COMMUNITY WIRELESS
Your neighbourhood's own internet
What is a community wireless network?
A community wireless network is exactly what it sounds like: a network of wireless links built and operated by the community it serves, rather than a telephone or cable company. Instead of paying Comcast or Rogers for internet access, a neighbourhood installs antennas on rooftops and links them together. The community owns the infrastructure. The community decides how it's used.
The hardware involved is the same kind used by regular internet service providers — point-to-point wireless links, sector antennas, and access points. What's different is the software running on it (usually open-source firmware like OpenWRT or LibreMesh) and the ownership model (a co-operative, a non-profit, or just a group of neighbours).
These networks don't have to replace the commercial internet — though some do. Many function as local area networks where community members can share files and services with each other without any internet traffic at all, or as resilient backup paths when the main internet is down.
Why a community would want one
No ISP dependency
A community network doesn't go down when the cable company has an outage, raises prices, or decides a neighbourhood isn't profitable enough to serve. The infrastructure is yours.
Disaster resilience
Local wireless infrastructure can keep working during floods, power outages, and other emergencies when centralized systems fail. Many emergency responders use similar technology for exactly this reason.
Underserved areas
Commercial ISPs only build infrastructure where it's profitable. Community wireless networks have connected rural areas, low-income neighbourhoods, and remote towns that would otherwise have no options.
Local services
A community network can host local services — message boards, file sharing, video streaming, local apps — that never touch the public internet. Useful for privacy and for reducing dependence on cloud platforms.
Common software
OpenWRT
An open-source Linux-based firmware for routers and wireless hardware. Replaces the stock software on most consumer routers and access points with something far more capable and configurable. The foundation most community networks build on.
openwrt.org →LibreMesh
A layer on top of OpenWRT designed specifically for community mesh networks. Handles automatic node discovery, routing, and network management. Makes it much easier to set up a multi-node community network without deep networking expertise.
libremesh.org →BATMAN-adv
Better Approach To Mobile Adhoc Networking — a routing protocol used by many community wireless projects including those using LibreMesh. Automatically finds the best paths between nodes as the network changes.
open-mesh.org →AREDN
Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network. Uses modified commercial wireless hardware and the amateur radio spectrum to build broadband mesh networks for emergency communications. Available to licensed amateur radio operators.
arednmesh.org →Common hardware
Most community wireless networks are built on commercial off-the-shelf hardware loaded with open-source firmware. The most commonly used brands are:
Ubiquiti
Popular choice for point-to-point links and access points. Reliable, powerful, and widely supported by OpenWRT. The NanoStation and airGrid product lines are common in community networks. More expensive than consumer gear but built for outdoor use.
ui.com →TP-Link & GL.iNet
Consumer-grade routers that are well-supported by OpenWRT. Good for indoor nodes, access points for end users, and experimentation. Much cheaper than enterprise gear and usually readily available.
OpenWRT hardware list →Real-world examples
NYC Mesh
A community-run wireless network in New York City with hundreds of nodes across the five boroughs. Provides real internet access to members and operates as a non-profit.
nycmesh.net →Guifi.net
One of the world's largest community networks, based in Catalonia, Spain. Has grown to tens of thousands of nodes and serves rural areas that commercial providers don't reach.
guifi.net →People's Open Network
A community mesh network in Oakland, California. Open-source infrastructure, community governance, and a focus on digital sovereignty.
peoplesopen.net →Freifunk
A German community wireless initiative with chapters across Germany and neighbouring countries. One of the oldest and largest community wireless movements in the world.
freifunk.net →Get started
Starting a community wireless network is a social project as much as a technical one. The hardware is inexpensive and the software is free — the challenge is organizing neighbours, identifying good antenna mounting spots, and agreeing on governance. The communities below have guides and active forums for new projects.
Quick facts
- ▶ Hardware: consumer & prosumer Wi-Fi gear
- ▶ Software: OpenWRT, LibreMesh (free)
- ▶ No ISP needed for local network
- ▶ Can provide real internet access
- ▶ Works outdoors with directional antennas
- ▶ Range: up to several km point-to-point