What: The Portsmouth Wi-Fi Project was created as a resource to promote wireless Internet awareness and usage. The project initially consists of:
- A wi-fi news and information web site where hotspot owners will list their publicly-available networks. www.portsmouthwifi.org (this website!)
- A free public wi-fi access point, located in the information kiosk in Market Square, sponsored by the eCoast Technology Roundtable of the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce. We believe this is the first chamber-sponsored wi-fi access spot in the nation.
Wi-Fi (short for "wireless fidelity") is the commonly used term for 802.11b-based wireless technology. For wi-fi news and info we recommend: www.80211-planet.com
Who: The Portsmouth Wi-Fi Project was established by Erik Crago and D. Scott Campbell. The Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce maintains the kiosk and BayRing Communications provides the Internet connection.
When: The downtown wi-fi hotspot is a temporary pilot program scheduled to "go live" with a ceremonial wire-cutting on June 23, 2003. The kiosk hotspot will remain running through the summer and fall of 2003.
Where: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is the heart of the NH Seacoast, otherwise known in technical circles as the eCoast. The kiosk was chosen to be the public hotspot because of its central location in historic downtown Portsmouth, a popular tourist destination for its many quaint shops and quality restaurants.
How: The downtown hotspot consists of a standard phone line, a burstable SDSL connection with speeds from 768Kbps to 2.5Mbps, and an off-the-shelf Cable/DSL Wireless Router. (Other equipment will also be tested during the pilot program.) The signal reaches omni-directionally for several hundred feet.
Why: We thought it would be a nice way to contribute to the community while promoting the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of the eCoast. Plus, we feel like we should get outside more often in the summer, and this was the best way we could do it and still get our e-mail. ;-)
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This kiosk will provide not only visitor information but also serve as the wireless Internet broadcast point for the public "wi-fi hotspot." [Courtesy photo]
Port City Web president, eCoast Board of Directors member, & Portsmouth Wi-Fi Project founder Erik Crago. [Courtesy photo.]
With his iBook, Scott Campbell accesses his own wi-fi network in a courtyard across the street from his home office. [Courtesy photo.]
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