[Sderby] Derby Community Wireless LAN

[Mike Hemstock]

Folks,

Following the advent of 802.11b wireless networking, a few innovative people 
have set upon the idea of Community Wireless LANs.  The idea being to wire 
people together onto a giant wireless LAN.  Offering 11Mbs connections to 
those services available on the LAN and gateways to the internet.  A few 
friends and I have set upon the idea of setting up a Community Wireless LAN 
here in Derby and are appealing to the better nature of the people of SDerby 
LUG for assistance in setting this up.

The idea is very much in the earliy stages at the moment, but what we need is 
some innovative people to help get if off the ground.  If anyone is 
interested I'm willing to give a presentation on the idea at the next LUG 
meeting on Sunday, but as a basic guide the initial plan is as follows.

Firstly we need a number of people in and around Derby to act as nodes that 
local people can access.   Those nodes that are close enought together can be 
linked.  Eventually as we get more and more nodes we will have a network 
which should span most of Derby.  We will need:

* Volenteers to setup nodes
* Locations (as high as possible)
* Kit (old PCs to use as nodes
* Old compact flash cards (to be used instead of HDDs)
* Wireless kit
* People who know a lot about radio propergation
* A webmaster
* Anything I've missed
* etc

Initially, please subscribe to the Derby Community Wireless LAN mailing list 
if you are interested.

http://www.derbywireless.net/mailman/listinfo

Also, there is a very nice prime node location in the centre of Derby with 
excellent line of site, known as the DRI nurses accomodation (yes, that 
bleedin' high block of flats!)  If anyone knows anyone who can give the nod, 
please let me know!

Many thanks,

Mike.