amcis2013 paper bogota mesh

7/29/2019 AMCIS2013 Paper Bogota Mesh

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Basto Edwin Jos et al. Bogota Mesh a model of CWN to help reduce the digital divide.

Proceedings of the Nineteenth Americas Conference on Information Systems, Chicago, Illinois, August 15-17, 2013. 1

Bogota Mesh a Model of CWN to Help Reduce the DigitalDivide.

Edwin Jos BastoResearcher

[email protected]

Ruben Dario MoraResearcher

[email protected]

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the work done by the "Bogota Mesh" community wireless network (CWN) in one of the most destitute

area of Bogota, "Ciudad Bolivar".

We are going through some technical details regarding the resources used, viewing history and the analysis of the population,

and we immediately disclose the results obtained so far with the implementation of the Community network in this area.

This work is supported by statistical data from the network that also shows the information of the operational nodes, users,

traffic, operating systems and devices used among others.

Keywords

Community Wireless Networks, Mesh Networks, Nodes, Firmware, Protocols, BATMAN, Wi-Fi, Hardware, Software,

Operating Systems, Free Software, Frequency, Internet.

INTRODUCTION

Thanks to today's boom in information technology and communications services, need has been emerging for access to these

resources to any community regardless of their social or economic level. On this basis, anyone, anywhere, has the right to

form and participate in the use of these services, hence the idea to deploy a network that allows access to these

communication services in areas of low social status and low income inside the city.

Thru research and development based on the operation of nodes that provide this access, it creates an open and free self-

sustaining network, able to support any type of service where communication is concerned. This is shown as the key

antecedent to undertake a project that can give life to a community wireless network.

Of all solutions that are available for a wireless infrastructure, we have chosen the mesh networks [1], or mesh type, because

it allows constituting a solid solution and robust infrastructure capable of ensuring communication between all points quickly

and reliably, and is providing a usable service and an easy access to users wherever it is implemented.

As a distinctive value, mesh networks provide a rapid deployment, and are able to stand among all nodes without the need to

resort to any main terminal, nor invoke any service provider. Through them we can run services of all kinds, free or private,

paid or free, that collectively benefits all of the members of the network.

REQUIREMENTS

To start developing free form mesh networks in community settings, the resources used should tend toward the least, since

the idea is to implement a low-cost, high profit, due to this and that the only purpose you have with this project is social we

turn to free software [2], looking for hardware, firmware, protocols, among others that allow us to create an open network

without any restrictions. Not forgetting the transmission medium through which signals are propagated, all within the legal

range corresponding to no infractions or penalties of any kind. Here are some of the most important requirements for the

implementation:


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Software

The Firmware used in the equipments is open source and developed in Argentina for the community Lugro-Mesh [3] , known

as Nightwing [4]. It allows rapid deployment of wireless mesh networks, without the need for complicated settings, and with

the minimal human intervention. It is aimed at users of any kind within the community.

The Protocols are an important part for communication between devices. The routing protocol being used is open source, and

was designed to allow for better performance of the mesh network. The routing protocol used is known as BATMAN - Better

Approach to Mobile Ad hoc Networking [5]. It translates to better use of mobile ad hoc networks; the basis of a mesh

network is an Ad-hoc architecture [6]. The basic operation of this protocol is to update the information of the existing nodes

in the network, maintaining the routing tables in the gateways of each route making it faster and more efficient.

Hardware

In field trials have experimented with some manufacturers that meet the requirements demanded by the firmware, to name a

few Cisco, Senao, Altai, Ubiquiti, but the latter have been Ubiquiti [7], who have performed better and who carry the flag

when it comes to finding the best cost-benefit ratio in the market today.

The Equipments in reference Ubiquiti Nanostation, have an Atheros chipset, and memory capacities above, 16MB of RAM

and 4MB in Flash, which makes them ideal if we add to this the cost of the equipment is much more economic

aforementioned brands.

Frequency Band

The frequency band used for the development and deployment of the network is the band called ISM (Industrial, Scientific

and Medical), this frequency band includes 14 channels of which only 11 of them are available ranging from up to 2,483

GHz los 2.402 GHz, each of these with a channel width of 22 MHz.

These frequency bands were released by the MINTIC - Ministry of technologies and information in Colombia [8], who

arranged through resolution 689 of 2004 [9], freedom of use within the national territory.

BACKGROUND

Recipients of information

The Ciudad Bolivar is one of the twenty localities in which is organized administratively Capital District.

Location corresponds to No.19. It has 151,547 households (2009 projection), corresponding to a population of over 600,000,

comparable to or greater than that of many departmental capitals, and even larger than several departments.

Figure 1. Socioeconomic Study

2007 2008

Total homes with computer 17.972 18.186

Homes with computer E1 7.469 7.787



Table 1. Technology Resources, Source: DANE 2007, ETB technical team projections


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2007 2008

Total homes with Internet connection 6.374 6.646

Homes with Internet E1 2.681 2.795



Table 2. Access to services, Source: DANE 2007, ETB technical team projections

According to the above, one can begin to describe technological resources that enable the development and deployment of

wireless infrastructures free and easily accessible in a community setting.

SCOPE

The project of building and deploying a wireless network over Wi-Fi [10] is originated by the desire of a group of people

interested in offering an alternative connectivity to undeserved communities such as "Ciudad Bolivar" for example, an urban

areas of Bogot, that can even extend to reach remote areas of the Country.

The interconnection is done installing nodes that have the hardware and software described above and that intercommunicate

with each other, additional to begin approximately 20 nodes were installed.

The services offered by this network range from alternative mail servers, hosting for websites, FTP servers, community radio

stations, telemedicine, video-streaming, voice over IP, among others. The limit is always the users and the services they can

offer to society.

DEPLOYMENT

This is where a project born nonprofit and social character named Bogot-Mesh [11], whose sole purpose is to bring

technology to the community, through the assembly of small nodes depressing areas surrounding Bogot especially in the

"Ciudad Bolivar ", using a broadcast medium available, and creating a free implementation of any private entity and ready for

anyone who wants to enjoy it.

The services offered by this network are basically of the interconnection range from alternative mail servers, hosting for

websites, FTP servers, community radio stations, telemedicine, video-streaming, voice over ip ... etc.

The actual Mesh nodes map in Bogota consist of 29 nodes: 2 nodes are offline for problems in the places where they operate,1 node is operational but with some problems to join the network, 9 possible nodes are in study of feasibility for installation

within the next quarter, and 17 nodes are operational and running, providing connectivity services to the community.

Figure 2. Map of Bogota-Mesh nodes.


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Green Points: Active nodes, Blue Points: Possible nodes, Yellow Points: Active with nodes in failure, Red Nodes: Off-line

nodes, sometime active nodes.

Statistics

The following table shows the top 10 busiest nodes in the network. It should be noted that this table corresponds to the

statistics of April 2013, which also shows the identifiers of the nodes, the number of connections made and the remarkable

traffic difference between downstream and upstream traffic.

Node Name Id Connections Distinct identities Incoming (Gbps) Outgoing (Gbps)

Canal 5 40225 151 28 93,94 2,3

Usme-Uco 18739 53 23 59,39 3,87

Concordia 15080 51 17 43,9 3,83

TuxSoftGrill 666 46 23 28,99 5,82

Forigua 32896 4 2 18,49 2.89

Perzam 35265 8 3 10,56 0,68487

PuntoRojo-1 - 11 7 7,22 0,6652

HackBo 3225 44 22 7,12 0,51125

EnGenius 53280 26 18 6,28 0,38347

NubeLibre-Dlink 3020 19 14 4,97 0,6614

Table 3. Nodes with most traffic.

Seeing that within the community, there are more users that download information then they upload, a question arises: How

do we get more people interested in generating content? And how would it be possible to render community service

information necessary and useful? It is a good question and we seek the answer throughout the development of this research

work.

The above graph shows relevant statistical data such as operating systems used on the network. This was collected during

April 2013. This data collection helps us to put forward and distribute free software, one of the main objectives of the project

as well as the approach and empowerment of technology by the community.

Table 4. Operating Systems Usage in Bogota-Mesh Network.


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According to studies conducted by DANE and ETB technical team, more than 6000 devices used for Internet connection are

available to the community of "Ciudad Bolvar" in April of 2013, and about 2000 devices are integrated into the networks

which were mostly desktops and laptops. This information helps us to keep offering connectivity services to the community,

since there is an obvious use of the network by the community.

Table 5. Devices Used in Bogota Mesh Network.

CONCLUSIONS

The case of Community Wireless Networks in Ciudad Bolivar shows that mesh networks are a technology and

notoriously well accepted that development benefits the community in terms of access to technology is concerned.

It was necessary to take preliminary information to establish what kind of people within the community would

benefit from the development of the network and establish how the network would improve access to technology.

Take statistical data about the network teaches us what is the best way to penetrate with technological resources to

the community, either in hardware or teaching them more about the use and application of free software.

Proceed with the installation of more nodes, and expanding the network coverage, because we realized that the

network has great reception and community benefits greatly "Ciudad Bolivar", and do not forget to make a constant

accompaniment to the community to ensure that the network offers a good service and that also is being used well

enough to ensure continuity in the operation of the network.

REFERENCES

1. Sebastian Butrrich Adaptado por Ermanno Pietrosemoli, Redes Mesh, Disponible en wire.less.dk2. Free Software Foundation, Definicin de Software Libre, Disponible en URL: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/3. Lugro-Mesh, Red de Lugro-Mesh, http://www.lugro-mesh.org.ar4. Lugro-Mesh, Nigthwing by Lugro-Mesh, http://nightwing.lugro-mesh.org.ar5. C. Aichele, M. Lindner, A. Neumann, Better Approach To Mobile Ad-hoc Networking (B.A.T.M.A.N.) October 9,

2008, http://tools.ietf.org/id/draft-wunderlich-openmesh-manet-routing-00.txt

6. Raffaele Bruno, et al. Mesh Networks: Commodity Multihop Ad Hoc Networks. 0163-6804/05 2005 IEEE.7. Ubiquiti Networks, NanoStation2 http://www.ubnt.com/nanostation8. Mintic, Quienes Somos, http://www.mintic.gov.co/index.php/q uienes9. MINTIC, Resolucin 689 de 2004 http://www.mintic.gov.co/images/documentos/R00689d2004.resolution.pdf10. Wi-Fi Alliance, Wi-Fi Certified, http://www.wi-fi.org/organization.php11. Bogot MESH, Redes libres conectando a Bogot. http://www.bogota-mesh.org12. Red Libre Co, Redes libres en Colombia, http://www.redlibre.co/
http://www.fsf.org/http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/http://www.lugro-mesh.org.ar/http://nightwing.lugro-mesh.org.ar/http://tools.ietf.org/id/draft-http://www.ubnt.com/nanostationhttp://www.mintic.gov.co/index.php/http://www.mintic.gov.co/images/documentos/R00689d2004.resolution.pdfhttp://www.wi-fi.org/organization.phphttp://www.bogota-mesh.org/http://www.bogota-mesh.org/http://www.wi-fi.org/organization.phphttp://www.mintic.gov.co/images/documentos/R00689d2004.resolution.pdfhttp://www.mintic.gov.co/images/documentos/R00689d2004.resolution.pdfhttp://www.mintic.gov.co/index.php/http://www.ubnt.com/nanostationhttp://tools.ietf.org/id/draft-http://nightwing.lugro-mesh.org.ar/http://www.lugro-mesh.org.ar/http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/http://www.fsf.org/

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