Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

2003 Seattle Wireless Field Day

Posted by michael on from the fun-in-the-rain dept.

propellerhead writes "Today is 2003 Wireless Field Day for Seattle Wireless. 'Similar to amateur radio field day, a mock emergency network will be created this summer using off-the-shelf 802.11b hardware, computers, and battery/gas power supplies. Network applications such as VoIP (Voice over IP or Internet Telephony), streaming audio and video, file sharing, chat, network games, and others will be implemented across a multi-hop wireless infrastructure. If resources allow, the goal is to connect this mobile network to the existing Seattle Wireless network, which currently exists in the Seattle area. This network can also provide access to the internet and our community network partners like Seattle Pacific University and Council House Projects.'"

5 of 71 comments (clear)

  1. Emergency network, eh? by wackoman2112 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Network applications such as VoIP (Voice over IP or Internet Telephony), streaming audio and video, file sharing, chat, network games, and others will be implemented...

    Like people are really going to need to chat, share files, and watch streaming video during an emergency.

    --
    /usr/bin/complain > /dev/null
    1. Re:Emergency network, eh? by Glonoinha · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You miss the point, or more likely you are getting me thinking about a more important point.

      Yea, kudos for being able to create an information network that can handle running without a power source (by providing your own power gen hardware.) As we saw when NY NY was under attack two years ago the problem isn't lack of electricity. The real problem is that during an emergency everybody tries to use the network at once (ie, phone system, cell phone network, etc...) and just overloads it. In the event of a real emergency it needs to handle a slashdotting of users trying to get through at once, and the system as described (an 802.11b network running hardware a bunch of hackers bought at Frys) isn't gonna cut it.

      Neat experiment, though.

      --
      Glonoinha the MebiByte Slayer
  2. Because we all know... by Fnkmaster · · Score: 4, Insightful

    That those 802.11b wireless access points will work really well when the power grid dies. Heh. The reason amateur radio is useful in these scenarios is that it only takes one guy with a generator to communicate with people far away, who can relay information to authorities and media agencies. Anyway, I guess I'm just missing the point, but it is somewhat comforting to know that the sky may be falling, but I'll still be able to bounce some HTTP requests for autopr0n.com through the emergency 802.11b network and get a last wank in before the world comes tumbling down.

  3. power outage? by SHEENmaster · · Score: 1, Insightful

    When the power goes out so long that my server and cable modem go down, I have nothing left to do but play UT.

    "Power out... disaster... locusts...
    That's an SEP. (Someone Elses Problem.)

    --
    You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
  4. Don't compare this to Amateur Radio Field Day by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Look, this is cool, and I appreciate the parallels of using cool antennas to shoot Part 15 device signals miles and miles, but really, this isn't anything like Amateur Radio Field Day.

    Let's say you are in a massive earthquake. You need help, or you're going to call for help for someone else. Phones are dead, your cell phone network is jammed, and your ISP was hit big time too. You're screwed!

    That's the one flaw here. All these guys could set up an intranet in the event of an emergency, but if the various ISPs are down for the count (as they likely would be), the only coordination would be between users of this phantom wireless network.

    Ham radio users, on the other hand, don't need any ISP to coordinate. Sure we have central repeaters, and those might get knocked off the air, but our rigs are allowed to broadcast up to 1500 watts! Furthermore, most counties where I live have emergency radio councils where Hams can take classes and become certified disaster communication specialists. They learn to pass traffic, they are known to local fire departments and police departments etc. Even on my 2 meter handie-talkie, I've got 5 watts and can cover my entire valley. General and extra class licensees could easily get on HF and talk to the world and coordinate with the feds.

    In an emergency, I'm not going to log on to my computer and hook up a Yagi connected to a linksys router. I'm going to say, "Mayday, Mayday" on my 2 meter HT on a pre-designated frequency I've received training on.

    Like I said, this is very cool, but it's of limited usefulness in a real emergency.