NYC Mesh
{{short description|Community-Owned Mesh Network}}
{{Infobox telecommunications network
| name = NYC Mesh
| logo = NYC Mesh logo.svg
| logo_size =
| logo_alt =
| logo_caption =
| image =
| image_size =
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| type = Data
| location = New York, NY
| frequency =
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| established =
| current_status = Development
| commercial = No
| funding =
| website = {{URL|nycmesh.net}}
| module = {{Infobox NSP
| child = yes
| asn = [https://www.peeringdb.com/view.php?asn=395853 395853]
| peeringpolicy = [https://docs.nycmesh.net/networking/peering/ Open]
}}
}}
NYC Mesh is a physical network of interconnected routers and a group of enthusiasts working to support the expansion of the project as a freely accessible, open, wireless community network. NYC Mesh is not an Internet service provider (ISP), although it does connect to the internet and offer internet access as a service to members. The network includes over 2,000 active member nodes throughout the five boroughs of New York City, with concentrations of users in Manhattan and Brooklyn.{{cite web |url=https://www.nycmesh.net/map |title=map |website=nycmesh.net |access-date=2024-01-23}}{{cite web|url=https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2018/09/new-york-city-groups-take-broadband-into-their-own-hands/|title=New York City Groups Take Broadband into Their Own Hands|date=25 September 2018 |website=internetsociety.org |first1=April |last1=Froncek |first2=Grant |last2=Gross}}{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Laura Michelle |title=Alternative Broadband Networks: Affordable Internet for the People, One Rooftop at a Time |url=https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/features/alternative-broadband-networks-affordable-internet-for-the-people-one-rooftop-at-a-time/ |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=CNET |date=2023-10-01 |language=en}}
Aim
The goal of NYC Mesh is to build a large scale, decentralized digital network, owned by those who run it, that will eventually cover all of New York City and neighboring urban areas.
Participation in the project is governed by its Network Commons License.{{cite web|url=https://www.nycmesh.net/ncl.pdf|title=NYC Mesh- Network Commons License (v1.0.2)}}
This agreement, partially modeled on a similar license in use by Guifi.net, lists four key tenets:
- Participants are free to use the network for any purpose that does not limit the freedom of others to do the same,
- Participants are free to know how the network and its components function,
- Participants are free to offer and accept services on the network on their own terms, and
- By joining the free network, participants agree to extend the network to others under the same conditions.
Other similar projects include Freifunk in Germany; Ninux in Italy; Sarantaporo.gr in Greece; the People's Open Network in Oakland, California; Philly Community Wireless in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Seattle Community Network in Seattle, Washington; and Red Hook Wi-Fi in Brooklyn, New York.{{cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/40509146/want-to-guarantee-net-neutrality-join-peer-to-peer-community-run-internet|title=Want To Guarantee Net Neutrality? Join Peer-To-Peer, Community-Run Internet|date=19 December 2017 |publisher=Fast Company |first=Adele |last=Peters}}{{cite web |last1=Rolph |first1=Amy |title=These volunteers are building cell towers to bring the internet to everyone – and they need help |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2022/these-volunteers-are-building-cell-towers-to-bring-the-internet-to-everyone-and-they-need-help/ |publisher=GeekWire |access-date=24 January 2024 |date=14 September 2022 |quote=like NYC Mesh, a nonprofit that relies on volunteers to provide internet access via towers in New York City.}}
Technology
Like many other free community-driven networks, NYC Mesh uses mesh technology to facilitate robustness and resiliency. NYC Mesh previously used BGP for routing within the network, though this was found to be too static so the network was changed to use OSPF routing instead.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-20 |title=BGP |url=https://docs.nycmesh.net/networking/bgp/ |access-date=2023-01-28 |website=NYC Mesh Docs}}{{Cite web |date=2022-04-20 |title=OSPF |url=https://docs.nycmesh.net/networking/ospf/ |access-date=2023-01-28 |website=NYC Mesh Docs}}
The network relies on a variety of wireless links to connect individual nodes and larger sections of the network together. Most nodes use both a long range directional antenna for up-link to a hub along with a shorter range omni-directional antenna that provides connections to other nearby nodes. This omni-directional antenna also includes a router and 5 port network switch.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-07 |title=Hubs |url=https://docs.nycmesh.net/networking/hubs/ |access-date=2023-01-28 |website=NYC Mesh Docs}}{{Cite web |date=2022-04-08 |title=Typical Installations |url=https://docs.nycmesh.net/intro/typical-installs/ |access-date=2023-01-28 |website=NYC Mesh Docs}}
From the roof, cables are run to each apartment which is provided with Wi-Fi from an indoor Wi-Fi access point. Each node can support up to 4 apartments by itself, but can be upgraded to support more with additional equipment.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-07 |title=MikroTik NetPower 15FR |url=https://docs.nycmesh.net/hardware/mikrotiknetpower15fr/ |access-date=2023-01-28 |website=NYC Mesh Docs}}
History
In 2012, a group called "NYC Meshnet" was formed to experiment with the Cjdns mesh protocol.{{cite web |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3044686/mesh-networks-and-the-local-internet-movement|title=This Mesh We're In: Why Communities Are Building An Internet That's More Local|date=5 May 2015 |first=Steven |last=Melendez|work=Fast Company }}{{cite web |title=Getting started |url=http://wiki.projectmeshnet.org/Getting_started |website=projectmeshwiki.org |access-date=17 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407065429/http://wiki.projectmeshnet.org/Getting_started |archive-date=7 April 2015 |date=7 April 2015}}{{Cite web |title=Meetup at Alpha One Labs - 8/13 |date=8 August 2012 |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/nycmeshnet/comments/xuxgq/meetup_on_the_13th_at_alpha_one_labs_7pm/}} This was the precursor to NYC Mesh.
In 2014, NYC Mesh was launched with a new website and the first antennas were installed using firmware from Guifi.
In 2015 NYC Mesh received a grant from ISOC-NY, the New York chapter of the Internet Society.{{cite web |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/net-neutrality-loss-could-rekindle-isp-alternatives-for-internet-access/ |title=Net Neutrality Loss Could Rekindle ISP Alternatives for Internet Access |website=Scientific American |first=Larry |last=Greenemeier |date=2018-01-08 }}
On July 15, 2019, NYC Mesh incorporated as a nonprofit organization."[https://apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/EntityDisplay NYC Mesh, Inc. DOS ID: 5587170]". Entity Information. Division of Corporations. New York Department of State. Retrieved April 2, 2025. On August 21, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service issued NYC Mesh a determination letter of its 501(c)(3) status, retroactive to its incorporation date."[https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/dl/FinalLetter_84-2616395_NYCMESHINC_06292020_00.tif NYC Mesh Inc 501(c)(3) determination letter]". Internal Revenue Service. August 21, 2020. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
NYC Mesh initially connected to the internet via the DE-CIX internet exchange point (IXP) at its first supernode, Sabey Data Centers at 375 Pearl Street,{{cite web|url=https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/gv5qb4/how-a-diy-network-plans-to-subvert-time-warner-cables-nyc-internet-monopoly|title=How a DIY Network Plans to Subvert Time Warner Cable's NYC Internet Monopoly |publisher=VICE |first=Jason |last=Koebler |date=2016-01-25}} peering with companies such as Akamai, Apple, Google, and Hurricane Electric.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Public ASN Peering|url=https://docs.nycmesh.net/networking/peering/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-28|website=NYC Mesh Docs}} Later, another supernode was opened up on the roof of the DataVerge (formerly ColoGuard) datacenter in Industry City, Brooklyn.{{Cite web |date=2021-10-20 |title=Supernode 3 |url=https://docs.nycmesh.net/nodes/supernode3/ |access-date=2023-01-28 |website=NYC Mesh Docs}}
The project received a membership boost due to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission vote in December 2017 to repeal its 2015 net neutrality rules. Coinciding with this decision, the average number of member sign-ups requests per month jumped from about 20 to over 400.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/wifi-nyc-mesh-new-york-city-1.4617106|title='Anti-authority' tech rebels take on ISPs, connect NYC with cheap Wi-Fi |website=CBC.ca |date=2018-05-02 |first=Steven |last=D'Souza }}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official|https://www.nycmesh.net}}