The Free Talk Live BBS
Free Talk Live => General => Topic started by: The Green Bastard on March 27, 2011, 07:21:16 PM
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Hey, I boozing a bit and want to throw an idea out there for a liberty oriented wireless "intranet" device.
Envision a cheap wireless router you plug in to power but not in to an internet connection. The router just sits there broadcasting its name for any wireless device in the area to see. When a computer, ipad, smartphone etc, connects to this access point, any request (for example www.google.com) gets redirected to a stand-alone web page that is running from the router iteself, not the internet.
I am envisioning the web page could be a welcome message telling the visitor what just happened and asks people to visit websites like FTL etc whenever they get online. The page could also have a listing of MP3s and video files of things like FTL or other LRN poscasts. All these files would be served off the local USB drive plugged in to the router.
The owner of the router could add and remove podcasts, videos etc by simply removing the USB key from the router and plugging it in to a PC and copying new podcasts, video over.
I thought it would be a good way to propogate the formula in places like apartment complexes, college dorms, office buildings, hotels, conferences, or wherever there is a high concentration of people accessing wireless internet. You could plug one of these routers in your dorm, apartment, or wherever and let it sit. Whenever someone in your area fires up their wireless device, they will see a new wireless network called "Liberty Network" or something along these lines. Maybe "Free Boobies" would work better, but may be misleading.
If you ever wanted to add new content, you would just pull the usb key and copy files from your PC to the USB and pop it back in to the router. The standalone website would automatically refresh itself to display the new content. You could also make this portable by plugging the router in to a small lithium ion battery inverter. This would easily fit in a purse or laptop bag and could be fired up wherever there a lot of people looking to connect to a wireless AP.
If enough of these existed in an area, it would also be a nice way to spread information in the event the govt. decides to turn off the internets.
I am guessing this would be pretty do-able using an off the shelf linksys or asus etc. router with a USB port that supports DDWRT or Tomato. It would be nice to offer the firmware file for download so anyone who can set up a wireless router can accomplish the flashing to the new firmware. Beyond that, they would just need to provide a USB key and populate it with all the podcasts, videos etc. they desire. Just have the owner rename the filename to something descriptive like "Free Talk Live Podcast 3-12-11.mp3" and have the filename be used as the link in the web page so you wouldn't have to manage an index.
Anyway, just a random thought I had last night. Just wondering if there is merit in persuing this or would somethign like this have no impact or worth.
Or am I drunk?
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See http://wiki.daviddarts.com/PirateBox - somebody is doing this already
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Thanks for the link! Imagine an entire city of something like these guys meshed toghther!
(http://www.aucklandfatloss.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/charlie-sheen-winning-tshirt.jpg)
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See http://wiki.daviddarts.com/PirateBox - somebody is doing this already
If by "doing this already" you mean there are maybe two in existence with no more being made.
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http://www.freedomboxfoundation.org/
http://wiki.debian.org/FreedomBox