Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Ethernet and intra-networking for cohousing communities

[Alan R. Bleier (alanb]

Hi,

At the Ithaca Ecovillage we have Linux on a 486 PC with a UPS in our
common house, acting as our mail server and firewall.  There is also a
router between the firewall and our ISP.

Thick ethernet cables go from the CH to our 4 energy centers which each
provide heat and hot water for 6 to 8 units and also contain ethernet
hubs.  From the hubs, cat 5 wiring goes to individual units.

I was not here when the network was installed but I believe residents did
all of the wiring through the ducts that connect all the units
underground.  Installation charge is $25 to $50 and the monthly fee is
$15/mo. for households and something more for home-based businesses.  The
monthly fee pays for a 500 kbps radio link to our ISP on the other side of
Cayuga Lake, and for hosting of our web site.

We also have Macs, PCs, Linux machines and Sparcstations on the network.  
We are getting a lot for much less money than DSL or Roadrunner, thanks to
cooperation and sharing.

Good luck to you in your own networking.

Alan
--
Alan R. Bleier             (607) 272-7803    Fax: (530) 325-6447
118 Rachel Carson Way      alanb [at] ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us
Ithaca, NY 14850-9396 USA  http://people.cornell.edu/pages/arb23

On Tue, 5 Jun 2001, MinnMal wrote:

I think I read that Old Oakland chousing shares one internet
subscription among  the whole group, and saves money that way. Are you
all connected by Ethernet that you put in yourselves?  Or some other
technology? Is the ISP subscription a business one, or simply a
household one? And does the company know you are sharing it with many
households? 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.

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