Green WiFi project promises to bring solar-powered WiFi to developing countries

One of the big criticisms that's been leveled at the much-vaunted OLPC project is that it's missing one key element: internet access. Well, a pair of Sun Microsystems employees are looking to remedy that situation with the Green WiFi project, which promises to bring cheap, solar-powered WiFi to developing countries. The project's modeled on MIT's Roofnet wireless mesh network project (and isn't the only one, either), but takes things one step further by making each node solar powered, meaning that the network could be extended virtually anywhere. They've also taken care of the other big hurdle: price, using off-the-shelf gear and open source software to keep the nodes down to no more than $200 each. Although still in the prototype stage, the team says they're going to start deploying their first grid network in India later this summer, PVC or not.

[Via Treehugger]

[Dave @ Aug 8th 2006 4:36AM]

Hope they'll sell it in the states, too. Like in the 1% that isn't broadband-ready, like where I live, this could come in handy.

[Octavus @ Aug 8th 2006 5:56AM]

I know 802.11n is still not complete and will be expensive when it first comes out, but these mesh networks would seem to work much better with a faster and more importantly longer range standard. I think it is good that people are working on this, but n seems to have alot more potential than g.

[Mark Ontkush @ Aug 8th 2006 6:37AM]

It's a great idea, I think the 'green' part could be much improved upon e.g. get rid of the pvc, use an EPEAT approved router, get the right battery, etc.

[Dennis @ Aug 8th 2006 8:35AM]

Mark Ontkush you're forgetting that this has to be green AND cheap. Now as far as I know, PVC and crappier batteries are cheaper. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway, I think this is a really good idea, but won't mesh networks be really slow? I mean with large networks where the signals have to be pushed on by several nodes in between.

[Fishd @ Aug 8th 2006 9:07AM]

@Dennis:

Slow? Yes. Faster than nothing? Absolutely.

After all, we're talking about bringing communications to areas where the only other alternative could be expensive satellite phones.

Still, I do have to ask some questions that other people are muttering around the web: Wouldn't it be better to get these people good education/jobs/decent local government/clean water/regular food/etc before we start giving them unlimited youtube.com access?

[JP @ Aug 8th 2006 10:50AM]

Without communication, any sort of infrastructure of government will have a hard time developing. And without that foundation, other attempts (clean water, food, education, jobs) face a much higher probability of failing... Besides, access to the Internet can also prove vital in providing quality education and access to loc's of information essential for the growth of such communities...

[wayan @ Aug 8th 2006 11:00AM]

This design fits in nicely with the OLPC local mesh network idea, forming the longer-distance bridge above the mini-distances the OLPC laptops will hop.

One question I have: Will upstream communities hold downstream communities as bandwidth hostages if there is a single bridge point? That is, what is the social side of OLPC mesh?

http://www.olpcnews.com/internet/access/the_social_side_of_m.html

[David @ Aug 8th 2006 11:56AM]

Glad to see this being developed.

[AcceptableRisk @ Aug 8th 2006 12:07PM]

I understand it's a prototype, but it still seems ill-conceived to me. Somebody appears to have forgotten that PVC breaks down in sunlight.

[Mark Ontkush @ Aug 13th 2006 1:04PM]

Mark Ontkush you're forgetting that this has to be green AND cheap. Now as far as I know, PVC and crappier batteries are cheaper. Correct me if I'm wrong.

>>>Cheap is relative to other factors - I'm not sure what the going price and availability of PVC is in India, for example. Probably the last thing they want is for a wifi network to work for a year or so and then have the country littered with these batteries and pvc frameworks. Does it even need a frame?

Anything on the node that is not widely available and cheap in the country where it is placed will fall into this category. More importantly, anything on it that can be put to a 'higher use' (maybe those pvc racks make great clothes dryers!) will be.