Just do it! The 15-Step guide to setting up your own community network.

Published by Interaxion Dec 2003

By Lindsey Annison

Community networks are really catching on as the conventional telcos fail to deliver broadband to the consumers who need and want it now. (see 'Diary of a Community Networker' in Interaxion).

The good news is that setting up a community network need not be expensive nor difficult, and can be achieved in a matter of weeks with a few thousand pounds, or less.

However, there is no correct route to follow, as many issues will affect other factors to be considered; and each community is different with different assets and needs. But it is possible to outline all the issues you'll have to grapple with. Here they are:

Limited by Guarantee?

There needs to be a legal structure to deliver the network and this must take into account the aims and the future of the network. Whatever vehicle is used, sustainability is key so that you can keep running into the future, and a business plan is required. Even if access to the network is entirely free, there are ongoing costs which someone must pay.

The ideal is for the network to be owned by the community, and as such a co-operative or social enterprise model can be employed. This generally involves a 'Limited By Guarantee' company, or a co-op, as this allows profits to be re-invested back into the community rather than having a single individual or company reaping any rewards. This approach also allows members of the community to become involved, knowing that their effort, time and expertise are being used to the benefit of the community, rather than the benefit of someone else.

££££'s

Funding is required as there are capital outlays in order to set up the network. This can come from a variety of sources. Grant funding is available from many of the Regional Development Agencies, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and others, as well as from private investors. Some community networks have been set up using a contribution from each person in the community who wished to connect to the service. Others have used private investment to establish themselves.

The amount of funding required initially depends on the backhaul used, the number of users, the terrain, and much more, so it is important to establish early on what will be required at start-up and in the future to ensure that the network is self-sustaining.

Backhaul

There are two parts to a network - first mile to the end user and backhaul and delivery. Backhaul takes all the user connections back through a network pipe to a service provider. Backhaul is generally available in most communities in the UK, now that the schools and libraries are being connected, but there are often tortuous hoops to jump through to persuade the local authorities that this bandwidth can and should be shared with the community.

Local businesses may also have a connection which can be utilised to supply the community network, and this is often an easier route to follow, though there may be problems with the service contract the business has with the supplier, if the bandwidth is to be resold. One way around this is to make the connection to end-users free, but you will still need to resolve the revenue generation problem for sustainability.

Backhaul can be purchased like any other telco service, and there are several routes.

Leased Lines - these are available everywhere from any telco, although since they are usually based on distance, they can be costly. In rural areas, it's not unusual to pay £15,000 - £25,000 for installation, plus the first year's rental of a 2 megabits per second (Mbps) line. But if another leased line is present on the same exchange, you may be able to use an EPS8 or EPS9 line to connect the two and these are remarkably cheap at around £900 per year. Be warned, though - it's very difficult to get the facts on this product from BT.

Satellite - available everywhere, offering a 0.5Mbps to 2Mbps asymmetrical (more bandwidth 'down' than up, as with ADSL) service from around £99/month with a £250-500 install cost. There are cons with the latency issue but a satellite backhaul is ideal for a small community wishing to get up and running immediately at low cost. It can be easily upgraded to 2Mbps as demand requires it.

DSL Lines - available on enabled exchanges. These allow a community network to connect all those who are unable to receive ADSL from the exchange due to technical or distance problems - according to BT, up to 50% of users can be out of reach of the local exchange in the worst case scenario. The community network can offer a valuable service, as well as filling a market niche.

Wireless Backhaul - available in some places in the UK - bears investigation. If this option is open to you, it is often very competitively priced and offers the choice of increased backhaul as the network develops.

Fibre Optic - the ultimate solution, with infinite bandwidth. Two main problems - finding fibre optic lines near you, and cost. The fibre network is currently about 4% utilised. This situation will not change while costs remain high, but the carriers are reluctant to 'light' fibre until the demand is there. Catch 22. We can't use it, because we can't afford it, and it won't get cheaper until more people use it.

The first mile

Previously called the 'last mile' as telcos failed to understand just who was important in all this. From a consumer's point of view, it is very much the FIRST mile from their premises out to the backbone.

In the absence of ADSL or cable TV connections, communities may be forgiven for asking if there are any alternatives to wireless. Suppliers enter the marketplace each day with new, affordable, easy to install WiFi / Wireless LAN (WLAN) kit which you can now almost buy in the supermarket.

For community networks, the unlicensed spectrum at 2.4Ghz has been a godsend, allowing communities worldwide to experiment with the likes of Pringles tins as 'cantennas', setting up networks without the need for licenses, and has opened the route for us all to follow.

Hotspots may be the buzzword for access from airport departure lounges, in pubs, and so on, but there is no reason not to extend the hotspot idea to cover your entire community using wireless. The products you require depend on the need within your community and these will become easier choices once you have surveyed.

Mapping

There are two types of survey required - one is of the people and businesses in your community to gauge interest, find skills to assist in the set up of your network, and establish demand. The other, if you take a wireless route, is to discover who you need to connect and where the initial roll out of equipment will need to be sited.

Trees, buildings and geography affect the radio signal, so the architecture of your network, which ensures it is stable and reliable, is crucial. There may also be permissions required to site equipment, as well as contracts needed for maintenance, responsibility, insurance and so on. Negotiating with churches and ancient monuments to site kit on their high points can be a lengthy process: try and find those who can help ease the way in parish councils, district councils and so on.

Marketing

It is also important when making the community aware of the proposal of a community network, to stress that the network will belong to them, that it is not just another telco offering, that the network will be wireless with no phone costs or even a phone line required, and that the network can offer considerably more for less money than an equivalent telco network.

For instance, community content is something which can add inestimable value to a community network.

Marketing of the network is an issue which must be addressed at the earliest opportunity, particularly to ensure that in the general confusion about who can deliver broadband (which is rife across the UK) your potential consumers don't get confused and all go and register for someone else's product.

Once your network is up and running, you need users, so hold local meetings, put up posters, contact the press, and connect a few users and tell them to tell their friends, family and colleagues.

Security

Once you have surveyed your area you will need to choose the appropriate equipment, and this will also include servers for authentication and security. The best place to buy these is second hand from eBay (www.ebay.co.uk) unless you have computers you could use for this purpose. Security is an essential part of the network as you need to protect your end users as well as the network. The very least you will need is a firewall, and depending on how you intend to charge people for use of the network, and whether you are allowing roaming by guest users, you will need authentication of some description. None of these need be costly and in some instances, these are built into the hardware.

Choosing the right gear

This cannot be discussed without taking a look at the topology of your area, the needs of your community, the funding available and so on. The needs are individual to each community network - for instance, which antennas to use, access points, wireless Ethernet bridges, Ethernet cards, wi-fi cards, and so on. There is no need to buy the most expensive equipment on the market for a nascent network when a WISP (wireless ISP) in a box can be purchased from around £300 to get you going.

Where to site kit

One of the joys with a community network is that you can generally just knock on the door of any house or business identified as an equipment site and talk to them directly. This is not something the major telcos can do, and there is a decided advantage in this approach as you frequently meet people who are enthusiasts and offer all sorts of assistance. Most communities have experts 'in-house' - it is remarkable how many ex-telco employees, amateur radio users and so on are loitering in this country, so seek their help.

Siting the minimum amount of kit (to keep costs down now and in the future) is dependent on a good survey, and on understanding where your users are now, and are likely to be in the future. Your network architecture is also dependent on where your backhaul is coming from, high points, and local features - military installations can cause a problem, as can forests or even just the odd tree in the wrong place.

Wireless surveying requires only a laptop, antenna and perhaps an invertor for your car, so your laptop can be charged. But you can just use a couple of lengths of pole and a wireless Ethernet bridge to check for signals from installed kit. We also recommend binoculars, a compass and a map for the initial surveys, plus someone with a good local knowledge as they can help identify high points, as well as know who lives where.

Installing the kit

Depending on the route you take (ie full control of your network vs persuading a company to do it for you) you may need to be installing antennas on roofs, putting WiFi cards into business and home PCs and so on. To climb on a roof, you should have insurance. For this reason, it is a good idea to involve someone who does this for a living like a builder or a TV aerial/satellite dish installer. They already have all the necessary equipment and paperwork and this is often an opportunity for an existing local business - most will jump at it. Remember, however, that there are costs to both installing and uninstalling so the responsibility for these should be clearly defined.

You may also need to run cables through walls, and install cards on users' computers. You must be clear about responsibility at all stages, and you must use reliable trusted people to do this to minimise potential consequences should something go wrong.

So far the insurance market for community networks has not developed. It is up to the insurance community to catch up here as more and more networks spring up. So, anyone who works in the insurance industry, get in touch.

Charging

In an ideal world, access to the network would be free. In many places, it is, and it is subsidised by content, and advertising. If you can follow this route, so much the better. In reality there has to be revenue generation or your Year Two will be extremely difficult. There is no black art to deciding how much to charge your end users. If you are charging it must be affordable, and the general feeling across the UK is that £25/month is the upper limit for a domestic user. For home offices and business users, the charge should be relative to the use and the number of PC's and the value to that customer. So, £35-£50 seems to be reasonably acceptable to those who are reliant on a decent Internet connection for their business.

However, sustainability is important and the network must generate enough to cover costs. For this reason, charges must reflect the expansion of the network in the future as well as ongoing overheads

Billing

A simple billing solution (which ties into the authentication system) can be set up to cope with standing orders and cheques.

Network maintenance

Keeping the network running is vital, and is quite a task, so it is essential to either secure a support contract from the people providing your equipment, if you take that route, or to employ someone knowledgeable who can keep the network up at all times. Strange things happen on networks - whether it's an antenna falling off a roof (unlikely) or an IP addresses suddenly changing for no reason (more common), through to virus and DOS attacks on your servers (much more common), you need someone able to cope with it, or you'll be inundated with calls and emails.

Technical support

Your users are going to need support, whether it's for installing a wireless card or configuring their computer. You must make clear to users that the maintenance of their computer is their responsibility to ensure you aren't flooded. Finding someone within the community who wishes to set up a business fixing computers is a good idea, as well as someone who can supply computer parts, wi-fi cards, antenna and Category 5 ('Cat 5') Network cable.

Where to find help

Some of the existing community networks are now making available their contracts for things such as equipment siting and end user SLA's at a fraction of the cost a lawyer would probably charge you to draw one up. You get their expertise and experience as well as their documents, so don't reinvent the wheel.

The Access to Broadband Campaign and Association of Broadband Communities [now called the 'Community Broadband Network' http://www.broadbandguild.com] are slowly but surely making information available on all these issues through the ABC and CBN websites.

The South East England Development Agency (http://www.seeda.co.uk) has launched a website (http://www.seeonline.net) offering extensive help to those running community networks.

Author: Lindsey Annison is project manager for community network edenfaster.com (http://www.edenfaster.com) and is a veteran community networker. lindsey@edenfaster.com

Contacts
Consume
WLAN.org.uk
Landmap (great mapping tool!)
Free2Air
Digital Dales
ABC
Seeda site
Community Broadband Network

and existing networks include: