Meraki free mesh WiFi network spreading across San Francisco

Evan sez, "Meraki makes it brain dead simple to share wi-fi and pushes it out to massive scale at super low costs. The result is free wi-fi across areas much bigger than previously feasible by individuals, and at much lower cost and subject to much lower red tape than previous municipal wi-fi projects."

Free the Net is a community-built network. Meraki provides the technology, but we rely on people to help build and grow. There are a number of ways you can help:

* If you can see the Free the Net signal, sign up for a free repeater to boost your signal.
* Volunteer to host an outdoor repeater on your roof or balcony. The outdoor units help spread the signal throughout your neighborhood and are critical to the growth of the network.
* Spread the word! Tell your friends and neighbors to sign up at http://sf.meraki.com.
* Check out the network map and keep yourself up-to-date on our progress.

Link to project, Link to map

[#1 posted by wynneth , January 10, 2008 11:59 PM]

Woohoo first comment! LOL
It's amusing to me that it seems internet is quickly becoming a basic human right. That being said, I'm all for it! Everything should be open source, especially $^#$#@$^&$ wireless cards... (HELP!!! Damn Small Linux + Broadcom 4311)

[#2 posted by Automatt , January 11, 2008 12:12 AM]

This map is misleading ... the hotspots are much, much smaller than represented here.

[#3 posted by Rubin110 , January 11, 2008 12:13 AM]

I'm happy to be helping in this effort and that one of those green dots is me.

http://rubin110.livejournal.com/493561.html

[#4 posted by l0k1 , January 11, 2008 2:37 AM]

life imitates art?

i doubt it will be possible for me to set up a node anytime too soon, but my node is already open... it'd be sweet to spread the word in my neighbourhood though. i am pimping ubuntu along with my quality technical support service :)

[#5 posted by Drew from Zhrodague , January 11, 2008 6:56 AM]

...and in far-off Pittsburgh, a similar thing is happening, though it is being setup by ONE MAN. Shadysidewifi

[#6 posted by Jeff , January 11, 2008 9:57 AM]

This is something that could happen in Dublin and the EU can't say a thing, right?

[#7 posted by Xenu , January 11, 2008 10:31 AM]

Great! Now I can download all the music I want, and my neighbor will get in trouble instead of me!

[#8 posted by Cpt. Tim , January 11, 2008 11:35 AM]

damn. nothing near my work yet.

[#9 posted by fixedgearfanatic , January 11, 2008 12:02 PM]

I had a Meraki repeater on in my living room for 3 days, and it made my girlfriend act crazy, and my teeth hurt.

You know that ultra-high-pitched CRT-sound that you can just barely hear? These repeaters make a sound maybe an octave above that. I don't know how else to describe it, but being in the room with a repeater is like having my teeth drilled by mosquitos. The second I unplugged the repeater, it was like the room went silent for the first time in days, my girl stopped acting crazy, and my teeth stopped vibrating in their sockets.

Has anyone else had this experience with a Meraki repeater? Or wi-fi in general? It can't just be me...

[#10 posted by scottatdrake , January 11, 2008 12:18 PM]

So is Meraki footing the bill for the bandwidth and repeaters as a promotional thing? That can't be cheap.

[#11 posted by John G X , January 11, 2008 1:16 PM]

As I pointed out to some friends a few days ago, most of these hotspots are in SF neighborhoods (e.g., Noe Valley, Hayes Valley, Union Square, etc.) where people generally have enough disposable income to afford top-quality internet service already. What's really needed is more free wi-fi service in poor neighborhoods (like the Tenderloin or Hunters Point) where paying for broadband internet is prohibitively expensive.

[#12 posted by Wingo , January 11, 2008 1:45 PM]

Does anyone know of anything going on like this in LA?

[#13 posted by DWittSF , January 11, 2008 1:52 PM]

rtfl, John G X, the project started in the Mission. All that's needed for coverage in the Tenderloin and Hunters Point is for people to host the mesh repeaters, so it's a great opportunity for you to get out and do some 'neighborhood outreach' if you feel so strongly about it.

[#14 posted by ecurtz , January 11, 2008 5:43 PM]

There has been a furor in the last few months on the meraki forums about unannounced changes to their pricing structure and unwanted changes to the service (sticking in ads.) That said, I'm not certain the extent of overlap between meraki the vendor and the specifics of the San Francisco free the web project.

[#15 posted by mannakiosk , January 12, 2008 4:42 AM]

Will the free (in both senses of the word) information and information infrastructure lead to a more distributed form of democracy? Are we moving towards the "super-democratic-being-nice-to-each-others" utopia? (I just made that description of a society up, others might call it "anarcho-syndicalism" or whatever)

[#16 posted by anwaya , March 24, 2008 10:02 AM]

@14, followup: The furore over Meraki's repricing and other tactics - which include forcing firmware updates on users which prevent users with existing licenses from hacking the hardware in ways which are allowed under their licenses - has surfaced on Slashdot.