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Blanking on a term. I remember a protocol/firmware for wireless routers where the idea was to connect as many as possible to create a quasi internet without any ISPs. Help? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by batmaniam@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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Basically title. I remember reading about it back in like 2018, I even remember a company that would provide crypto based on the amount of traffic you let through. Just curious if that ever saw any growth.

Everything I google keeps bringing up things on the darkweb. The goal of this was explicitly to go "ISP-less". Like they envisioned mesh net covering giant swathes of space.

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[–] whiskeypickle@lemmy.ml 26 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

i don't think you're misremembering it, it's just that there was a huge commercial push to quash the idea of a "communist internet" that would cut them out of the business by sharing cheap/free internet service. plus, the tech evolved.

but the idea of mesh wifi didn't die. in several major cities, mesh wifi/internet solutions exist. NYC Mesh, for example, is the local mesh network here in NYC:

We are a diverse group of volunteers dedicated to ending the digital divide and extending high-speed, reliable internet to all New Yorkers. You can help by joining our community network to get online, volunteering to connect neighbors or grow the network, and donating to improve our community infrastructure and ensure access for all.

[–] batmaniam@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

THANK YOU. This was bugging the crap out of me. I live in the country now so it's doubtful if I setup the hardware it would even be of utility, but I was just curious what became of it. There's another comment that goes into all the different varieties.

Glad to see the NYC mesh. For a while I lived in an area that was basically that but paid. It was small "city", and someone bought rights to tap into a giant line that happened to go through the city. They set up radio broadcasters, and to get service you'd use one of their radio modems. It wasn't free, but very community based. You'd see the business owners out and about. You'd see "Bob" at the bar, then might see him climbing your neighbors buildings roof to put up a repeater. Prices and speeds were great but mostly service was awesome. It was "your friendly neighborhood ISP". I got the impression the business was doing well but probably wouldn't like, list on the stock market or anything. It was just really cool to see an ISP have the character of say, a solid restaurant that everyone in town knows.