Affordable, Homebrewed Optical Networking?

Graham Wheeler asks: "Lately I've been obscessed with grassroots community network projects, and the hardware that enables them. Most sites I have seen focus on wireless RF networking, but I have noticed a few projects revolving around free space optical transcievers. Twibright Labs' RONJA is a good example of what I'm talking about. Not being an electronics hobbyist, however, makes the various plans for building a comm laser from scratch look rather daunting. It seems to me that it would be easier to just make a lens and housing system into which would go one of the many cheaply available copper-to-fiber media converters. Then you could simply modify it so that the laser ports were optically connected to the TX and RX lens assemblies instead of the standard fiber interface. So, what factor(s) am I overlooking that would explain why nobody seems to be doing this?"

Comments

First post?

[SpatchMonkey]

Sorry can't resist

The doctor is in.

[Eliza Troll]

Lately I've been obscessed with grassroots community network projects, and the hardware that enables them.

Can you elaborate on that?

Most sites I have seen focus on wireless RF networking, but I have noticed a few projects revolving around free space optical transcievers.

Does it bother you that you have noticed a few projects revolving around free space optical transcievers?

Twibright Labs' RONJA is a good example of what I'm talking about.

Earlier you said do I say that?

Not being an electronics hobbyist, however, makes the various plans for building a comm laser from scratch look rather daunting.

When did you first know that makes the various plans for building a comm laser from scratch look rather daunting?

It seems to me that it would be easier to just make a lens and housing system into which would go one of the many cheaply available copper-to-fiber media converters.

Is the fact that it would be easier to just make a lens and housing system into which would go one of the many cheaply available copper to fiber media converters the real reason?

Then you could simply modify it so that the laser ports were optically connected to the TX and RX lens assemblies instead of the standard fiber interface.

Does the fact that the laser ports were optically connected to the tx and rx lens assemblies instead of the standard fiber interface explain anything else?

So, what factor(s) am I overlooking that would explain why nobody seems to be doing this?

Are you sure nobody seems to be doing this?

Thanks!

I would appreciate it if you would continue.

Textbook Error!

[Textbook Error]

"obscessed" is spelt "obsessed"
"transcievers" is spelt "transceivers"