networking the local neighborhood - anyone ever try this?

[tankman1989]

I have a local neighborhood that has a decent size population, in a circle format. I was wondering if it would be possible to setup a wireless network where people could share files, game, etc on the network and even share internet if they do so choose. Basically I envision 4 90 degree amplified antenna's on a pole in the middle of the circle where each house points to the antenna's at the top of the pole. This AP could have it's own internet connection or it could be a stand a lone network for file sharing with everyone in the neighborhood.

I would think that something like this could be done fairly inexpensive and would be very popular in college communities (sharing in dorms is a big hit!). Everyone could get an omni directional antenna and point it to the center and probably get pretty good speeds at 2.4Ghz.

What are your thoughts on this? Would it be something that people might actually use and benefit from?

If it were used as the internet AP, I would think that setting up a real nice caching proxy server would be a great idea so that when the same site or files are downloaded, they are right there on the proxy and don't have to be downloaded using up extra bandwidth.

Any thoughts?

 

[Xander]

You're in a country where the RIAA can ruin your life and you want to share files with your entire neighbourhood? You don't see where this could bite you square on the ass?

 

[tankman1989]

You're in a country where the RIAA can ruin your life and you want to share files with your entire neighbourhood? You don't see where this could bite you square on the ass?

Well I would like to see how they deal with it on a private network. If the files are accessible (playable) then is is also illegal to put my 300 disc DVD player or CD player on the network for people to share? Nope. What's the difference. I have the right to store the media in digital form and I can share it, not for resale or illegal distribution.

Can I play music for 1000 people at my house at once? how about stream it to all the houses in my neighborhood at once. If I can't do it over data streaming, how about an audio channel (amplified and run over speaker lines) and played in all houses at the same time.

I'd like to have a chat with them and lay down what is what. for eveything they say is "illegal" there are reasons that it isn't illegal, as long as I'm not seling music.


Sharing between friends and neighbors isn't breaking the law IMO. Can they all borrow the physical DVD or CD? Can I lend it to them in streaming format if I so choose? I say yes and bring it on.

 

[Martyn]

Interesting points. I had a call from someone recently asking me if I have a music licence for playing music at my workplace. When I told them I work from home alone they ended the call. I don't know how it's governed over there but here used to be the Performing Rights Society. I know you need a licence for broadcasting music at a workplace for workers. Parties at your home I'm presuming you're ok.

Edit reread the op and it was about sharing files.

 

[tankman1989]

Interesting points. I had a call from someone recently asking me if I have a music licence for playing music at my workplace. When I told them I work from home alone they ended the call. I don't know how it's governed over there but here used to be the Performing Rights Society. I know you need a licence for broadcasting music at a workplace for workers. Parties at your home I'm presuming you're ok.

Edit reread the op and it was about sharing files.

I have a heck of a lot more files on my system that I share other than music and movies!

If eveyone paid to join the neighborhood media club where we all shared media would that be illegal? If the group buys a DVD and it is access one at a time across the group, is that illegal? I see churches buy media and share it all the time. Are they all law breakers as well? Do churches have to buy a DVD for each and every person who is going to watch it?

 

[Martyn]

I have a heck of a lot more files on my system that I share other than music and movies!

If eveyone paid to join the neighborhood media club where we all shared media would that be illegal? If the group buys a DVD and it is access one at a time across the group, is that illegal? I see churches buy media and share it all the time. Are they all law breakers as well? Do churches have to buy a DVD for each and every person who is going to watch it?

Hmm interesting, I think in the eyes of the commercial world it is. I think the best way is to write to the governing body in the USA for clarification.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

If the files are accessible (playable) then is is also illegal to put my 300 disc DVD player or CD player on the network for people to share? Nope.

It isnt? That surprises me...well if it really isnt once you annoy RIAA even slightly it will be

 

[mjbasford]

CDs and DVDs are both sold to you with a private viewing license. So letting friends borrow (even just to watch listen) or playing it in a large, non private party setting is technically pirating.

As for the idea, I dont see it being very successful. How large is the neighborhood? unless it is sizeable and lots of people are into the idea, the initial setup price could be high, and if it has internet on it, the price of that will be inverse to the speed (more people paying lower price, more stress on the shared bandwidth)

With $35 dollar 20mbit home cable these days most people can get by with that.

 

[red12049]

I have a local neighborhood that has a decent size population, in a circle format. I was wondering if it would be possible to setup a wireless network where people could share files, game, etc on the network and even share internet if they do so choose. Basically I envision 4 90 degree amplified antenna's on a pole in the middle of the circle where each house points to the antenna's at the top of the pole. This AP could have it's own internet connection or it could be a stand a lone network for file sharing with everyone in the neighborhood.

I would think that something like this could be done fairly inexpensive and would be very popular in college communities (sharing in dorms is a big hit!). Everyone could get an omni directional antenna and point it to the center and probably get pretty good speeds at 2.4Ghz.

What are your thoughts on this? Would it be something that people might actually use and benefit from?

If it were used as the internet AP, I would think that setting up a real nice caching proxy server would be a great idea so that when the same site or files are downloaded, they are right there on the proxy and don't have to be downloaded using up extra bandwidth.

Any thoughts?

Google is setting up a few neighborhoods for free wireless. Nothing about sharing anything other than the wireless, and they are footing the bill for everything.

If you did it your way, who would pay the internet provider for all those subscriptions?

Rick

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

The loss of security....the thought of my home computers being on the same local network as the rest of my neighborhood...UGH!

The expense of it....you know how much bandwidth you'd need to keep a neighborhood happy? You'd need something like a DS3...and that's about 6 grand per month.

And have to manage the bandwidth hogs.....those torrent/p2p abuses that think all of the bandwidth is for them to consume 24x7x365

And have to support a bunch of "home users" with this wireless setup....think of the daily nightmare calls.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Where our office was before..when we started out, we were in a 5 story building and shared the corner offices with this big data center that provided services for businesses. Hosting, mail filtering, bandwidth like RLAN DSL and T-1's and other fractional DS3 lines.....he also provided Motorola Canopy wireless internet to businesses around town. But that was for businesses...we installed and controlled the end units and already managed those networks. Totally different (and easier) than home units. And the businesses were all separated from each other...different subnets and NAT'd 'n stuff.

 

[andcorptech]

I have a heck of a lot more files on my system that I share other than music and movies!

If eveyone paid to join the neighborhood media club where we all shared media would that be illegal? If the group buys a DVD and it is access one at a time across the group, is that illegal? I see churches buy media and share it all the time. Are they all law breakers as well? Do churches have to buy a DVD for each and every person who is going to watch it?

Yes they are breaking the law. Just because they are a church doesnt mean their not beyond doing something illegal.

Good luck with the network

 

[TenYardFight]

Tankman, I enjoy your posts, and you're always cool with everyone... I'll just stop while I'm ahead...

 

[compnet]

Not to threadjack, but the thought of a special license to play music for coworkers and it being illegal to share a dvd with a friend is slightly comical, but overall terrifying that you would freely bow down before the thought police..

 

[Xander]

Might seem comical but I think we can all agree there's a huge difference between loaning an original (only) DVD to a friend and willfully distributing electronic copies of that DVD to anyone within radius of your router.

 

[DocGreen]

The loss of security....the thought of my home computers being on the same local network as the rest of my neighborhood...UGH!

The expense of it....you know how much bandwidth you'd need to keep a neighborhood happy? You'd need something like a DS3...and that's about 6 grand per month.

And have to manage the bandwidth hogs.....those torrent/p2p abuses that think all of the bandwidth is for them to consume 24x7x365

And have to support a bunch of "home users" with this wireless setup....think of the daily nightmare calls.

I'm with Stonecat on this one. Broadcasting wireless internet to home users isn't a new idea and has been done fairly successfully when done right. What you're talking about doing though sounds like a nightmare. Think about it this way...

When you go to a client's house to setup their wireless network, you enable their wireless security, right? They don't want their neighbors sneaking onto their network and accessing their computers, and you don't want to be responsible if it does happen, right? Why do we do this? Because we don't trust our neighbors to access our private networks... we don't trust them to have good intentions... we don't trust them to respect our privacy.


But you're talking about networking an entire neighborhood together with the intent of sharing files and media... I'm assuming you're not going to manage every individual computer's sharing settings, because that would be insane. It'd be a full-time job in and of itself. And so because you're relying on each home user to manage their own sharing, you're inevitably going to have people who don't know better sharing their entire computers. Enter the would-be hackers... "hey look, I can access all of Bob's files! Here's his bank account info! Hey y'all... watch this!"


You get my point, lol

 

[SouthernTech]

CDs and DVDs are both sold to you with a private viewing license. So letting friends borrow (even just to watch listen) or playing it in a large, non private party setting is technically pirating.

As for the idea, I dont see it being very successful. How large is the neighborhood? unless it is sizeable and lots of people are into the idea, the initial setup price could be high, and if it has internet on it, the price of that will be inverse to the speed (more people paying lower price, more stress on the shared bandwidth)

With $35 dollar 20mbit home cable these days most people can get by with that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine

 

[Rob_NNCC]

You run into so many problems with this.

1st. The whole sharing files thing, I can't believe this is being discussed.

2nd. Most ISPs will NOT allow you to resell an internet connection. With my business connection at our office, I could not set up a few workstations as an internet cafe and charge people to use the connection.

3rd. Install costs/hardware costs. Where I live, many people get internet connections from Wifi towers, both 802.11b and Motorola 900 Mhz. This requires a multi thousand dollar pole with radios with Micotek routers on poles/on houses pointed at the tower. This costs $250 for an install, and $40 a month for the service. This does not include trenching a wire or fishing in a wall. They will drill though your wall or floor and not use a box.

4th. Shared speed. On a good day it takes an hour to download 100 MB. If I torrent ANYTHING (legal or not) or do anything that has more than about 10 concurrent connections for the entire house or use anything beyond email and web, they shut off my connection until I call and listen to a lecture about fair use. Everyone hates them because of this. One of these two companies charges in data packs like a cell phone, except that it is more expensive than a cell contract per GB. One is also in bankruptcy.

Do I think this is a good idea?

NO

Do I think this could work for a few good friends in the area? Yes. Do I plan to do something like this for my inlaws that live about .8 miles away from my house? Yes.

 

[4ycr]

Interesting points. I had a call from someone recently asking me if I have a music licence for playing music at my workplace. When I told them I work from home alone they ended the call. I don't know how it's governed over there but here used to be the Performing Rights Society. I know you need a licence for broadcasting music at a workplace for workers. Parties at your home I'm presuming you're ok.

Edit reread the op and it was about sharing files.

I had that call as well, got told I might need their license and one from someone else as well. Like you I told them I worked from home and that was fine.