Re: Ethernet and intra-networking for cohousing communities | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Raines Cohen (raines-coho-Lraines.com) | |
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 12:18:01 -0600 (MDT) |
Joelyn Malone <minnmal [at] qwest.net> wrote on 6/5/01 10:01 AM: >I think I read that Old Oakland chousing shares one internet >subscription among the whole group, and saves money that way. We sure do. We paid a few hundred extra per unit in our initial purchase prices to get the whole place wired the right way, with lots of extra capacity in the lines. We saved $ by doing the finishing work ourselves - probably spent around $1k altogether for hubs and routers and tools and tester and jacks in multiple places in several units, but it could be done for less. We pay for a slightly-better-than-low-end DSL connection from our phone co (PacBell), costing $79 per month. As far as they're concerned, we have one computer attached... our router. It shares the connection with all 20 units, all of which have net-connected computers... continuously on... the amount per unit is so small (<$5/mo.) we just lump it into our HOA budget and dues rather than worrying about metering, billing, etc. Because any given web page takes only a second or two to load, the chance of us "bumping into" one another and slowing each other down is slim... and when we do, the limiting factor is usually the server, not our connection, so we rarely notice any effect. The CH is also wired (basically, everywhere there's a phone jack there's also a net jack, or the ability to add one) and we've taken advantage of that a couple of times to do presentations or demos there using the connection. > Are you >all connected by Ethernet that you put in yourselves? We had the phone wirers put it in the walls during construction, we just finished it off. In the process we learned a lot about how to do it efficiently and taught each other, had some work parties. It helped that I'm a consultant with some experience in this area (I got my wiring training from doing "NetDay" school installations a coupl'a years back), and that the son of one of our members is a professional DSL installer, and another runs a technology-assistance nonprofit. > Or some other >technology? We also invested in an Apple "Airport base station" (aka 802.11b hub, or Wi-Fi connection) plus antenna that lets those of us with wireless-equipped laptops (4 households already, 3 more expected shortly) to log on without plugging in from the CH, garden, or walk. The plan is to eventually boost it up so we can access it from the brewpub across the street or nearby restaurants. When the base station broke just out of warranty, we were able to use one household's computer as a "software base station" replacement for it because it's a new iMac (introduced since summer 2000) and has the card slot for it built in... All G4 Macs have this, too. >Is the ISP subscription a business one, or simply a >household one? It's residential service on my line... but not the cheapest, lowest level, so we have 5 dedicated IP addresses so we can put servers in house (we haven't gotten to this part yet). >And does the company know you are sharing it with many >households? No, nor do they care. They're providing the service (connectivity, at a specified speed which implies a specified amount of data flowing through the pipe), and we're paying for it, and we don't call them for support with it. The bill shows up on my phone bill and I submit it to the HOA for reimbursement or credit on my dues. > We have some interest in doing something like this at >Monterey Cohousing - maybe sharing among a few families, but are not >sure either about the practicality or the ethics, so I'd love to hear >about other communities' experiences. It's legal and ethical and easy and fun! Having a high-speed "always-on" connection really does change the way you use the net. Plus, it saved several people the cost of second phone lines, kept their lines from being tied up and busy, made it easier/cheaper to do home offices, and saved people the cost of individual ISP's... WE are their ISP! It helps that I had a mail server already that I could use to create individual e-mail addresses at our domain. I'll be doing some kind of presentation or birds-of-a-feather gathering on this topic at the North American Cohousing Conference this July... and working on an article for the Cohousing Journal. I'm also available for consultation for communities that want to fly me in and put me up to help them put in a net (once they have gotten consensus and laid the groundwork). Raines Raines Cohen <coho-L [at] raines.com> <http://www.swansway.com/> Out to shake the bushes for flower petals for a memorial. Vice President, Swan's Market Cohousing [Old Oakland, CA] Where a fountain is going in the public courtyard today! Member, East Bay Cohousing [no site yet] <http://www.ebcoho.org/> Where members are meeting this week to plot & plan. Boardmember, The Cohousing Network <http://www.cohousing.org/> Noting that you can still get 'earlybird' rates for the North American Cohousing Conference, July 20-22, Berkeley, CA. _______________________________________________ Cohousing-L mailing list Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org Unsubscribe and other info: http://www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/cohousing-l
- Re: Ethernet and intra-networking for cohousing communities, (continued)
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Re: Ethernet and intra-networking for cohousing communities Howard Landman, June 5 2001
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Re: Ethernet and intra-networking for cohousing communities Peter Scott, June 5 2001
- Re: Ethernet and intra-networking for cohousing communities Howard Landman, June 5 2001
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Re: Ethernet and intra-networking for cohousing communities Peter Scott, June 5 2001
- Re: Ethernet and intra-networking for cohousing communities Alan R. Bleier, June 26 2001
- Re: Ethernet and intra-networking for cohousing communities Raines Cohen, June 5 2001
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Re: Ethernet and intra-networking for cohousing communities Howard Landman, June 5 2001
- Re: Ethernet and intra-networking for cohousing communities Raines Cohen, June 6 2001
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