Open Source Network

It does not matter. Those wanting to learn have a great opportunity. You don't really have to learn a lot just to join PTAWUG. What opportunities you use thereafter is your own choice

Installation is not extensive at all! Rating people willing to discover new technologies as "bored" no...
But that is my personal opinion so I would suggest we grant these people their fun and opportunities whilst others keep their desk jobs :rolleyes:

The bored person wishing to explore new technologies to whom you are referring is me. I don't think you read my post properly. I am grateful for my desk job because my last one largely involved crawling through the roof and installing network cables. I therefore think it's weird that I'm all fired up to get dirty again, this time without even getting paid for it! :eek:
 
Grant, have you considered the possibility of starting your own neighbourhood wug? Then you can do whatever you like, without having to debate the pros and cons of the existing wugs! You could call it GrantWug, or KempWug or something! :)

Interesting idea, what is the start up cost?
 
Well, based on your initial idea, I would say go with the lan cable next door to the neighbours! I suppose that it would not really be a wug then, but rather a "lug" (Lan Users Group)

If I had a choice between wifi and cable, I would choose cable everytime!

Get hold of Captain Scifi as I suggested earlier.. He is into tunnelling, strapping cameras to peoples heads, and all sorts of nifty things! :)
 
Cool, it's official. I'm starting a LUG. I like that name. I'm based in Rhodesfield in case anyone missed that. If you are willing to go halves with me we can try and connect. Whether it be via cables, wireless, whatever. I'll get one of those kits in the next month or two and share WUG across the network (if they let me). I'll also try and get at least local internet access running across the LUG, though it will be limited to begin with and probably only via a proxy.

Please if there are any legal issues with this please tell me know. I'm basically lazy at heart, so I don't want to do all this manual labour only to have Telkom come and dig it up again.
 
Get surge protection for the LAN cable ends.

Yeah,

I'm sure that'll keep the costs down. Setting up a LAN and digging trenches to all of your neighbors is completely impractical.

What happens if one of your neighbors' gardener or yours - chops off that ethernet cable by accident?

How will you do maintenance on these cables? Are you going to be installing your own PVC conduit between your house and all neighbors?

You should seriously join Cpt. SciFi and dig into each others back gardens.

Take my magic wand - it might help for the pain.

| <- Magic wand
|
|
|
\
 
The problem you're going to run in to is distance, running cat5 you can only do a certain distance. I foresee you're gonna have to run fibre instead. This will also solve the lightning problem ...
 
Grant - Google something about networking limits using CAT5.
I think it's 100m, max of 5 hops
If you can get us fiber for free, that would be awesome! (i think MTN only spend like R7b for theirs)

I'm also still not sure what exactly you wanna do. Do you want to setup a new payed service? or provide a free and open network. (you can do both on the same platform)

WUG's are currently (as far as i know) the only free networks available in SA. (And maybe world). As soon as you provide payed services, you need a license to operate (in the wireless space, it's a ICASA license). Ye, the greedy govemint wants their money too. (Do you know how expensive a new BMW is!!! )

Anyways, give me a bit more info (preferably with reference links) to what you have planned.
:D
 
Please if there are any legal issues with this please tell me know. I'm basically lazy at heart, so I don't want to do all this manual labour only to have Telkom come and dig it up again.

Well if telkom do pitch up tell them to get lost. The only people than can legally stop you is ICASA - and they carry a big hammer....
 
Only official WUG? Clearly you have never heard of a second WUG operating in the cpt area, namely LOEMWUG. So as far as CTWUG being an elitist group is utter bull as CTWUG happily accommodated this second network, in fact we would even go as far as promoting the setup of private mesh networks, cos in the long run, we do this for the community and that's all that matters.

If said private mesh network wanted to peer into the ctwug network, the options put forth ( as discussed when the loem network peered ) would be as follows
  • They could either amalgamate into the CTWUG network thereby being part of the ctwug name, yet equipment will still be the responsibility of the former owner, but then the CTWUG admins would then maintain the new sites ( on a software level ) as they are more experienced.
  • The network can peer, but remain separated from CTWUG. This decision would just mean that any problems with your network/equipment/software/routing/ip addresses/etc you must deal with and not ask the CTWUG group to sponsor repairs/upgrades


Well you probably thinking along the technology of how cellphones work. AFAIK not even commercial companies like wisp support this. CTWUG would happily accommodate such a request, provided the person requesting it could somehow find us... say R5 mil to set such a network up


CTWUG does provide that info. http://wind.ctwug.za.net ... easy as pie.

The permissions you referring to is only on a security level. All HS's use a MAC filtering method whereby only MAC addresses added to the highsite can connect. This prevents the network from being abused by random pc's connecting. Our equipment can only support a certain number of users and if, say one interface, gets flooded with 20 randomly connected pc's, then the registered users on that highsite will suffer heavily which is unfair to them. So we not restricting people to join, we just manage them so that everyone can get a nice WUG experience.

:):) Thanks for that reply, I guess I had some serious misconceptions about how the WUGs operate. If thats how it is and they accomodate new networks then it sounds just about right. Maybe they should set up a NPO to try and get funding from someone. Surely someone with money out there will support this cause. Maybe Mark Shuttleworth or someone who is all for open source.
 
If you form a NPO u need to have a board and financial statements and red tape, admin and crap.
PTAWUG is a voluntary association.
 
Yeah,

I'm sure that'll keep the costs down. Setting up a LAN and digging trenches to all of your neighbors is completely impractical.

What happens if one of your neighbors' gardener or yours - chops off that ethernet cable by accident?

How will you do maintenance on these cables? Are you going to be installing your own PVC conduit between your house and all neighbors?

You should seriously join Cpt. SciFi and dig into each others back gardens.

Take my magic wand - it might help for the pain.

| <- Magic wand
|
|
|
\

This post is not helpful. :p
 
Captain WiFi

Hi Guys ,

SciFi -->>> WiFi ( it's all the same to me boss )

Grant -- there is a problem

As I understand -- soon as you cross a "boundary" you need an ECNS licence

You have now become a "Network-Installer"

Not a problem you can get one from ICASA for about R10,000

You will HAVE to do this on an organised basis -- ie follow the same model as TELKOM / every other WAN Telco installer. ie HUB & SPOKE --> Home to JUNCTION BOX --> to BackHaul ( Your server room )

Where the difference is -- yours will be an "Opt-In" model with each person contributing their "pound-of-flesh" ie each person is going to pay for their OWN LOCAL LOOP. Which they will OWN themselves. = NO ongoing rent.

Start off small with a local community / gated community -- grow from there
WHO knows you may end up giving NEOTottie and TELScum a run for their money.

NO reason WHY this model will not work if the people are prepared to put in the time effort and sweat

Get an ECS licence at the same time -- NOW there is NO problem with recovering costs ( This IS DIFFERENT to Wireless where you have SPECTRUM Allocation problems )

-- OR --

get some seed capital from some place like the SHUTTLEWORTH FOUNDATION.


the SCIENTIFIC one
 
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