Has anyone thought of setting up more than just nodes like a backbone?
Obviously there would need to be a compelling reason and alot of buyin from those interested.
With new tech comming out decent wireless backhaul and ap equipment may make it viable to build a member based network financed and supported by node operators.
Just my thoughts since there is no real commerical broadband that is avaialble Auckland wide.
There has been talk of setting up a wireless backbone, but at this point we don't have 2 nodes that can be interconnected via such a link. This may change once we get some nodes in good locations (tall buildings and what not) and then it would work something similar to this:
AP -> directional link -> Backbone AP <- directional link <- AP
Where that backbone AP would link together smaller APs, and if need be link to other backbone APs
We're all still experimenting, so it may turn out to be something completely different, who knows. It would be nice to use some 802.16 gear for the backbone.
Yes I can imagine it would specially with disance etc.
Could always do an semi dodgy share scheme thing (not sure how to describe it). ie get funds for equipment from those whom are keen to be involved (much like myself). This wouldn't mean that our houses or abodes would be part of backbone but rather the equipment would be installed at suitable locations etc.
Goes with my theroy if you want some real broadband open your wallet and get involved as there are no free lunches anymore. Telstra and Woosh may tout to be your friends but they are laughing all the way to the bank (in Zurich) as much as Telecom (in NZ)
hmmm... backbone aye.... have a big ass link that links south auckland IE: manurewa with the rest of auckland ...
then maybe I wuld be able to setup my wireless gear with someone ....
i dont know much about wireless, but its true that wap11's can bridge to each other cant they, so having a wap11 at my place, point to another wap11 (in bridge mode) in say... some hill over that way *waitakarei ranges?*, that would be counted as a backbone?, there fore, if i was to setup another ap or something, and get an omni, then in theory, people connectnig to me could use the backbone link to waitakeri (which has another ap there also, pointing somewhere else).... is that the general idea?
ne way... i think its a neat idea to get people connected to each other
we are building our wireless backbone at the moment...
This consists of point to point links between 4 sites around Dunedin (more soon) then clients can connect to omni's (on another AP) at each site. We are using DLink 900 units or Linksys WAP11 in some situations, 24db Parabolic Dish's facing each other.
Much better way as we can stick a router at each main site too to assist with traffic shaping to make better use of available bandwidth.
cost wise, it does mean investing a little more in each site but its worth it.
I have the ability to setup a "backbone" here in Onehunga now I have access to an older orinoco wavepoint II Remote office Router with 2 cards in it. I also have a mesh dish and a sector antenna. I will be setting up the sector antenna in the next few weeks pointing towards one tree hill (I have a good view from here - down from bottom of onehunga). I am sure the sector antenna is about 14 dB with 120 deg spread. I am hoping to be able to see my AP from the top end of onehunga/one tree hill. I have yet to decide which direction to point the dish. I also have a 5dB omni that could be attached instead of one of the above. The only downside is the RoR is using the silver cards which only support 56bit WEP.
I also have a local 3Com AP (802.11g) with fixed antenna which gives me around 300m coverage.
Well Linx and I are working on the backbone for albany region. We have the ideal location that over looks beach haven, greenhithe, hobsonville, bit of west and a bit of glenfield.
Just a little further down the road we have another link (LOS to the main one explained above) and this gets coverage into the city aswell as glenfield. We have the equipment all ready, just waiting on a pole and 360degree antenna (only got 180 waveguides at the moment). We also seek someone to do the installation, so linx is waiting for a mate from hamilton to come up and do the install (as he does wireless connections for satlan down there).
Looking for sponsors of either poles or antennas. If you are in one of the above locations and would like a connection to this AP chip in a bit and the link will be up sooner than later.
After this, we have kinda located a suitable location on upper harbour highway which will over look albany, this will give connectivity to both Albany and up to Greville road near browns bay. I then have another suitable location in browns bay that over looks the whole of Browns bay and I have permission from my uncle to set this up....
So if we get some sponsored hardware, we could have the following locations up.
Albany
Beachhaven
Browns Bay
Glenfield
Greenhithe
Hobsonville
and a few others.
I can try and extend the backbone from Linx to Hobsonville, West Harbour. Problem is though, I have no LOS to Linx, so it may need to come to wookie (Who I also have no LOS to ). I have quite a good view of the Lucken's Ridge, which is about south west of my house.
insane_x is just over the Lucken's Ridge, and he apparently knows someone on the ridge, so if I can get a link to him, we would be able to extend it down to (possibly) Massey.
Just took a pic of the houses I can see. The Lucken's Ridge is in the distance, where the houses end. In the background are the Waitakeres.
I would say it would but the biggest prob there is that Walker Wireless own the rights to the 2.4Ghz range on the sky tower, they have also got the 5.8Ghz range as well and compass have the 5.3Ghz range rights, so it would have to go through them for the final OK
OK - just asked "my friend" about Sky Tower - seems like a possibility if I can provide him with "how many" and "where from".
He suggested maybe one link could be put in initially. Furthermore, Internet Access could also be a possibility. He suggested a QB20 or something similar pointing to one of the nodes could be the go.
Anyone keen? I can progress this further....quickly...
Hmm, who you speaking to walker wireless? Point to the north shore, i can get us a link into the APE possibly. Let me know who you going through to sort this all out.
Icepick i have an accesspoint and an omni that i will put up at one of your common points if it will provide a link down to my albany-wifi site from there.
Wireless Backbone 
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