Roaming (was: Re: [LUAU] Re: [AWN] Wi-Fi traffic jam in Subject Line)

[Angela Kahealani]

On Mon, 2005-05-30 05:41, Jim Thompson wrote:
> > Some private firms are building Wi-Fi networks with transmitters  
> > mounted on rooftops. These companies charge customers for access,  
> > using a model similar to Internet service providers. Skywave  
> > Broadband Inc., for instance, charges from $3.95 for an hour to  
> > $39.95 for a month of access to its network.
>
> Skywave is a customer, and I still think they're doomed long-term.  

i.e. that all WiFi is "doomed" to "go free", because it's too ubiquitous 
for a "for-pay" version to compete with... the wireless access 
equivalent of "the internet treats censorship [/ toll routes] as damage 
and routes around it" -- John Gilmore

> Of course, since Hawaii saw fit to allow Carlyle group to take over  
> the ILEC, we won't be getting FIOS anytime son, so "long term" might

what is this thing "FIOS"? and how does Carlyle profit from us not 
getting it?

> And then there was a traffic jam on the internet 
> and after several packets collided, its 5:30AM in Hawaii, 
> and I'm still drinking at Punchbowl quite a bit longer 
> than we'll get to, thats up in an hour, the girls wear bikinis.  
>
> Ah, well now we're talking about *roaming*, which is a different  
> kettle of fish.   
>
> Jim

So, once free WiFi on free accesspoints takes over, why wouldn't an 
automagic mesh networking protocol prevail to allow roaming? As soon as 
three laptops install Linux... we have a mesh network. Inject internet 
bandwidth at any one, and all can IP forward until everyone has access.
This ad hoc free roaming access seems like it ought to win your war 
scenario of "he's doomed, Jim" that has for-pay services having to find 
profit centers other than bandwidth/transport which is becoming 
communally enmeshed for the public good and efficient automagic 
bandwidth management. Or is this scenario doomed by an even better one?

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