- Paperback: 144 pages
- Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 1 edition (8 Nov 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0596002041
- ISBN-13: 978-0596002046
- Product Dimensions: 22.4 x 14.7 x 0.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,669,925 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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More About the Author
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Certain cities--Singapore is one example--have begun to outfit gathering places, like airport lounges and downtown coffee shops, as "hot spots" that are served by wireless Internet antennas. It's possible for anyone with an IEEE 802.11b card in a laptop to sit down in one and have Internet access immediately. The author of Building Wireless Community Networks, Rob Flickenger, thinks this is a great idea. He's written this small, thin volume to explain to readers why wireless networking is a community asset, and to bring them up to speed on the technologies available for creating wireless hot spots. "Community" here means a collection of people, as in a town or neighbourhood.
Wireless networking protocols are complicated, but IEEE 802.11b and the products that have sprung up around it (like Apple's AirPort and similar offerings from Lucent Technologies and Cisco Systems) are pretty easy to set up and integrate into a network. Flickenger's treatment deals with these admirably, but places more emphasis on configuring operating systems (notably Linux) to work as wireless gateways for transient users. The really fun reading has to do with custom antennas, though. He explains--no kidding--how to convert a Pringles potato-chip can into an antenna for wireless networking, and goes into detail on how to work around the challenges posed by topography and manmade obstacles. This is a smart book about one of the most exciting frontiers in computer networking. --David Wall
Topics covered: means of delivering wireless network access (mainly Internet access) to rooms, buildings, communities, and whole geographic regions of up to a few miles in diameter. Design and placement of access points, as well as configuration of network nodes, is covered in detail, as are the legal and political aspects of building a wireless network for general community use.
Davey Winder, kewney.com, Jan 2002
Considering the small size of the reference, Flickenger is
to be congratulated on packing so much in without sacrificing either readability or the plot.
to be congratulated on packing so much in without sacrificing either readability or the plot.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I thought this book would get me up to date on some of the latest thinking with regards to Wireless LAN's and Communities. Perhaps it has, and there's nothing much to say. This book is unbelievably thin compared to the concise, info-full tomes normally produced by Orielly. It also contains a lot of repeated, waffly information - though this may be classed as "easy to read" (which it is - fairplay). Much of the book covers configuration of a limited number of devices - such as the Apple Airport, which surely you can get from a device manual. The author's main credentials seem to be simply setting up a wireless LAN for Oreilly and then setting up a point-to-point connection from the Office to his home - hardly groundbreaking? Admittedly the Pringles can is a bit of innovative fun. Having just bought and starting to read Orielly's Wireless LAN's Definitive Guide, I think I've learned more in the first few, concise pages than the whole of this book. I think you get the jist.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is an excellent introduction to the planning and building of community wireless networks. It covers all the main required aspects of the project in simple and very readable language. Technical terms are well explained and math and technical examples are used effectively, but only where specifically required. There are good clear examples of the various network, software and hardware requirements with practical advice based on actual project experience. Whatever prior experience you may have, this book has a wealth of uselful information and tips. - Excellent!!
Format:Paperback
I thought this book would get me up to date on most of the latest thinking with regards to Wireless LAN's and Communities. Perhaps it has, but there's nothing much to say.
This book is unbelievably thin compared to the concise, info-full tomes normally produced by Orielly. A pleasure if we're dealing with something concise and powerful - but we're not. A significant amount of the "144 pages" come across as padding rather than content. I'd estimate only around half of it is "meat" with a lot of repeated, waffly information which I do not expect from Oreilly books - though this may be classed as "easy to read" (which it is - fair play).
Much of the book covers configuration of a limited number of devices (one?) - such as the Apple Airport, which surely you can get from any WLAN device manual. A good comparison of pros/cons of different devices, approaches, software and technologies may have been interesting. Especially rather than just mentioning a couple and largely recommending other Oreilly books to read instead.
The author's main credentials seem to be setting up a wireless LAN with a limited range of technology for Oreilly and then setting up a point-to-point connection from the Office to his home. Admittedly the Pringles can is a bit of innovative fun, but probably not much more. The U.S. TOPO (topographical) Maps info is interesting, but not so relevant in the UK.
Having just bought and starting to read Orielly's Wireless LAN's Definitive Guide, I think I've learned more in the first few, concise pages than almost the whole of this book.
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