Meraki Mini WiFi router also does mesh

by Ryan Block, posted Aug 3rd 2006 at 5:55PM

Just because WiFi's like, so over doesn't mean you can't spice it up a bit, say, maybe with some mesh networking? Borne of MIT Roofnet project heritage and part time consultants on the OLPC (no doubt regarding its mesh networking system), startup Meraki's forthcoming Mini wireless router stands to make some waves (har) when it's out of beta. Intended to cost a mere fifty bucks when it's finished being developed, the Meraki Mini will provide not only the vanilla 802.11b/g access we're all so accustomed to but will also act as a node in a wireless mesh network capable of providing a viable wireless backbone, pushing out the reaches of muni WiFi networks, or even starting up a pirate pay-for-use Hotspot zone. Mesh-enabled WiFi rollouts are not a new concept, but at $50 apiece things start to change for the companies charging hundreds for their devices -- and change even more when you make the hackable, semi-open source WiFi mesh devices available to your everyday consumer.

[Via GigaOM]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Scott C. @ Aug 3rd 2006 6:59PM

The biggest benefit I am looking forward to is to allow your real nieghborhood to become a "network neighborhood" with no ISP's involved.

Neutral

Shadyman @ Aug 3rd 2006 8:10PM

Woo. I want ten!

Neutral

carbinefreak @ Aug 3rd 2006 11:45PM

This Would be an Amazeing thing for interconnecting home networks for that purpose. think about the perks for gameing or the dreaded file shareing instead of a small 1mbit line you have the full .g standard of 54mbit but ull need a more beefy antena than the 2dbi one that will come with it. that would kill the riaa

Neutral

Chuck Fletcher @ Aug 17th 2006 7:02AM

I just got 3 of these and setup a network. I wrote up a little post about the experience.

http://www.chuckfletcher.com/?p=28

Neutral

G$ @ Apr 17th 2007 5:10PM

The Meraki Mini is out of beta and now available to the general public. I'm working on building a community wireless network in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX area called DFWFreeNet - http://www.dfwfreenet.org I'm deploying the Meraki Mini in outdoor NEMA rated enclosures with 9dBi omnidirectional antennas. We have a few sites up now and are always looking for individuals interested in community wireless networking to help expand the network.

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