Post by fongaboo on Dec 1, 2011 21:14:04 GMT -5
12/1/2011 IT Working Group Meeting Minutes
Items that I brought to agenda... None were added:
Minutes of discussion:
Missions:
Items that I brought to agenda... None were added:
- Review current Internet setup
- Plan A (point-to-point from an apartment) was not viable; Returning some unneeded gear as a result
- Single Antenna/Repeater Setup
- Tech Valley WINK Internet service (paid-service)
- Personal account vs. Business account; Terms of Service
- Plan A (point-to-point from an apartment) was not viable; Returning some unneeded gear as a result
- Power
- Repeater unit (12V 1A)
- Router unit (12V 1.5A)
- Laptops?
- Goal-O Power Packs? Charging Routine?
- Repeater unit (12V 1A)
- Mounting and Physically Securing Gear
- Router/Repeater (Lockbox?)
- Laptops (Chain Locks?)
- Mounting Antenna (New Tent?)
- Router/Repeater (Lockbox?)
- Admin Policy
- How do we authorize those who will administrate our routers and repeaters?
- Rotation of wireless passphrase
- How do we authorize those who will administrate our routers and repeaters?
- Good neighbor policy
- 256k per user
- Full bandwidth to Media Group?
- Full bandwidth to ASJC laptops?
- No torrents, fraud, kiddie porn?
- 256k per user
Minutes of discussion:
- I reiterated that our original setup using a point-to-point wifi connection to extend a cable modem connection was no longer workable, due to the position of the volunteer's apartment
- I noted that the nature of our new setup will allow us to return half the gear we purchased.
- I noted we will be using a single repeater and antenna, connected to a wireless router, to connect to the nearby Wink wifi service. The service is a premium pay-version of the Albany FreeNet municipal wireless offered by Tech Valley Communications and is accessible from the same nodes. Josh has already registered an account which has been tested.
- I also noted that Wink is provided by a local business, as opposed to a national/global corporation... and that the Wink fees go to subsidize the FreeNet access which is used by low-income residents who can't afford Internet.
- I reiterated, from previous personal discussions with Victorio, that we are currently using a personal account (which is intended for a single user or residence), as opposed to a business account (which is intended for multi-user setups). As such, we are likely breaking terms of service in the immediate. Nothing physically prevents us from distributing the service to multiple users, but it could endanger our service if they ever got wind of it. The plan is to use the personal account initially, while Victorio approaches the board of the Albany Social Justice Center about them registering a business account in their name on our behalf
- I noted that, in our last meeting, we left off that we would relegate power needs to a "Power Working Group". I noted that in the time since then, it has become apparent that such a group does not really operate... and suggested we make our own proposals for powering the Internet gear. Everyone agreed.
- I shared Trevor's idea that we use Goal-Zero brand portable power packs, like the ones already on-site, to power the Internet gear. I added that perhaps we could dedicate two of these to Internet gear, and routinely swap them, such that one is always in operation while another is charging. We should enlist 2-3 people to take on the duty of picking them up and charging them. Everyone seemed to like this idea.
- I suggested that we buy at least one other Goal-Zero power pack initially. These roughly cost about $200-and-change. Victorio asked about remaining budget. I ballparked that, after returning gear, we would have only used about $200-and-change out of the roughly $1000 budget.
- I suggested that we try to fashion connectors to power the router and repeater with DC current from the Power Packs... rather than use AC wall adapters, which would cause a wasteful DC-to-AC-to-DC conversion.
- We tested the whole setup inside the ASJC tent using two laptops and a smartphone. It was successful.
- We agreed that we would not leave the gear there today... and that it really needs to be physically secured. We agreed we will devise some sort of lockable enclosure that can be affixed to the Info Tent table, in a similar fashion to the donation box.
- Victorio stated that he already has chain locks for the ASJC laptops... but he doesn't want to leave them out 24 hours a day.
- We decided against doing any semi-permanent mounting of gear onto the Info Tent itself in the immediate. This is due to plans for a new tent being brought in. Discussion with other Occupiers yielded varying estimates as to when this will happen.
- We intend to hang the antenna from the top of the inside of the tent in a fashion where it is facing the corner of Washington & Hawk, where the nearest AFN/Wink node is located. Doing so gives us the best balance between transmission line-of-site and inconspicuousness. There is some concern, at least initially, that the large antenna could bring attention to issues regarding our Terms of Service with the Internet provider. I suggested we use bungee cords to hang it.
- Dave and I briefly discussed how we authorize participants to administrate the network equipment. For now, we agreed on a 'those-that-can-do' basis. It remains to be seen if we will need to elaborate this further in the future. So those currently in IT group who have interest in administrating should come forth now.
- Dave, Dan and I also discussed the potential of rotating the Wifi passphrase (what users would need to enter to access the Internet). The pro's and con's were not heavily discussed and there were differing opinions on this. I expressed (admittedly vague) concerns about outsiders accessing... Opposition sabotaging our network... No concusions were set.
- I put forth the idea of a Good Neighbor Policy with the following attributes: We willdole out 256Kb of bandwidth (not a cap) to each user. Exceptions would be Media Group computers (to allow video streaming) and potentially the ASJC laptops. No torrenting, no kiddie porn, no fraud. This seemed like a good start to all of us, and Dave suggested we draw this up in Google document. I offered to update the existing design document on Google with this.
Missions:
- Victorio will look into some suitable lockbox enclosure to house the router and repeater
- Fong will see about purchasing a Goal-Zero Power Pack
- Fong will try to obtain DC connectors for use with the Goal-Zero Power Packs