Work meeting of the WISP-in-a-box project

The WISP-in-a-box project

Date

June 2-3-4, 2008

9-17 h

Location

Meraka Institute, Building 43 C, Hummingbird Room (C128, ground floor)

Pretoria

Invitation List

People and organisations with an active interest in building a concrete product that helps bringing

connectivity to underserviced, underprivileged and overcharged communities in Africa.

Invitation list:

Steve Song / Shuttleworth Foundation (monday only)
Rael Lissoos / Dabba
Henry Marnitz / Ndlovu Medical Centre (wednesday only)
Mark Summer, Inveneo (with request to forward to Ubiquiti)
Elektra
Mike Jensen (not confirmed)
Kobus Roux, Meraka (NOT monday)
Karel Matthee, Meraka
Kim Gush, Meraka
David Johnson, Meraka
Chris Morris, Meraka
Grant Cambridge, Meraka
Shela Boshomane, Meraka (monday and wednesday)
George James, Meraka
Johann Hugo, Meraka
John Hay, Meraka
Ajay Makan, Meraka
Sebastian Buettrich

More proposals are welcome!

Budgets for travel, if needed: Please contact us!

Contact

Sebastian

mail: sebastian@less.dk

skype: sebastian_buettrich

cell: (+27) (0) 79 915 32 92

Timeplan

The timeplan is draft level and will be adjusted to people's ability to join for limited periods.

The first day will be dedicated to the organizational layer,

introducing the various projects and teams, discussing the business models, identifying overlap of work agendas as well as the main challenges each of the projects are seeing.

The second day will move down to detail level, moving from business and organizational models to technology requirements/specifications.

The third day

Day 1 - Monday, June 2

Morning

Creating Context

Introductions, Presentations of participants

(Short 10 mns, informal project introductions)

Introduction and WISPiab Project (Sebastian Buettrich)
Dabba / Orange Farm / Village Telco (Rael Lissoos)
Ndlovu Medical Centre (Henry Marnitz) (moved to Wednesday, June 4)
Peeble's Valley Mesh (David Johnson)
Digital Doorway (tba)
Inveneo platform (Mark Summer)
WISPiab work status (George James)
Wireless Africa project (Chris Morris)
Freifunk, B.a.t.m.a.n. & Meraka Mesh Testbed (Elektra)
DIY Guide & Zambia LinkNet (Karel Matthee)
IP04 (it46, rowetel) (on behalf of the project: Sebastian Buettrich)

Afternoon

Business models

Introduction: Sebastian

Business models may be classified according to a number of different dimensions -

e.g. financial/economic layer, tech/network topology layer, applications layer, social layer, -

Based on the experience of the participants and projects, business models should be reviewed with the goal of reaching a downselection of models that should be implemented/supported in the first iteration of the WISPiab project.

Classical examples:

Voice services - The Village Telco
"Line sharing" - sharing internet access between organizations
Telecentre / Internet Cafe
Campus / School network

The goal is to go through all our relevant models, to classify them on all layers,

and to identify the technology implications (such that technology follows business models, and not vice versa), producing a clear results list.

Cooperations and Resources

There is significant overlap between projects on the technology layer. All projects are subscribing to free software models (GPL / CC, etc).

We are operating against a backdrop of

challenged (human) resource situation
brain drain / skills exodus
wanting to build local (i.e. african? ... southern african? .... south african?) capacity

Cooperation between projects seems appropriate and possible.

The goal is to conclude this meeting with a clear picture of modes of cooperation.

Advisory Group

We wish to form an advisory group / peer group, including partly the invitees of this meeting, but not limited to these.

Day 2 - Tuesday, June 3

Morning

Technical Requirements / Specifications - detail level

Examples of concrete detail issues:

Authentication - where and how
Billing in mesh networks
VoIP in mesh networks

The goal of this session is to fill the matrix of

technology requirements x project/business model

and then check this matrix against the various existing hardware/software platforms.

Hardware platforms aspects

A number of different hardware/software platforms are fulfilling subsets of our requirements.

The available platforms need to be discussed and evaluated, towards a decision on what to choose.

The platforms that our projects are currently working with are:

Linksys WRT54, with firmwares OpenWRT, DD-WRT, Freifunk, CoovaAP, and similar
Open-Mesh, Accton - with Open Mesh Firmware (new firmware anoounced for summer 2008, with: RO.B.IN, orangemesh, COOVA, etc)
Inveneo platform
Ubiquti NS, PS
Meraka Bokkie routers
pls add!

Hands-on work

Part of this session will be practical experiments with the platforms - if appropriate, in breakout sessions.

Afternoon

Productification / Dissemination / Rollout strategies

Strategies for the productification of software packages
- Sourceforge platform plans (Steve?)
- Ubuntu / UCK (Sebastian, Mark, Elektra)
Rollout capacity

Hands-on work

Part of this session will be practical experiments with the platforms - if appropriate, in breakout sessions.

Day 3 - Wednesday, June 4

Morning

Ndlovu Medical Center

Status and Agenda of network at Ndlovu Medical Center

How can the various projects benefit Ndlovu Medical Center?

Status, gaps and planning of implementations

WISPiab status and work plan
Dabba / Village Telco work sprint, June 16-20
- prepare and support that workshop

Hands-on work

Part of this session will be practical experiments with the platforms - if appropriate, in breakout sessions.

Afternoon

Conclusions & Next steps

Dabba Worksprint
WISPiab work plan
Digital Doorway work
Wireless Africa, June meeting

etc

Notes from the meeting - Day 1

People & Project introductions

Introduction and WISPiab Project (Sebastian Buettrich)
Peeble's Valley Mesh (David Johnson)
Dabba / Orange Farm / Village Telco (Rael Lissoos)
Inveneo platform (Mark Summer)
Freifunk (Elektra)
DIY Guide & Zambia LinkNet (Karel Matthee)
WISPiab work status (George James)
Two radio mesh router (Johann Hugo)
Wireless Africa project (Chris Morris)

Forming an Alliance?

to be edited

Notes from the meeting - Day 2

Requirements, Specifications, Wishlist

We chose the GUI wishlist by Dabba as an entry to discussing our current specifications set, identifying how we cover the single elements today, identifying dependencies, etc

What?	Which element	Existing	Alternate names/terms
Network Settings	core	FF, IHL, Coova (wifidog) + alternatives, Linksys & Netgear interfaces, webmin/ISPconfig	Network Management, Setup,
ISP settings	core	Coova, phpMyPrepaid, OpenWRT (QoS script), master-/wondershaper, webmin/ISPconfig	user/service profiles – provisioning (some of it -> QoS)
VoIP Settings Users, tarriffs	voice	AsteriskNow, IP04 HW, Trixbox, A2billing, (Open)SER	-->user profiles, --> VoIP settings
Prepaid Card System (print cards) (ops), ->web, ->voice	web,voice	phpMyPrepaid / ISPBill, A2billing	“usage”
CRM	core	compiere - explore!
Accounting -->logs	core	phpMyPrepaid/ISPBill, a2billing	->(if bill) ->ERP
Logo/Company	core, feeding into the various channels	(all components have some of it)	themes/skins/ customisation
Network Monitoring	core	Nagios/Cacti, Open-Mesh, Open NMS, FF (some), MRTG/rrdtool	Network management
Items not contained in Dabba GUI
Content repository (SW, media, ...), Video Server	(various, different contents for different channels)
Cache\Proxy with stats	web	squid with awstats
Mail	core	Postfix, Courier, webmail: squirrelmail
Security & encryption	core	OpenVPN, GnuPG
httpd, with stats etc	web	apache, awstats
Wiki / image hosting	web	mediawiki
Telecentre management	(core)	UgaBytes telecentre management software - explore!

Business Models

Discussion of business models that have informed the specifications, and a checkback whether we feel that the current specifications actually accomodate all these models.

The template on top suggests dimensions / criteria from which to look at the various models.

Business Model Template

Description:

Economics: Free or paid by ....
Billing models: Subscription / Prepaid (Time/Data based):
Applications:
Network / Topology:
Internet uplink:
User Devices / Locations:
Startup Strategy:
Legal & Regulatory

Telecentre / Internet Cafe / Hotspot

Description: "Classical" telecentre / cafe style

Economics: Free or paid by users / advertisers / cafe business
Billing models: typically Prepaid (Time based):
Applications: typically Browser / Mail / Office / Games
Network / Topology: wired LAN
Internet uplink: model works with and without uplink, but typically yes
User Devices / Locations: Users on business owned PC
Startup Strategy:
Legal & Regulatory: ok in most (?) countries

Telco

Description: Telco offering "fixed line" and mobile VoIP telephony

Economics: Part free (?) (local) / paid by user
Billing models: typically Prepaid (Time/Data based):
Applications: VoIP telephony, typically on dedicated hardware
Network / Topology: Centralized / Inframesh
Internet uplink: Yes, if terminating external calls / local loop without
User Devices / Locations: Users at home / office / mobile, Device VoIP handsets, ATA etc
Startup Strategy:
Legal & Regulatory: complex, country to country

(Edu)Content / Media

Economics: Free or paid by user / external
Billing models: Subscription / Prepaid (Time/Data based):
Applications: Browser, Video, Image, Sound apps
Network / Topology: n/a
Internet uplink: not neccessarily, but recommended
User Devices / Locations: all kinds of devices, local/remote,
Startup Strategy:
Legal & Regulatory: apart from restrictions on content, no issues

Intranet / Neighbour-Net

Economics: Typically paid by customer
Billing models: Contract / "Subscription"
Applications: All PC apps
Network / Topology: typically centralized, might be mesh
Internet uplink: not neccessarily, but recommended
User Devices / Locations: PCs and other, local at office or homes
Startup Strategy:
Legal & Regulatory: no issues

Line Sharing

Economics: Typically paid by users, in split scheme (e.g. cost per user = (line cost / # of users)*(marginfactor))
Billing models: Prepaid monthly
Applications: All PC apps
Network / Topology: centralized or mesh
Internet uplink: yes
User Devices / Locations: PCs and other, local at office or homes
Startup Strategy: bottom up, organic
Legal & Regulatory: potential issues with DSL or line resell (?), power limits for wireless part

ISP

Economics: Typically user paid
Billing models: Prepaid monthly, subscription
Applications: All apps
Network / Topology: centralized or mesh
Internet uplink: yes
User Devices / Locations: PCs and other, local at office or homes
Startup Strategy:
Legal & Regulatory: regulations for ISP ops, licensing etc

Web Hosting / Design

A potential part of an ISPs business. Seen as outside scope of this project, however simple home pages / website very common and demanded. E.g. local businesses, etc

Corporate / Managed Services

Economics: Typically user paid
Billing models: Prepaid monthly, subscription
Applications: All apps
Network / Topology: centralized or mesh
Internet uplink: typically yes
User Devices / Locations: PCs and other, local at office or homes
Startup Strategy: company initiative
Legal & Regulatory: potential issues when mixed user groups share same network (e.g. private, corp, gov, etc)

Strong focus on security (all aspects), network separation, QoS, management.

Guesthouse Net

Economics: Typically user (= guesthouse) paid, might be free for customer of guesthouse, or paid for
Billing models: if paid for, typically voucher prepaid, time based
Applications: All apps
Network / Topology: typically centralized
Internet uplink: yes
User Devices / Locations: users devices, maybe one or several public access PC
Startup Strategy: guesthouse initiative
Legal & Regulatory: no issues

Housing Complex

similar to Intranet / Neighbournet

Economics: Typically user paid, might be included in other service charges or rent
Billing models: Prepaid monthly or longer term, subscription
Applications: All apps
Network / Topology: centralized or mesh, often wired
Internet uplink: typically yes
User Devices / Locations: PCs and other, local at homes
Startup Strategy: owner initiative
Legal & Regulatory: no issues

Surveillance

Economics: Typically customer paid
Billing models: Prepaid monthly, subscription
Applications: Very specific, wireless surveillance cams, motion detectors, etc
Network / Topology: centralized or mesh
Internet uplink: typically yes, in order to allow for remote control and alerts
User Devices / Locations: surveillance gear and control units, typically PC/browser/mobile (SMS notifications)
Startup Strategy:
Legal & Regulatory: generally no issues when limited to company/housing premises. issues when extending into public space. ethics.

Freifunk style Mesh

Economics: Typically completely user paid, informal, but might implement business scheme similar to line sharing ((e.g. cost per user = (central uplink cost / # of users)*(marginfactor))
Billing models: e.g. Prepaid monthly
Applications: All incl telephony
Network / Topology: full mesh / inframesh
Internet uplink: typically yes, but local net relevant
User Devices / Locations: all types of devices, at user homes / office / businesses, roaming users
Startup Strategy:
Legal & Regulatory: potential issues withpower limits, collision with other networks, DSL reuse / resell

Training / Consultancy

A side business, outside scope for this project, but clearly relevant.

Notes from the meeting - Day 3

Ndlovu Medical Centre

Henry introduces:

Status of mesh: operational, but currently disconnected (concerns about lightning)
Use of uplink: Browsing (for community users), sync with data center (Johannesburg)
Status of uplink: promised by Telkom, but not delivered yet

How to get started with a community mesh?

Donated PCs - 25 pcs
- Give to local entrepreneur types
Computer school as entry point

Create a starter kit
- for existing PCs (there is some! mostly free windows)
- preconfigured
- low cost
- probably of the type: Linksys WRT, open-mesh/accton

Financing model

Some contribution from user: Prepaid - low cost

What is interesting for people?

music!!! open music server locally?
free books? educational material
free local calls
a free wikipedia / digital doorway

Income from other sources (not the users):

advertisements

To do / upcoming:

call for a brainstorm meeting within the community

June 9, meeting with provincial directory

June 24: excursion to Ndlovu? participants of Wireless Africa meeting, Meraka people, Tom, Elektra

Top pain points / whats in the way:

political level - get OKs from important players

Hardware reference platform

Overall Requirements

12 Volts (best: 11 ... 16)
low power
fanless

Backend server

USB 2x
ethernet 2x
VGA

Candidate for reference choice:

bigger solution: VIA, jetway 1.2 GHz, 2x HD, 1 GB RAM, USD 680 ... 820 e.g. mini-box-com
- power: approx 25W ?
smaller solution: VIA, AMD Geode 500 MHz
- power: 8 W
LEX light/neo, e.g. 1 GB C7 approx USD 600 http://www.lex.com.tw/
soon to come: Atom based low cost desktops (Mark Summer)
alternatives: http://www.mini-box.com/Alix-2B0-Board-2-LAN-2-MINI-PCI_LX700?sc=8&category=99

Software on backend

Decision: Ubuntu (non X)

Access node

ethernet 2x
PoE
outdoor casing
broadcom or atheros chipset
5 ... 18 Volts
Watchdog (option)
WISPCAR (option)
serial port

Candidates:

Linksys WRT54GL
- price: EUR 50, ZAR 600, USD 60
- power: 4 W
- comments:

Ubiqiti
- price: NS 2: USD 79
- price: PS 2: USD 110
- power: 5 W

Accton
- price: USD 40
- power: 2-3 W ?
- comments: overheat problems? needs fixed power 5 V? quality of radio? unstable across channels?

PCEngines board
- price: > USD 250
- power: approx > 8W, depending on radio cards
- comments:

Soekris

Gateworks

Wiligear

Solar powering: A word on the fine for every watt installed

Elektra makes the conservative estimate:

To power a 5 Watt device reliably, install a 80 Watt solar panel. This means: 16 Watt solar panel per 1 Watt installed.

At about USD 5 per solar panel watt (current rough guess for market price), we have:

USD 80 in solar panel per 1 Watt installed.

Even when demanding less margin from the solar power system (i.e. less reliability, more optimism), the fine for every Watt installed is heavy.

Next steps

Cape Town Village Telco worksprint
Kobus, Johann, Elektra
- We need a presentation - Sebastian sends to Kobus and all - dead: june 10
  - Metaphores: pipes - water / roads - cars /
- Minutes / Doc

Software development
- Meraka - Priority: the set of Coova (alternative: WifiDog) / FreeRadius / phpMyPrepaid (alternative: ISPBill) / Nagios
- Inveneo - Priority: IHL, Server squid/cache, proxy, asterisk, Webmin/ISPConfig
- How to work together? SVN server ? location ? Meraka machines accessible form outside?

Examine the Ubiquiti - Lead: Elektra
- flash OpenWRT OpenWrt Ubiquiti
- Examine the SDK
- examine internal antenna pol switching (AAP)

Procurement - Lead: Ajay
- 12 x Inveneo small server, IONs, June 16
- 2 x Inveneo, Hub servers, June 16
- Ubiquiti Nano/Powerstation: one PS2 in place - OK for now
- Linksyses: we have enough, OK
- Boards: we have the Gateworks, OK
- Solar power: one demo system until June 23 - ask Grant: 64 W panel, charge controller, batteries - Lead: Sebastian

Examine the Inveneo Hub Linux (IHL) - Elektra / George

Examine Open-Mesh - Lead: Sebastian
- examine status and development
- specifically: the Coova/Robin merger?

Establish Documentation on Wiki