only WiFi, but more of a way to communicate email messages, and to be able to "text" each other "off the grid/net" because even if we encrypt packets sufficiently and route through existing infrastructure, any snoopers would still be able to know X is communicating with Y and how often / much. And whereas I have no malicious intents in my communications, it's like Eben says, "The things we read watch us read them" ... something similar applies here: "The things enabling us to communicate with others watch us communicate with them."
Seems unnecessary and wrong.
As to mechanics, I was thinking GPS coords for routing, or some known grid coords for relative device placement. I need message X to get from me to coord-Y. Each FBX in-between can do the math and transmit to other FBXs in that direction. If none exist, it sends a message back saying "no route" so other send direction work-arounds are (ultimately exhaustively) tried, and then remembered for a time.
I would be willing to write this messaging protocol in GUI simulation for experimenting and testing by everybody.
Best regards,
Rick C. Hodgin
-------- Original Message --------
From: Yan Hetges <yan at exalot.com>
Sent: Mon, Jun 18, 2012 02:19 AM
To: freedombox-discuss at lists.alioth.debian.org
CC:
Subject: [Freedombox-discuss] mesh network [was: FreedomBox Testing 2012.0617 Image Published]
>Hello
>
>first of all, i'd like to quickly introduce myself. My name is Yan, i
>like freedom and have been using Debian as my main desktop OS since woody
>and been playing with it on servers since the same time. I've also been
>actively deploying a wifi adhoc mesh network with OpenWrt and derivates
>since 2006 (it has ~15 nodes and covers an area of maybe 15 km^2).
>And i've been reading this list since late January...
>
>On Sun, Jun 17, 2012 at 10:03:49PM -0400, Rick C. Hodgin wrote:
>> Hmmm... So, the Freedombox needs to use external infrastructure such as an ethernet or WiFi router?
>
>yes, freedombox wants to use the internet
>>
>> I was thinking WiFi would connect all neighbors together on a WiFi mesh able to simultaneously transmit / receive to other Freedomboxes directly without a hub / router. Sort of an ad hoc Internet.
>
>it could theoretically connect all neighbours together and NOT
>simultaneously tx/rx because the wifi radio can only either or, not both
>at the same time. And that's the main issue, usable bandwidth gets less
>at each hop.
>>
>> Is such a thing possible with WiFi?
>
>to a certain degree, and it might never be able to replace an
>infrastructure! Also, to connect neighbours without internet, they want
>to be pretty close to each other... like one in every appartment! That
>will then make so much noise that there might be no communication
>possible over more than 2-4 hops. Please don't understand me wrong, i
>LOVE the idea! Also, to make that work out of the box, without external
>antennas mounted on a roof, or the FBX mounted in a weatherproof box on
>top of a bamboo pole in a tall tree or something like that, is very
>unlikely. I suggest reading RFC 1925 [1] espexially (5),(8) and (10).
>If you really want to integrate a self employing mesh function into
>FBX i'd recommend looking deeply into what R.O.B.I.N. [2] does.
>Also, it would be very much appreciated and make group communication
>much easier if you (some of you) would consider reading and following
>[3] , especially 9. And/or RFC 1855 [4].
>Thank you everyone so much for all your work!
>
> cheers
>
> --Yan
>
>[1]http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1925.txt
>[2]http://wiki-robin.meshroot.com/
>[3]http://linux.sgms-centre.com/misc/netiquette.php
>[4]http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1855.txt
>
>
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