Building Wireless Community Networks, Second Edition

Audience

This book describes some solutions to the current (but rapidly changing) problem of building an open wireless network for community use. It is not intended to be a design guide for wireless companies and ISPs, though I hope they find the information in it useful (and at least a little bit entertaining).

This book is intended for the technical user who is interested in bringing wireless high-speed network access to wherever it’s needed. This could include extending Internet connectivity to areas where other types of access (such as DSL and cable) aren’t available. It might also include setting up access at a school, where structures were built long before anyone thought about running cables and lines into classrooms. This book should also be useful for people interested in learning about how dozens of groups around the planet are providing wireless access in their own communities. The story of wireless network access is still in its infancy, but is already full of fascinating twists and turns (never mind its potential!). I hope to communicate what I’ve learned of this story to you.