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JC_Biggs

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Im not sure that this is the right place, but Im posting anyway.

My mother runs a low income housing development. and also a trailer park. I would like to locate centrally to both a wi-fi tower that each home can get wi-fi from. a small fee would be built into the rent.

later, id like to offer a wireless thin client. Something cheap and simple. (and hard for people to mess up) this would put all the processing requirements on my server, but I'm ok with that, as id like to also build my home rendering engine into the server.

Ideally, by maintaining the server and router this way I would be able to anonymize and encrypt all the traffic.


So can i have your suggestions... good idea, bad idea... implementation problems i might run into.. cost. etc.


btw.. sorry if this is the wrong forum. please move if needed.
 
Really depends on the size of the project - number of clients and physical coverage area.

Thin clients sounds like an absolute nightmare, IMO. Very very little (if any) cost savings compared to reasonable used hardware, and licensing nightmare if you plan on using anything Windows. It would probably be easier to bulk buy off-lease hardware with an XP sticker on the side (should be able to find a ton for well under $200 each).

Why would you worry about "anonymizing and encrypting" traffic?
 
I would log the crap out of everything they do on the internet or you could find yourself responsible for everything that they do.
 
i estimate the simultaneous client numbers could range anywhere from 30-70 at one time, on one "tower" i dont expect for everyone to be able to stream youtube at once, but i suspect normal websurfing shouldnt be an issue. i have many more plans for this in the future.

the reason for the thin clients is #1 hard ware cost. i have found a supplier for cheap laptop thin clients. that are wireless.. they arent the fastest, or best or newest, but for the price..hard to beat. (would be covered by a rental agreement, you break it you buy it) #2 is for network software. (legal and licensed) that i would like for people to have access to, without needing installs.. #3 in my previous encounters the MAIN problem people in these neighborhoods have is (due to lack of computer skills) viruses, spam, toolbars the rob memory..etc.. i could eliminate ALL of this by making it so they dont actually have to install or have the ability to install anything on the thin client.

the thin clients i have used before have a simple desktop, and each user has a folder to save things in and that's about it. if they want to do more, or install their own software then they shouldnt be on this free network anyway.

I also dont have a problem with using linux. at the end of the day, the web browser is going to be the same. I could handle any printing task at my end, and everything else (word proccessor etc) is free. the only problem i see is for college students that need to run particular software, but even most of that is web based now. (ie math classes with online portions of the class)


so that aside.. for the logistics of it, is it possible to build a wireless network of this magnitude.. for say... $70k?
 
Would the same tower provide both the housing development and the trailer park? Also, are you going to be managing the APs? Will folks have the option to connect their own devices to the wireless as well or will it only be limited to the thin clients?

My biggest concern wouldn't be how to implement this, it would be how to hold myself and the mgmt harmless in the process either through people acting like the wireless signal is giving them headaches, as well making sure the activities of the users are not going to put you in a position to have to defend yourselves legally.
 
well the lawyers can sort that out. but i guess if your going to sue me, you should also sue the satellite and cell phone services too..all harmful and illegal sites will be blocked. including pornogrphy and tasteless websites. if you want access, pay for your own internet. yes there is always ways around it, but that can be seen.

the only thing i see them connecting is USB drives for storage, possible a usb printer in their own home instead of using the central printer. yes there will be an option to connect your current smart phones or laptops to internet. the thin clients are only for those severely under privileged. (you would be surprised how many people have no electronic devices other than an old school cell phone. some dont have that) or for those who need access to the software i will be providing (STEM type applicatins) there is also an elderly section that I would like to make this as simple as possible for.

and no the towers are separated by 10 miles or so. (30-70 users is true for one tower) each would have its own facilities.
 
If you have to ask how to do this, you aren't ready to do this.

Hint: You'll want to use UBNT gear. Probably Loco M5s on the client house and rocket M5s with sector antennaes for the tower. You'll want to limit bandwidth to each client so they can't consume all the bandwith. You'll want to use 5.8 ghz instead of 2.4 due to the interference in urban settings like that. You'll also want to ensure you have LOS on each link. Also you'll want to properly ground all equipment.
 
do you think that the owner of ford knows how to design a piston???

its called bank rolling a project.

but thanks for your input.
 
This sounds like it would be a fun project to take on actually, and there's nothing wrong asking for tips. People ask tips for PC builds sometime, it's same idea.

One other thing just to add, you'll also want to consider your power backup for each tower. Idealy I'd want a backup system at each tower and not a central one somewhere, as you want to account for if a power cable is cut.
 
i really dont want to build it,. i would let professionals do that. I just was asking about the logistics of it.. if it is something that I can make happen. would fcc regulations get in the way, and stuff like that.

I looked at the m5s...i dont know that i would want to put a receiver on every house.. Isnt 802.11ac supposed to give you better "through wall" signal? couple that with beam forming and you could have a pretty good system.. and yes i know its not ready yet, but by the time I get this built/funded it should be coming around. 3x3 and 4x4 adapters should be out by the years end.
 
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