FYI. Could this be a useful tool for the Loring Park wifi project?

--
Leif Utne
Associate Editor, Utne Magazine
612.338.5040 x348
www.utne.com
http://public.xdi.org/=Leif.Utne
--


***PLEASE FORWARD***

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 1, 2005

PRESS CONTACT:   Sascha Meinrath   (217)278-3933   sascha at 
cuwireless.net   CUWiN Website: http://www.cuwireless.net

CUWiN ANNOUNCES PUBLIC RELEASE OF FREE OPEN  SOURCE WIRELESS NETWORKING 
SOFTWARE:

Imagine a free wireless networking system that any municipality, 
company, or group of neighbors could easily set up themselves.   Over 
the past half-decade, the Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless  Network 
(CUWiN) has been developing an open source, turnkey wireless networking 
solution that exceeds the functionality of many  proprietary systems. 
CUWiN's vision is ubiquitous, extremely high-speed, low- cost 
networking for every community and constituency. Following in the 
footsteps of Linux and Firefox, CUWiN has focused on creating a 
low-cost, non-proprietary, user-friendly system. CUWiN's software  will 
share connectivity across the network, allowing users to buy  bandwidth 
in bulk and benefit from the cost savings.  CUWiN networks are 
self-configuring and self-healing -- so adding new wireless nodes is 
hassle-free, and the system automatically adapts to the loss of an 
existing node.  And, because CUWiN networks are completely ad- hoc, 
there's no need for expensive central servers or specialized 
administration equipment.

To set up a network, all end-users need to do is burn a CD with CUWiN's 
software (which will be available for free at 
http://www.cuwireless.net), put the CD into an old desktop computer 
equipped with a supported wireless card, and turn the computer on.  
Once the computer boots from the CD, the rest of the setup is 
completely automated: from loading the networking operating  system and 
software, sending out beacons to nearby nodes, negotiating network 
connectivity, and assimilating into the network -- all the complicated 
technical setup is taken care of automatically.  Unlike most  broadband 
systems, CUWiN's software builds a local intranet as well as  providing 
for Internet-connectivity -- thus, a town that uses CUWiN's system is 
also creating a community-wide local area network over which  streaming 
audio and video, voice services, etc. can all be sent.

CUWiN is a cutting edge research and development initiative.   CUWiN 
has pioneered the first open source implementation of Hazy Sighted Link 
State routing protocol (first developed by BBN Technologies); thus 
CUWiN's software creates a highly robust, scalable ad-hoc wireless 
networks. CUWiN's route prioritization metric is based on research 
conducted at MIT and will automatically adapt to any  network topology 
and local geography.

CUWiN's software is, and always will be, available for free.  CUWiN  is 
a non-profit organization supported by grants and donations.   CUWiN's 
software provides one of the world's most advanced networking solutions 
available today; and we are now making our software available to the 
general public to use, test, and help develop.  We know that there are 
features and improvements that people will  want to see in future 
releases -- as an open source project, we are counting on the feedback 
and input from people around the globe.

More information on setting up your own CUWiN network is  available 
online now at: http://www.cuwireless.net/documentation

The latest version (0.5.5) of the CUWiN software will be available  for 
public download by the end of the week at: 
http://www.cuwireless.net/downloads

A brief article on the background, history, and ethos of the CUWiN 
project is available at: 
www.comtechreview.org/article.php?article_id=259

***

About CUWiN:

The Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network (CUWiN)  has built a 
communications system using wireless networking equipment. This  is 
essentially the same "WiFi" equipment used in homes and offices,  but 
we put it on rooftops to connect neighbors and form a high-speed 
community network.

CUWiN's three-part mission is to:  connect more people to Internet  and 
broadband services; develop open-source hardware and software  for use 
by wireless projects world-wide; and, build and support 
community-owned, not-for-profit broadband networks in cities and  towns 
around the globe.

CUWiN gives communities a new choice for their communications  
infrastructure by building a house-to-house wireless "mesh." CUWiN 
makes it possible for neighbors to share broadband Internet access  and 
services including Voice over IP as an alternative to traditional phone 
service, and alternatives to radio and cable -- such as live broadcasts 
from grassroots media-makers from Independent Media  Centers and 
"Internet radio stations" in subscribers' homes.

OJC Technologies (http://www.ojctech.com) is our development  home.

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