Month Four: BPL Network Deployed (Crash and Burn), Sustainability

Melissa Niiya — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:45:36 +0000

This past Saturday, the wifi network that is a lovechild between the brutish broadband over powerline adapters and the delicate, flighty open mesh routers was deployed. And like any unholy demonspawn, the birth was painful. It seemed to be working for an hour, but it promptly went out right as we were leaving.

So, the BPL network so far is a no-go, but the good news (sort of) is that BPL is likely not to blame. The router that we're using to run the network is your average household netgear. Even the open mesh router directly connected to the netgear is not working; so likely, this is an issue related to the main router. I've had problems with netgears handling large amounts of bandwidth in the past, but it's more likely just not allowing the BPL adapters onto the network and will need to simply assign static IPs. If it's a bandwidth problem that's freezing up the router...well, maybe we'll have to invest in a better router or a switch. Hopefully we can get the network up before Thanksgiving.

The good thing about the deployment is that the residents at the Reno Building are AWESOME. So cool, eager to help and to learn, really happy that they'll have free internet. I've got to say, open mesh/BPL is pretty neat to deploy. We gave each resident their mesh unit, they placed it and came back downstairs, then we watched each unit come online. :3

I'm getting a little concerned, however, about the sustainability of some of the things I'm working on. I'm starting to realize that things like arranging meetings and training tenants in wifi maintenance and network administration are not tasks that we can reasonably expect most of the tenants to do. It's a lot of work to expect tenants to do. I'm hoping to come up with a more lasting solution (since when I'm gone, they won't have someone to train residents). Volunteer recruitment at local schools? Unpaid internships? I'm hoping there isn't too much resistance to me seeking out "trainers" to train. I've been spending a lot of time doing direct service (training tenants, now being asked to help teach a computer literacy class, running tech support errands). I'm not sure where to draw the line, even though I know there's that magical percentage number. And if I have to say, "No, can't do that," is there a good way to approach it? Will see how it goes.

Er...its been a while

Emilio Flores — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 21:52:00 +0000

So, I have completely let this blog go by the wayside. For shame. But I'm back, baby, although I still refuse to like blogs.

So, whats been happening with your friendly neighborhood wireless guy? Well, its been so ridiculously busy lately, that I was able to completely ignore something like an online web log without a second thought. Woohoo!

Yes, we have a working wireless mesh network now. For the past month and a half we've been frantically trying to setup all of the residents who signed up initially, back in January of this year. So you can understand why they might be in a hurry to get their internet access. In the past couple months we've installed routers in about 70 or so homes, which is only half of our expected number of users, but believe me, the other 70 people have been banging down our door asking for internet. Except that when we try to call them and setup an appointment, they don't pick up the phone. They do show up at the tech center, upset that we haven't called them, though. Ah well. At least we've made a good amount of progress in a short time, and I can no longer claim that my job description is a liar. This is what I signed up for. Oh, by the way, its the best job ever.

And in the midst of all this wifi installation and subsequent tech support, which pretty much consumes all of my time, we're trying to dole out money to other housing developments in the Boston area that are interested in Wifi - part of Castle Square's grant was 15000 dollars to support other housing developments in their wifi implementation. We are holding an open house on the 8th of November to show interested groups around our site and explain the grant process to them. I'm also going to be the chair of the committee that decideds who gets the money, and how much money they should get - we're hoping to have some pretty smart people on the committee though, so I won't be the one who actually has to decide anything. What do I know?

One last thing - we're starting our computer refurbishing program with big goals. At least, I have big goals, but we'll have to see how it goes. We want to supply residents of Castle Square, and the South End, with computers, on a basis of need. Currently we only have some 30 computers that have been donated from Boston Latin Academy, but we're always looking for more so if you know anything, get at me. I'm hoping that Castle Square can actually turn this into a business and become a low cost computer reseller for the neighborhood.

Thats whats been happening. Ok, I gotta run, I have a user who can't access his email waiting for me at his apartment, and 3 other computers that are full to the brim with malware sitting behind me, sadly watching the shiny new lab computers with envy in their eyes.

Check2

Digital Arts Service Corps - mesh

Month Four: BPL Network Deployed (Crash and Burn), Sustainability

Er...its been a while