Q: How far along is the Alameda Wireless network?
A: We have several operational nodes, spanning all of south shore from several nodes. By signing on you can be relayed to a shared internet connection.

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Q: What is a node?
A: A node is a single location that has line of site to other nodes and passes wireless traffic from either directions bridging the locations. Clients that are in radio range of this node can all join the entire Alameda Wireless network.

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Q: How far will the signals reach?
A: With a properly mounted roof antenna you can get almost anywhere that the antenna can see, however trees and other objects tend to block the signal. With a directional antenna (like those Satellite Dishes you see on people's houses) you can go quite far, say to the top of the Oakland Hills or to San Francisco.

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Q: How much will this cost?
A: To be a client you just need a wireless card and a neighbor who has set up a node, cards are very cheap these days, perhaps $10-$30. But to become a routing node yourself, which is necessary for Alameda Wireless to grow, it is possible to spend even more than $300, but with a little shopping one can reduce that price. Check out the Equipment page.

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Q: Why are we doing this?
A: Each person in the group probably has a different answer, some want to have Wi-Fi everywhere on the island, for many it's the interest in creating something unique that others can marvel at, others will do it because it's fun, builds community, and lets them meet other geeks in Alameda. ;)

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Q: How fast will this be?
A: It really is a good question and that is hard to answer. For friends who live on the island who want to sharing files off their computers with each other it will be very fast when compared to internet service providers where the data must be sent to the ISP and then back. All ISPs these days cap the amount of data users can send. Alameda Wireless is in a mesh design just like the streets with some going along the island while other streets go across the island. Network traffic will move from node to node taking the quickest path from user to user and not competing with traffic going different directions on the island.

But will it be fast going to the World Wide Web? Potentially there will be slowdowns for some users whose traffic goes thru a slow node and all the traffic for the internet may cause bottlenecks on the nodes connected to the outside world. As slow downs are found new nodes will have to be created to allow net traffic to flow.

In a voluntary net it might be some time until a new member builds a node at the correct location to get traffic to specific areas of the net. This problem is especially obvious now as the net doesn't have the ability to cross the island and provide traffic to all corners, until more nodes are added if you are in these areas your wireless traffic doesn't move at all.

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Q: How do I find out if my house is in range or if I will need a special antenna?
A: The best way is to send an email to the AlamedaWireless email list.

The list is quite active, and Alameda Wireless members are very interested in helping one another. A current member will quickly respond to your questions.

You can also view the locations of operating and proposed node locations for Alameda Wireless by checking out our current nodemap.

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Q: Who can help me with this?
A: AlamedaWireless is a volunteer organization in our community. It is a "self-help" organization. Essentially, each node owner is responsible for the installation, operation and maintenance of his or her own node equipment. But our members recognize that this is actually a "team" effort. By helping one member, we are actually helping everyone. We all recognize it is to our mutual benefit to help and encourage new members to learn how they can join the network and participate. As the network grows larger it also grows stronger and more robust. Alameda Wireless already has an impressive amount of technical talent and continues to add resources as it adds new members. As long as you are willing to take responsibility for your node, you will find all the help you will need by querrying our email email list.

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Q: Do I need to take any additional security precautions when using wireless access to the Internet?
A: Wireless data signals can be received by any receiver within transmission range. You may have no control over who receives your signals. The general media of wireless transmissions should be assumed as unsecure. However, with proper precautions, wireless networks can safely be used to transmit sensitive data securely. The most effective approach to wireless data tranmission security is to employ "encryption at the application layer". Without going into great detail, this means employing techniques like https and tunneling protocols such a VPN that set up tunnels and encrypt data at the application level at the start of the application and that break down the tunnel at the close of the application. This level of security and encryption is generally recognized as essentially impossible to crack within the short time period the application link is in place.

With regard to securing your home LAN network from the Alameda Wireless network, one should always treat the open Alameda Wireless network as unsecure. You should always place a "firewall" between the Alameda Wireless network and your personal LAN network. The configuration you use with an Alameda Wireless connection would be identical to the protective firewall you would set up for any broadband cable or DSL connection. You would position your node equipment for Alameda Wireless in the same respective position relative to your personal LAN network as you would your cable or DSL connection - both of which should likewise be considered open and unsecure networks, just like Alameda Wireless.

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Q: Will there be someone to call for assistance when I lose network access?
A: Alameda Wireless is an organization of volunteers. Alameda Wireless is not a for-profit company with a paid Help Desk. Most members are willing to help other members because of the Golden Rule (do unto others as you would have other do unto you). But a degree of self-reliance is asked and expected. We recognize and welcome varying levels of expertise from novice to expert. For anyone willing to help himself or herself, you will find an abundance of help if you need it. For those who need someone else to be completely responsible for the solution to a problem, Alameda Wireless is not the right choice for you.

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Q: Will there be a charge for the service beyond the added hardware costs?
A: There will be no charges for transport services - "the pipe" that transports data traffic to and from your node through the city-wide data network. That transport comes from all of us "sharing" use of our individually owned equipment to transport the data packets of all others in the Alameda Wireless network.

If individual members wish to selectively group together into separate "associations" (separate from Alameda Wireless), and those "associations" elect (on their own) to purchase additional services, bandwidth, or other features from commercial entities, and if those "associations" need to recover such costs from their "association members", then "associations" may choose to add charges for their services. BUT, membership in any such associations are ENTIRELY voluntary. No member of Alameda Wireless will be "required" to join any additional association, and there will be no cost for basic transport services. There will be some Internet access and services that will be "donated" to Alameda Wireless. Donated Internet access and donated services will be "free" to all Alameda Wireless members.

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