Community Wireless Mesh Networks

TakNet 1 : A rural community wireless mesh network

A rural community wireless mesh network in Mae-Sot, Tak, Thailand initiated in 2013.

Location: Thai Samaki village, Mae-Sot,Tak, Thailand
Village information: 342 households 1343 (Male 663, Female 680)
Village Area 65 sq. km. Has Limitation of ADSL internet Link.

Motivation

  • It is important to have emergency networks ready when a disaster strikes !!
  • people should know know how to use the emergency networks, preferably through other daily activities

Mobile Routers

  • Very low-cost (~ US$ 60 - 70)
  • Wi-Fi 802.11n 2.4GHz Max150Mbps
  • 16 GB USB flash storage for
  • community applications and video files
  • Low-powered, max 5W < US$ 0.70per month
  • Optional battery, for 4 - 5 hours of operations
  • Flashed with OpenWRT Linux firmware and configured with OLSR
  • Selectable options on community application services
    • voice over IP
    • video on demand
    • social networking in community
    • wireless mesh network

Deployment Strategy

Deployed by volunteers in March 2013. Educational VoD service was introduced to the villagers. A shared Internet Gateway node was added in May 2013. Students and village people have been our enthusiastic users. Currently villagers are planning to share the cost of the shared Internet gateway

Actual Deployment

On March 2013, intERLab team with cooperation of Thai Network Information Center Foundation have organised the 3rd THNG Camp "Internet Technology for Society".The First 13 mobile routers with (E-VoD) system have been deployed by the volunteers of THNG Camp at the village.

In the following month, on May 2013, Cellular internet gateway (3G) have been deployed on one of CWMN mobile router for remote monitoring purpose and villagers started to use shared internet over CWMN.

Since 2014, the villagers started to share their own ADSL internet (10Mbps/1Mbps) over CWMN which cost about 630 baht/month. They are able to shared internet cost with 9 household so each house pay about 80 baht per month. Network Coverage Area 15,600 sq.m. 20 households Number of Member: 9





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