Local net access on a shoestring

By PETER GRIFFIN

Community "Wi-Fi" is ready to take off in South Auckland with an old lamp post adorned with cheap antennae forming the basis of a fledgling access network.

Convicted hacker Andrew Hooper, who last hit the news in late 2001 when he was found guilty of fraud and forgery charges after obtaining internet access passwords using the "Back Orifice" Trojan virus, is the brains behind the shoestring network.

Convicted under the surname Garrett, Hooper did 200 hours of community service which has morphed into a grand plan to set-up a wireless network covering Auckland, where users can connect to access community notice boards, join in chat sessions and surf the internet.

The reformed hacker has erected a large tower in the front garden of his Bucklands Beach Rd section, creating the central node of a wireless network based on the general licensed "public park" 2.4 gigahertz spectrum.

Hooper and other wireless enthusiasts building their own nodes plan to offer Auckland residents free access to a community network and free email accounts.

He estimated that users could also gain internet access through the wireless network for $39 a month for a 256Kbps (kilobits per second), flat rate connection.

A Jetstart account was feeding the node for testing purposes when the Herald visited, but Hooper said he was about to to seal an agreement with a bandwidth supplier that would see the node supplied with an 18Mbps (megabit per second) link via another tower which has line of sight with the Sky Tower.

The wireless link and backhaul capacity would cost $8000 a year with bandwidth costs on top, said Hooper.

"That would allow 70 concurrent client sessions at 256Kbps," said Hooper. Based on tests done in the area he expected users within a 5km radius and equipped with an external antenna to establish a reliable connection.

"If you're close enough you should be able to use an internal Wi-Fi laptop card."

Hooper said the main telecoms operators were unable to provide bandwidth at economical rates.

"We asked what was available and had the door slammed in our face. Telecom wanted just under $2000 a month for a one [megabit] frame relay circuit. Our options are wireless, wireless and wireless."

Following models adopted by community networks such as Seattle Wireless, Hooper plans to provide local network services for free and charge only for internet connections.

A mail server would deliver free email access for local residents and information could be accessed from a central source. But file sharing would be restricted to prevent illegally downloaded songs and images from being easily swapped between users.

"Mail going to an address, within reason, won't be charged for. But there'll be no ftp server on the system."

Web cameras near access points could allow users to remotely monitor their homes and streets, extending the Neighbourhood Watch concept to the internet, said Hooper, who planned to offer community groups access to the network to set up services for their members.

"There's no reason why we couldn't have multiple internet providers running bandwidth through our nodes," he added.

But Hooper plans to make a business out of supplying the network and hardware support for the community network. He has founded the company Borg Wifi, a start-up run out of Hooper's garage, distributing wireless antennas, wireless routers and other equipment to customers around the country.

Borg would supply users with an antenna and ethernet cabling to plug directly into a router or PC equipped with ethernet card. A USB version was also available.

"I'm not winning on the internet connectivity because no one does, and I'm not winning on the wireless equipment because we're giving it away [at cost price]. Gear installation, site surveys and service is where I'll make money."

But the project relies on the goodwill of locals and the Manukau City Council.

Hooper did not gain resource consent for the tower to be erected - too costly, he said, with two site surveys at $2500 each plus engineering certification. The octagonal lamp post hosting the wireless equipment had been picked up for $50 and the entire node cost about $3000 to build.

The tower slightly exceeds the 10-metre height restriction for structures in Hooper's area, but he said it had been in place for two months without any complaints from neighbours.

"Most people are really supportive. They say hurry up and get it working," he said. "We'll cut a metre off the top if we have to but it would dramatically reduce propagation."

Similar community networks are meanwhile being established in other parts of the country.

Dunedin-based Scarfies.Net has five nodes operational in the Dunedin area, servicing the university student community with free local network access and flat-rate internet connectivity ranging in price from $50 to $75 a month for 512Kbps to 1Mb connections.

Scarfies founder Dan Clark said a 2Mb link underpinned the network but that was to be upgraded to a 10Mb link.

"Most of the users want internet access for gaming and email. Foreign students are really into it," he said.