Wireless Networking in the Developing World book released

Imagine trying to piece together a wireless network with no manuals, sporadic and slow access to the Internet, inadequate tools, a shortage of supplies, and in the most inclement weather. The authors of a recently published book, "Wireless Networking in the Developing World" don't need to imagine. They have been doing so for years.

The cover of the book

A great new book has just been released to the community. It's written by a collective of authors, some of which are close friends of ASCII.

We really recommend this book. It's available under a Creative Commons license,

Here's their press release, from the Wireless Networking in the Developing World site:

The project

The massive popularity of wireless networking has caused equipment costs to continually plummet, while equipment capabilities continue to increase. By applying this technology in areas that are badly in need of critical communications infrastructure, more people can be brought online than ever before, in less time, for very little cost. We hope to not only convince you that this is possible, but also show how we have made such networks work, and to give you the information and tools you need to start a network project in your local community.

The book

This book was created by a team of individuals who each, in their own field, are actively participating in the ever-expanding Internet by pushing its reach farther than ever before. Over a period of a few months, we have produced a complete book that documents our efforts to build wireless networks in the developing world.

We hope that you find these materials and this website useful. Please feel free to contribute your own experiences on the wiki and mailing list, and help make the next edition even better.

You can download the book in PDF form as a single file (2.0 MB), or in chapters.

The printed book

The book is completed, and printed copies will shortly be available from from Lulu.com, a print-on-demand service. The PDF will be updated periodically, and ordering from the print-on-demand service ensures that you will always receive the latest revision. The printed version is nearly ready; check back in a few days.

More information

You can join our mailing list for discussion about the book. We also host a wiki for ideas, corrections, and contributions to the book.