Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

MIT Roofnet

Posted by michael on from the can't-use-the-fireplace dept.

prostoalex writes "MIT Technology Review runs a story about MIT Computer science students building their own mesh network for Internet access: 'A few weeks ago, MIT graduate student Shan Sinha canceled his broadband Internet service. Now his Net connection comes through the chimney. From a computer in the living room of his Cambridge, MA, apartment, a few blocks from the MIT campus, a cable goes into the fireplace up to the roof, where it is attached to an antenna. From there, data packets hop to another roof-mounted antenna at a nearby student's apartment. That way, from roof to roof in multiple hops, Sinha's data packets finally reach a gateway--a computer connected to the fixed Internet--at MIT's computer science building.'"

6 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. Sounds cool by Timesprout · · Score: 5, Funny

    But I am concerned as to the Santa friendliness of this chimney internet access. Will I still be able to get my presents if I access the internet this way.

    --
    Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
    What truth?
    There is no dupe
  2. So now you can DOS this network ... by tessaiga · · Score: 5, Funny

    just by tossing a handful of bread crumbs at the MIT gateway's roof antenna?

    --
    The bold print giveth, and the fine print taketh away ...
    1. Re:So now you can DOS this network ... by Exiler · · Score: 5, Funny

      Or Rasberry jam.

      --
      Banaaaana!
  3. Nobody wrote a story about me... by MikeCapone · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...and yet I get internet access through an antenna directed at a local school, which in turn hops back to my father's office.

    I guess I'm just not cool enough...

    --
    Treehugger? Treehugger... Treehugger!
  4. Fire in the hole... by EdMack · · Score: 5, Funny

    So waht happens when the parents light a nice warm fire? Hehe, it's fiewire then.

    --
    puts ("Python r0cks\n");
  5. Weather forecast: Thunderstorms by Breeze99 · · Score: 5, Funny

    The weather forecast for the area [ http://ma.weather-forecast.ws/cambridge ] predicts thunderstorms. I guess wireing the chimneys will make this project serve as a physics lesson as well as a Internet connection.
    Zap!