Okay, let's say I pick up an old Apple Airport Extreme (wireless router capable of handling 50 connections) and attach it to an unused computer, remove any log-on permissions and call it "Pine Hills Emergency Information". Wipe the memory of the computer except for what's needed to run it along with several files labeled "emergency phone numbers", "water purification", "food safety", "latest news", etc... Fire it up when the next hurricane comes and run the whole thing off solar panels. Have I made something useful?

I'm thinking of using this as a way to quickly disseminate information through the neighborhood during a period when phone and internet connections aren't functioning, like when hurricane Ike hit us. It would not serve as a connection to the outside world.

When Ike hit we set up a walkie-talkie network throughout the neighborhood, making sure every household had a radio. This gave people a way to call for help in an emergency, but I'm looking to set something up that allows more information to be transferred to each household. I'm the main writer for the neighborhood newsletter so it would be easy for me to get the word out about this emergency network well before any emergency. Heck even afterwards I could send neighboring teenagers out to post signs about the network.

Ideally some sort of bbs would be set up so people could post and receive responses. Enough people in my neighborhood have emergency power sources so that even if a particular family didn't they would know someone within a few houses who did and could pass/receive information through them.

-Blast



-Blast

Yes,I have been thinking along the same lines.

Only useful if you connect it in a way that makes it replicate.

WiFi Mesh networks are what you're thinking of here, and I've been thinking a LOT about this watching what happened in Egypt with the internet kill switch and reading in the news that the current majority party in the house is introducing a bill to try to get the same kill switch setup here in the USofA.

An ad-hoc wireless network running on cheap/older hardware, with "store and forward" routing sounds a lot like the old BBS platforms I used to frequent, in particular Fidonet is very close to this idea.

The main thing is Replication - like lotus notes used to do. That way you can get data, and replicate it in case your own connectivity is limited or cut off.

Bittorrent is also a very, very nice protocol for replication of data sets.

An easier and more secure system would be to use a dedicated Wireless AP/Router/NAS i.e. a one box solution such as the AirStation™ Nfiniti™ Wireless-N High Power Router & Access Point WZR-HP-G300NH, which would cost around $80.

http://www.buffalotech.com/products/wire...-wzr-hp-g300nh/

All your content can then be stored on an SDHC (8,16 or 32GB) card using a USB SDHC adapter. Power requirements would be much much lower than a PC/Apple Airport extreme combination as the off grid power supply costs will be much higher (Battery/charge controller/Inverter/Solar PV etc)

All the content including streaming video can then be accessed by your neighbours to keep them entertained. (assuming they are within a suitable range of the AP)

Yes if your neighbors have power to their computers and the notion to see what networks are available during an emergency. Not sure what the likelihood of that is.

this is making the rounds on other sites.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/218155/get_internet_access_when_your_government_shuts_it_down.html

Okay, I'm pretty much network illiterate. Replicate?

I'm probably wrong but I think the later versions of that Apple base station can automatically hook up with other Apple base stations to expand coverage. With several of those placed around the neighborhood we could cover just about everyone. I picture people accessing the network, seeing the files and downloading them as needed. Uploading info would be a bit trickier as I don't want it to become the neighborhood porn repository.

As for getting the word out, I'm one of the neighborhood captains and part of my responsibilities is making sure everyone in the neighborhood is kept up-to-date on items of importance such as "yard of the month", missing pets, and community block parties. It should be do-able for me to pass out info on a local net and hopefully find other volunteers.

-Blast

Hey, that's pretty cool, especially the part about being able to share files from any USB harddrive plugged in to it.
-Blast

This is an excellent low power idea and it would have much better range than the Airport router. Though it's overall range would still be pretty limited for an entire neighborhood.

I'm currently only getting one bar from a neighbors Linksys router 2 doors away. A signal booster on a tower/pole over 20ft outside might be able to reach for several blocks.

Only give Read rights to the files when you fire it up, then they can only download from your computer.