Editing HInternet

=Overview=

The amateur radio service has a good chunk of the IPv4 Internet address space (44.0.0.0/8), and it's not being used to its fullest potential.  Meanwhile, the rest of the Internet is crowding into the remaining address space and will no longer have any left in the near future.

The address space isn't being used because of a chicken-and-egg problem: the necessary digital repeaters aren't available for users, and there are no users to justify building the repeater network.  

Simultaneously, the United States is debating a bill to create an Internet kill switch, also known as the [http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s3480/show PCNAA bill].  Echolink, IRLP, APRS gateways, and many other services assume the Internet's original distributed design won't allow a single entity to take out the entire network.  If the PCNAA passes, this will no longer be true.  For true redundancy, a [http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/42/usc_sec_42_00005195---c000-.html non-critical network] can and should be built by the amateur service to avoid this single point of failure.

The cost of the equipment has finally come down to the point where even a modestly funded amateur radio club can afford to set up a small regional network by themselves.  Through advocacy and standards development, Noisebridge is building a packet radio network modelled on the original vision of the Hinternet.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

[[HInternet/FAQ]]

=Network Architecture=

The radios will be 802.11-based [[HInternet/HSMM|HSMM]] gear.  See [http://www.qsl.net/kb9mwr/projects/wireless/modify.html Steve, KB9MWR's page] on how to tell your firmware to use [[HInternet/HSMM|HSMM]] compatible channels.

The architecture will be an 802.11s (open80211s implementation) mesh in the backbone, with fixed towers forming the core of the network.  Each tower will service a subnet, and each subnet will itself be an 802.11s mesh.  Each subnet mesh will be independent of the backbone mesh and all other subnet meshes.  Towers will route packets between subnets and filter traffic to ensure compliance with FCC part 97 regulations.

There are four major bands suitable for use by hams transmitting spread spectrum: 420-430 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 3.4 GHz, and 5.8 GHz.  Within a region, one band will be used for tower-to-tower connections, and the other bands will be available for use by non-tower radios.

The initial goal of the first wave of HInternet backbone deployment is to transmit a "golden packet" between New York and San Francisco.  Further backbone deployments will concentrate on expanding the network towards the north and the south to cover the rest of the continent.

== Technical Recommendations ==

Noisebridge HInternet Project Technical Recommendations describe standards for connecting to the network.

* [[HInternet/TR1]]: HSMM HInternet Layer 1 Recommendations
* [[HInternet/TR2]]: HSMM HInternet Layer 2/2.5 Recommendations
* [[HINternet/TR3]]: HSMM HInternet Layer 3 Recommendations

* [[HInternet/ApplicationLayer]]: Application-layer communications and protocols

= Current Status =

Coordination is taking place on the Noisebridge [https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/cq CQ list].  If you or your ham club has access to a tower and a little cash, sign up for the CQ list and speak up so the folks in the next city over can connect to you.

Chris Verges, the address maintainer for 44.4/16, has given the go-ahead for allocation of up to a /22 for experimental use of the [[HInternet/HSMM|HSMM]] gear.  The SFBA 44.4/16 allocation is currently two /17s: one is for 1200bps and the other is for 9600bps.  Hams are needed to volunteer to maintain radios for the initial allocations in the /22 before it will go through.

During September, Noisebridge members will be touring the SFBA ham clubs and giving presentations at their monthly meetings to gather the necessary volunteers.

[http://paara.org/ PAARA]: Friday, September 3

[http://www.sbara.org/ SBARA]: Friday, September 10th

[http://www.eastbayarc.org/ EBARC]: Friday, September 10th

[http://ww6or.com/ ORCA]: Saturday, September 11th

[http://www.qsl.net/nb6gc/index.html HARC]: Saturday, September 11th 
Thanks to Ken Fowler, KO6NO for helping install a Ubiquiti Nanostation 5 in Alameda for testing.

[http://www.wd6ezc.org/ CCCC]: Sunday, September 12th

[http://www.mdarc.org/ MDARC]: Friday, September 17th
Thanks to Tim Barrett, K6BIV, for volunteering to host a radio on Mt. Diablo's North Peak, Dale McIntyre, AD6HD, for helping with presentation logistics, and Trevor Hall, WA6JAU, for coordinating with MDARC's technical committee on installing a radio on Mt. Diablo's main peak.

[http://www.sfarc.org/ SFARC]: Friday, September 17th

HRC: Friday, September 17th

[http://www.coastsidearc.org/ CARC]: Wednesday, October 13th

[http://www.pacificon.org/ Pacificon]: October 15th - 17th

[http://www.arcaham.org/ ARCA]: Friday, October 22nd

= Meetings =
The next meeting for the Noisebridge HInternet group will be Saturday, October 2nd.  The meeting will be 3 PM at Noisebridge.  

[[HInternet/Meetings]]

= Regulations =
See [[HInternet/Regulations]].

= Reference Material =

*[http://www.tapr.org/ve3jf.dcc97.html Microwave Propagation Basics]
*[http://www.am1.us/Papers/E10589%20Propagation%20Losses%202%20and%205GHz.pdf Propagation Losses Through Common Building Materials 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz]
*[http://wndw.net/download.html Wireless Networking in the Developing World]

== Existing Networks ==

* [http://comopview.org/scewn/ SVWUX] (south bay)
* [http://alamedawireless.org/nodemap/ Alameda Wireless]
* Meraki ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meraki#Community_projects defunct])
* [http://auth.nycwireless.net/hotspots_map.php NYCWireless]
* [http://510pen.org/en/map 510pen]
* [http://hsmm-mesh.org/ HSMM-MESH] in Texas