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University Taps Sewers for Internet Access

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the thats-where-we-breed-the-super-crocs dept.

Stony Stevenson writes "A web connection via the toilet bowl may sound like Google's most recent April Fool, but the University of Aberdeen plans to welcome students back with a high bandwidth internet network connected via the sewers. The university tapped H2O Networks to provide a high capacity link for the next 10 years, enabling students to access the internet from their halls of residence. H2O Networks is a deploying dark fibre in the UK's waste water network to enable connectivity to those who have limited access. The network is known as 'fibre via the sewer'."

26 of 204 comments (clear)

  1. At last! by ExE122 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Proof that the internet really is just a bunch of shit being pushed through series of tubes...



    --
    Captialism: When it uses the carrot, it's called democracy. When it uses the stick, it's called facism.

    --
    Capitalism: When it uses the carrot, it's called democracy. When it uses the stick, it's called fascism.
    1. Re:At last! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well, fiber does help get your shit through your tubes, so I think it's a great idea!

    2. Re:At last! by sniggly · · Score: 5, Funny

      And it provides a new excuse to helpdesk employees 'Sir, your connection has been severed by alligators'

      --
      Of those to whom much is given, much is required.
  2. Gives new meaning... by oxidiser · · Score: 5, Funny

    to the term "shitty connection". **rimshot**

    1. Re:Gives new meaning... by CrazyBusError · · Score: 5, Funny

      A rim-shot, of course, is an entirely different matter and significantly harder to clean up.

      --
      -Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience-
    2. Re:Gives new meaning... by MrNemesis · · Score: 4, Funny

      Commodem?

      Particularly if your router is going to have be installed next to the toilet...

      --
      Moderation Total: -1 Troll, +3 Goat
  3. PUTP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The network is known as 'fibre via the sewer'."

    How unimaginative. I propose the alternate "PUTP" (Pipe up the Pooper).

  4. Oh, great by jollyreaper · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh, great, my flatmate is in the bog flushing his DNS. Anyone got a match?

    --
    Kwisatz Haderach
    Sell the spice to CHOAM
    This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
  5. Dark Fiber? by fataugie · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm pretty sure I deployed some "Dark Fiber" this morning when I got my coffee and cigarette.

    Say hi to Mr. Hanky when you see him.

    --

    WTF? Over?

  6. They run fiber through a lot of weird places by NickCatal · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Chicago has an underground network of freight tunnels (below the loop and even the subways) that have been turned basically into a bunch of paths for conduits... There are some pics of people going into the tunnels here and you can see the conduits above them as they walk around.

    --
    -nick
    1. Re:They run fiber through a lot of weird places by elgatozorbas · · Score: 4, Informative

      Indeed, this is nothing new. Special junction boxes for installation in a sewer manhole have been around for years.

    2. Re:They run fiber through a lot of weird places by hirvonen · · Score: 5, Funny

      Is it just me, or does that product name (FIST SCO2) sound, you know, a bit weird?

  7. Alright! by djasbestos · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now the ninja turtles can fight cybercrime from home!

  8. I wonder... by philmack · · Score: 5, Funny

    With all that fiber, I wonder if they try to keep logs

  9. Dark fibre ? by Kohath · · Score: 4, Funny

    You'd think they might deploy fiber-optic cables and actually use them instead of letting them remain dark. I hear you get better throughput and higher bandwidth that way.

  10. Re:I can't wait to see this by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 5, Funny

    On Mike Rowe's "Dirty Jobs"... Kinda brings a whole new meaning to the name 'Mike Rowe Soft'!

    (sorry, had to do it, couldn't be helped.)

    --
    My blog
  11. Quit hogging the toilet! by Ilan+Volow · · Score: 5, Funny

    I have to PPP.

    --
    Ergonomica Auctorita Illico!
  12. Laugh if you will by Billosaur · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The point is, sewer pipes are really big and they connect literally every building in any community where there is a city sewer system. If I'm going to run fiber and I don't want to spend a whole lot of time digging up the ground to bury lines and more importantly make them easily accessible for maintenance/upgrade, then the sewer (despite its obvious drawbacks) makes a pretty good place to put them. The problem I can see with this, that unless they plane to lock down all the sewer caps and manhole covers, it would be pretty easy to hack into the lines at some point; perhaps I'm mistaken.

    --
    GetOuttaMySpace - The Anti-Social Network
    1. Re:Laugh if you will by grumling · · Score: 4, Informative

      Many places already do weld the manhole covers down, to prevent theft and damage:

      http://www.telegram.com/article/20070809/002-FRONT PAGE/708090875&LID=002

      --
      "Well, good luck finding a judge that doesn't run a bestiality site."
  13. Anal Log Hole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    But now how are they ever going to close the anal log hole?

  14. Interesting technology by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm amazed that they sussed this out. I mean, everybody knows how to send the numbers 1 and 2 through the sewer pipes. But... how do you send a 0?!

    --

    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  15. private infrastructure by grumling · · Score: 4, Interesting

    That's a nice, easy way to wire a campus wide network. The tech has been here for a while, the toughest part was designing a cleanout cover that wouldn't leak and allow for access without taking the network down to use it. They use industrial strength R/C cars to run pullstrings through the pipes.

    However, the problem they can't solve is that in the US, the town water authority would be in direct competition with a private company, a big no-no. The existing players would raise hell if it were tried in a community on more than a point to point basis (and even that would get a lot of attention). I would imagine similar outrage in the UK. However, since it is a campus network they can basically do whatever they want.

    --
    "Well, good luck finding a judge that doesn't run a bestiality site."
  16. This is great for security... by msauve · · Score: 4, Funny

    I mean, it removes a lot of the incentive to sniff the network, doesn't it?

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  17. Re:just like my crap DSL from Qwest by AaxelB · · Score: 5, Funny

    can you trust a company that can't spell "quest?"

    About as much as you can trust a company that can't spell "googol."
  18. Re:Somewhere Beavis is yelling... by GreatRedShark · · Score: 4, Funny

    More like:
    "I need TCP for my Bunghole!"

  19. More shit... by BUL2294 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Real crap, meet virtual crap...

    --
    Windows 3.1x calc: 3.11 - 3.10 = 0.00