Re: wireless ?

[Lionel Elie Mamane <lionel@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, Apr 29, 2002 at 11:05:22PM +0200, Hans Lambermont wrote:
> Lionel Elie Mamane wrote:

>> The thing I *really*, *really* would like to try is aggregating our
>> Internet connections so that each one of use can use it transparently
>> as if it were a much bigger shared connection. Is this even possible?

> I think it doesn't make much sense to attempt this as the speeds one
> gets with 802.11b are certainly not the theoretical 11Mbps

Aha. Our Internet connections are *too* fast for that? Oh my, I feel
like a spoiled rich kid... But we can still do it, only for the
technical challenge. That we won't gain much from it certainly would
be a "good faith" argument if our ISP's were to make a move: We don't
even take a real benefit from this, we just wanted to face the
technical challenge" :)

> The C't team ordered two Yagi antennas and reported at 1.1 km
> distance 400 kB/s and at 1.5 km distance 290 kB/s.

I expect this to be still more than our Internet connections, isn't
it?

> But I'm not sure about how to deal with the wireless network to
> internet through a local ISP connectivity. From a legal perspective
> that is. And how to repel spammers :( and evil-wannado's.

You mean "if someone uses the wireless network to crack a
governmental site" or "contract with our ISP forbids it"?

Well, it depends if we open up the Internet connexion to anyone that
happens to be in the radio range or reserve it for a "club" anyone is
free to join after accepting conditions in the like of "I take
responsibility for my use of the network".

For the legal anti-cracker protection, I fear we still have to have a
way to trace back who did what. We will be unable to do this. But the
club approach at least gives law enforcement authorities a finite list
of persons to investigate. Again, "good faith": We know who can use
the connection.

For the contract, if every member of the club has a private connexion,
again "good faith" and "no harm done", just "when your connexion is
down, you can use mine, and vice-versa".

To fend off spammers: Block SMTP traffic? Yes, this sucks. Hmm...