Building a Wireless Community Network in the Netherlands

Abstract

With the development of low cost hardware for wireless networking based on IEEE 802.11b, wireless networks are an emerging technology. Using these wireless techniques outdoors it is possible to build a community network not dependent on any provider. In the Netherlands such a network is being set up in and around Leiden. Using low cost network boards, home-built antennas and open source software the volunteers of the Wireless Leiden Foundation are able to lay-out an infrastructure for the inhabitants of Leiden at a very low cost. All kinds of applications (for profit and non-profit) are using this entirely wireless network.