> A group is looking to set up a community wireless network in a semi
> rural area.
> Coverage would be around 5 square miles or so.
> Although the houses are spread out they are in nodal areas of some
> sort.
> Any ideas of how to best do this on a limited budget ?
> Of what to do and not to do .
> Resources.
> The climate is fairly extreme especially in the winter .
>

Depends what part of the country you are in.... There are several HUGE ones
in the NorthWest (where there are big hills/mountains are used, biggest
skynet in Spokane, covers 230+ sq miles, yes it is 802.11b and work with
laptops and pda's.. See http://www.spokaneskynet.com/ for details on
coverage and tech help (specs)...), but haven't heard of any where it is
flat. There are also a few smaller ones in oregon/idaho/washington along the
snake river in Hells Canyon to service the small towns along the river.. (I
heard of another in Northern Arkansas, but that is on the hills around the
lake there)..