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WIFI Tower


pr0l3

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Let me explain...

I originally heard about the FREE WIFI towers during the Occupy movement. There was a guy from the Free Network Foundation broadcasting a signal that people could connect to that was pumping free internet connectivity via a 3G modem.

Then, I heard about the piratebox. The idea around a WIFI access point that people can connect to OFFLINE to chat, host and share files and more, all under the internet - not actually online and therefore not being constantly monitored by the big companies and governmental entities.

So, I've got an idea, and I'm looking for input.

I've got a network rig being built. Top down, a high gain 2.4ghz omni antenna, on a mast held in place by a mobile tripod. The antenna is plugged into a Mikrotik router running RouterOS. ALL outgoing traffic on port 80 is routed to a webserver. The webserver at a base station can be a rig as big as you want, for mobile uses a nettop could be used.

Now, on this webserver, in my lab, I'm currently running turnkeylinux for Wordpress. Why Wordpress? Because I know it - that's the only reason. Inside Wordpress I've only done a few things, but as most of you know the plugin repo is massive - for instance, I'm running bbpress as a forum within the site.

Eventually, I could see multiple uses - a file repo for anonymized users, a streaming "free radio", a chat/messaging/emailserver and more. The whole point is to keep it off the web. Massive capabilities here for community networks or activist infrastructure supports.

Was thinking of running OwnCloud for file storage, or maybe some FTP front end for wordpress.

I think WP will work very well for communication... file hosting and streaming I havn't attempted anything past buddypress with group documents.

So, what are some of the best way to accomplish these things?

Anyone here with experience in Mesh Networking?

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  • 1 year later...

<sigh> Where's Metatron when you really need him...

He was way into this stuff. Mesh networks and the like.

Check out an app called Firechat for communicating without having a network around (hint: you *are* the network).

The problem I see with your idea is Single Point Of Failure. You don't trust the government, fair enough, but one stray bullet and everything's gone. If they want to put a stop to this they can without breaking a sweat. If they want to listen in, that wouldn't be too hard either so you need to secure the services provided by the network. I don't know how secure wordpress really is but since everything's a plugin chances are only the really core bits have seen a decent audit.

There's no real single solution to the questions you pose. Certain parts require stuff like Tor, others would be very well served with simple ftp and IRC for instance. Start with figuring out what you want to accomplish specifically. What is allowed to happen, what isn't and what to do when that happens anyway. Don't assume everything has to be fool-proof. Be pragmatic about it, but know your weaknesses before they do.

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  • 4 weeks later...

look into Mesh WiFi
https://seattlemesh.net/

uses CJDNS for secure, decentralized mesh networking

CJDNS is a networking suite for meshnets that allows us to connect together securely by encrypting every connection from end to end, while at the same time being completely decentralized . CJDNS operates at layer 2 locally, and it can peer with other distant meshnets via a UDP interface on layer 3.

https://github.com/cjdelisle/cjdns

then look into Pro WiFI gear
31+ mile wifi links (if you get it higher on a hill it will go beyond +100 miles - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_horizon however with mesh networks in close proximity with each other ie every building on a street or in every car hills are not a problem)

Ubiquiti RD-5G30 AirMax RocketDish Outdoor 5GHz 30dBi Duplex Dish Antenna
http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/products/17003-ubiquiti-rd-5g30/

and building to building links

even 120° Secter Antena
MaxLink Sector Antenna MIMO 19-21dBi 5GHz 60-120 degrees
http://linitx.com/product/maxlink-sector-antenna-mimo-1921dbi-5ghz-60120-degrees/13710

3x of them give you 360° covarge
and with 3x sectors you can support 450 Simutanus wifi users (150 per sector with a pro wifi card)

Pro routers + Pro Wifi Cards

MikroTik RouterBoard 493AH

http://linitx.com/product/mikrotik-routerboard-493ah-with-routeros-level-5/12258

3x

MikroTik R52Hn 802.11 a/b/g/n High Power MiniPCI Card
http://linitx.com/product/mikrotik-r52hn-80211-abgn-high-power-minipci-card/12801

you could get 2 Watt (2000 mW) WiFi bootsers

WiFi Mesh would be much better
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_mesh_network
Self Repair

Self Seraching

Redundancy & Security grows the bigger it gets
Small Running costs

Edited by hi_tech_guy_18
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