Is there a mailing list or a forum someplace? Are there regular meetings in the DFW area?

To contact us about contributing to DFWFreenet, general information on community wireless networking or for help starting your own wireless network please email: (retype the address in your mail client)

You can also follow us on Twitter

At this time we don't have a forum or regular meetings set up.

DFWFreeNet is a community wireless network in the Dallas / Ft. Worth (Texas, USA) area with the mission of providing free Internet access to everyone across the DFW area. DFWFreeNet was founded in 2006 with the vision of building a reliable, low cost, community owned wireless network to facilitate open communication. We are a passionate group of individuals that believe Internet access has become a basic necessity and access to it should be available to everyone. DFWFreeNet is a network built by the community and for the community.

“Wireless community networks or wireless community projects are the largely hobbyist-led development of interlinked computer networks using wireless LAN technologies, taking advantage of the recent development of cheap, standardised 802.11b (Wi-Fi) devices to build growing clusters (group of the same or similar elements gathered) of linked, citywide networks, or in rural areas where conventional DSL services are unavailable.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_community_network

Yes, anyone is allowed to connect to DFWFreeNet at no cost. The wireless network name (SSID) is “dfwfreenet”. All you need is a computer with a wireless card (802.11b/g aka WiFi) and to be within range of a wireless repeater or gateway within the DFWFreeNet network. If you can see the “dfwfreenet” wireless signal, you can help expand the network by putting a small wireless repeater in your window.

The goal of DFWFreeNet is to create a wireless infrastructure that helps bridge the Digital Divide, providing Internet access to those where it’s not economically feasible and to provide on the go connectivity to residents and visitors of the community.

DFWFreeNet is a wireless mesh network built using inexpensive, readily available wireless access points. Traditional wireless access points cost hundreds of dollars and require an Internet or network connection at every access point, significantly increasing the cost of building the network. Our wireless access points can relay data several times until it reaches an Internet connected access point, called a gateway.

Actual transfer speed will vary based on network usage, number of active Internet connected gateways and wireless signal strength. The maximum amount of bandwidth one user can transfer is limited, with speeds similar to a low end DSL connection. This limit was put in place to prevent abuse of the network. You can expect speeds between one half and one megabit per second, depending on network factors.

We need your help building DFWFreeNet. If you have a broadband Internet connection, such as DSL or cable, you can share your bandwidth, giving back to your community and bringing Internet access to those that aren’t able to afford it. Reasonable limits are placed on wireless connections, ensuring your Internet connection isn’t slowed down. Sharing your Internet connection improves the network for everybody and increases reliability of your connection to the Internet. If your DSL or Cable line goes down, you would still be able to connect through other Internet connected Meraki access points. You're also giving back to your community and helping to bridge the digital divide. Even if you don’t have broadband Internet access, you can contribute by placing a Meraki access point in your window, acting as a repeater. Talk to your friends and neighbors about DFWFreeNet. The more mesh access points available to the network, the more reliable and resilient it is.

Indoor wireless repeaters are $149 each and wireless cards are typically $20-$50. A wireless repeater is required if want to share your Internet connection or expand the DFWFreeNet network. A wireless card is required for each computer you want to connect to DFWFreeNet. Outdoor wireless repeaters are $199 and provide wider wireless coverage and can connect to other wireless repeaters from greater distances than indoor units, although installation is more complicated.

There is no more risk connecting to DFWFreenet than any other network, including the Internet. The security of your computer depends on how secure the operating system is (including how often you install patches/updates) and how current your anti-virus software is. DFWFreeNet access points use Network Address Translation (NAT). By using NAT, the IP address of your computer is not an IP address that can be directly connected to from the Internet, which greatly reduces any security risk. DFWFreeNet is not encrypted (WEP or WPA is not used), so any information sent over the network can potentially be read by a third party. This is no different than the Internet, which is also unencrypted, so the same security practices apply. When sending sensitive information such as passwords or financial information, make sure you are using a secure (SSL encrypted) site (address starts with https://), a VPN for connecting to a secure network, SSH for remotely connecting to servers or any other encrypted tunneling technique.

DFWFreeNet has a policy against monitoring traffic that passes through our network, with the exception of investigating complaints that threaten the operation of the network. Network operators will not monitor the sites you visit, your e-mail traffic, or any other network traffic from your computer unless required to do so by law enforcement or to research an abuse complaint. Abuse complaints include but are not limited to spamming, distribution of copyrighted material, excessive use of bandwidth, accessing networks you are not authorized to and violating any other local, state or federal laws.

Our wireless mesh access points operate on the 2.4Ghz ISM band, a frequency that the FCC has deemed unlicensed in the US (restrictions on output power and antenna configuration still apply, which we comply with). The only thing to watch out for is the Terms of Service or Acceptable Use Policy your Internet Service Provider (ISP) has regarding sharing your Internet connection. Many ISPs do not allow sharing your Internet connection and may cancel your service if they find you doing so (although rare and we have yet to hear this has happening to anyone). Speakeasy.net, MegaPath.net and DSLExtreme.com are some ISPs that have been reported to specifically allow sharing of your connection. AT&T, Comcast, Time Warner, Verizon and pretty much any major telco have been reported to not allow sharing. If you aren't sure, ask your ISP. Some ISPs offer a “business class” service, without these restrictions.

DFWFreeNet would be more than happy to help you provide wireless Internet access for your property. Having DFWFreeNet volunteers design, build and maintain your wireless network can save you thousands of dollars in hardware, installation, labor and maintenance costs. The hardware DFWFreeNet deploys is low cost and typically hundreds less than comparable equipment. Our labor is free, saving you planning, installation, monitoring and maintenance costs. In exchange we ask that you provide open wireless Internet access to the surrounding area and not charge for access. There is the initial investment for the hardware and the ongoing cost of the Internet connection. Internet connections typically range from $50-$100 per month. Depending on the size of your property and number of users, you may need more then one Internet connection. For more information send an e-mail to:
(retype the address in your mail client)

Equipment from Meraki Networks was selected for its low cost, zero end user configuration, back-end management system and most importantly, its wireless mesh capabilities. This allows for several advantages. First, bandwidth usage is controlled, so one user doesn't saturate any one access point. Second, remote monitoring and management of the access points is available, allowing us to get an idea of what's going on inside the network and modify configuration remotely. Third, as opposed to traditional wireless networks, which require an Internet connection at every access point, Meraki access points can relay data as many times as needed until it reaches an Internet connected access point, significantly reducing the cost of building the network.

An access point name consists of three parts. The first part is the street intersection where the access point is located. The second part indicates if the access point is located within an apartment, residence or in the case of a business, the business name. The last part specifies the access point number at that location. For example:

W Campbell Rd and N juipter Rd (Desperados) #001

This access point is at the intersection of W Campbell Rd and N juipter Rd, is located at Desperados and it is access point number 001 at that location.

Meraki access points use the commercial implementation of the SrcRR MIT Roofnet mesh routing protocol which focuses on finding high-throughput routes in the face of lossy links. Roofnet ran on standard x86 PCs (expensive) and later on the discontinued Netgear WGT634U. After the Roofnet project, several members of the original team created Meraki Networks, Inc. which developed several wireless access points that are small, low-power mesh routers. The protocol has also undergone significant development and improvement, along with the addition of a web based management/monitoring system.

Yes, wireless clients can roam between access points seamlessly, with one exception. If a user roams far enough to switch to a different gateway access point than the one that was originally providing their path to the Internet, their external IP address will change, which breaks the connection for certain protocols such as VoIP or VPN connections.

When you first connect to DFWFreeNet and try to browse the web, you will be presented with a splash page. This page gives a brief description of DFWFreeNet, the website address and a note about expanding the network. When you click continue, you will be directed to the website you were trying to access. This splash page will appear at the start of every connection and every 24 hours thereafter. You will need to click the continue link on the splash page before you can access the Internet.