Building Wireless Community Networks is about getting people online using wireless network technology. The 802.11b standard (also known as WiFi) makes it possible to network towns, schools, neighborhoods, small business, and almost any kind of organization. All that's required is a willingness to cooperate and share resources. The first edition of this book helped thousands of people engage in community networking activities. At the time, it was impossible to predict how quickly and thoroughly WiFi would penetrate the marketplace. Today, with WiFi-enabled computers almost as common as Ethernet, it makes even more sense to take the next step and network your community using nothing but freely available radio spectrum. This book has showed many people how to make their network available, even from the park bench, how to extend high-speed Internet access into the many areas not served by DSL and cable providers, and how to build working communities and a shared though intangible network. All that's required to create an access point for high-speed Internet connection is a gateway or base station. Once that is set up, any computer with a wireless card can log onto the network and share its resources. Rob Flickenger built such a network in northern California, and continues to participate in network-building efforts. His nuts-and-bolts guide covers: Selecting the appropriate equipment Finding antenna sites, and building and installing antennas Protecting your network from inappropriate access New network monitoring tools and techniques (new) Regulations affecting wireless deployment (new) IP network administration, including DNS and IP Tunneling (new) His expertise, as well as his sense of humor and enthusiasm for the topic, makes Building Wireless Community Networks a very useful and readable book for anyone interested in wireless connectivity.

It is surprising to think that in today’s rapidly evolving world of technology, over half of the globe still does not have access to high speed internet. Creating community wireless networks has in the past been a way to provide remote communities with internet and network access. Social and Economic Effects of Community Wireless Networks and Infrastructures highlights the successes of community wireless networks but also boldly addresses the potential risk factors and broader socioeconomic concerns. This publication’s exploration of previous successes and failures, various designs, and potential challenges with CWNs makes it a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, vendors, and activists.

Since the dawn of creation, man has designed maps to help identify the space that we occupy. From Lewis and Clark's pencil-sketched maps of mountain trails to Jacques Cousteau's sophisticated charts of the ocean floor, creating maps of the utmost precision has been a constant pursuit. So why should things change now?Well, they shouldn't. The reality is that map creation, or "cartography," has only improved in its ease-of-use over time. In fact, with the recent explosion of inexpensive computing and the growing availability of public mapping data, mapmaking today extends all the way to the ordinary PC user.Mapping Hacks, the latest page-turner from O'Reilly Press, tackles this notion head on. It's a collection of one hundred simple--and mostly free--techniques available to developers and power users who want draw digital maps or otherwise visualize geographic data. Authors Schuyler Erle, Rich Gibson, and Jo Walsh do more than just illuminate the basic concepts of location and cartography, they walk you through the process one step at a time.Mapping Hacks shows you where to find the best sources of geographic data, and then how to integrate that data into your own map. But that's just an appetizer. This comprehensive resource also shows you how to interpret and manipulate unwieldy cartography data, as well as how to incorporate personal photo galleries into your maps. It even provides practical uses for GPS (Global Positioning System) devices--those touch-of-a-button street maps integrated into cars and mobile phones. Just imagine: If Captain Kidd had this technology, we'd all know where to find his buried treasure!With all of these industrial-strength tips and tools, Mapping Hacks effectively takes the sting out of the digital mapmaking and navigational process. Now you can create your own maps for business, pleasure, or entertainment--without ever having to sharpen a single pencil.

Mac OS X Unwired introduces you to the basics of wireless computing, from the reasons why you'd want to go wireless in the first place, to setting up your wireless network or accessing your wireless services on the road. The book provides a complete introduction to all the wireless technologies supported by Mac OS X, including Wi-Fi (802.11b and g), infrared, Bluetooth, CDMA2000, and GPRS. You'll learn how to set up your first wireless network and how use the Mac OS X software that supports wireless, such as iSync, iChat, and Rendezvous. You'll also get a good understanding of the limitations and liabilities of each wireless technology. Other topics covered in the book include: Using wireless at home, in the office, or on the road Connecting to wireless hotspots Wireless Security Mac OS X Unwired is a one-stop wireless information source for technically savvy Mac users. If you're considering wireless as an alternative to cable and DSL, or using wireless to network computers in your home or office, this book will show you the full-spectrum view of wireless capabilities of Mac OS X, and how to get the most out of them.

An introduction to the world of network security, this work shows readers how to learn the basics, including cryptography, security policies, and secure network design.