Advance use of Mikrotik in Danish rural area Wireless networks

Presentation at the MUM 2006 in Dallas Texas By Niels Sorensen Denmark Representing: DjurslandS.net / DIIRWB.net / WSFII.net RanumNet.dk / SevelNet.dk / Powerline.dk / Platform.dk

Who?

• Niels Christian Sørensen (Danish ø) • 15 years experience in Computer Science • Wireless pioneer since 2000 together with DjurslandS.net

• Live in rural area.

• Employed at Aalborg University • Developing community and Commercial Wireless solutions • IT Consultant company: Platform.dk

Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

Why?

• Used Mikrotik for Commercial and community solutions since 2003 • Wireless Hotspots in harbours • “Network master” for DjurslandS.net from 2003 to 2005 • Developed commercial solutions with Powerline 2004-6 - selling good • Designed and build SevelNet • Founder of RanumNet • Participating in DIIRWB / WSFII Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

Denmark - Geography lesson

QuickTime™ and a TIFF (LZW) decompressor are needed to see this picture.

Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

Denmark - Facts!

QuickTime™ and a TIFF (LZW) decompressor are needed to see this picture.

• 5.427.459 (5 mill) people (jan. 06) • Highest point 130m (1000 feet) • High living standard and general • social infrastructure High IT infrastructure in urban areas • Lower Infrastructure in rural areas • State wants to guarantee IT • Powercompanies go telecom • IT and Telecom is relatively expensive • 3.610.100 phonelines • 4.785.300 Cell phones Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

Denmark - no internet?

• Generally promise of up to 95% DSL coverage by Telecom • ~ 81% have a computer • ~ 83% have access to Internet • ~ 50% access to Internet at home • Rural areas with communities of op to 50.000 only 75% • Tendency to “await fiber solution” as solution in rural areas Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

Why worry?

• IT underdevelopment in rural areas equals de-population • Social deroute in rural areas • 2 urban cities tendency: • Copenhagen • Aarhus • Commercially unattractive • Fiber roll-out takes many years Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

My Wireless Denmark

RanumNet DjurslandS.net

DIIRWB (WSFII) SevelNet Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

Mikrotik in use as Community and Commercial solutions

• Communities: – lack of enough volunteer experts – Money matters • Commerce: – Most “professional” solutions are expensive especially CPE – Problems with 802.11a/b/g and telephony solutions – ...

Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

Community solutions?

• Volunteer based Communities: • Tired of waiting • Ready to “do it yourself” (or together) • Heard / read about / seen similar solutions all over the world • Unwilling to pay the expensive fiberbased solutions - if it comes • Used to TV by satellite • Denmark has Community culture Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net?

• Wireless ”rural area” network in Denmark • Currently 3.800 homes online • 300+ access points for distribution and 250+ MT • Started in 1993 • Started as ”Bøvl” (”Computer troubles”) • Kazakstan 1999 - Unemployed and disabled Danes helps building IT educational centers in 5 schools.

• Lithuania project 2000 – Same concept • Bjarke Nielsen (Funder of DjurslandS.net) had a vision Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net - the Vision

The vision in 10 points: • Keep and expand the citizens quality of life • Keep and attrackt more population to the rural area Djursland • Expand the rent ability for the companies of Djursland • Ensure, expand and attract new business to the area • Create possibilities for new business e.g. telecommuting • Avoid youth de-population by maintaining competitive jobs • Maintain and attract new tourism • Create a good living environment - also for elderly and disabled • Prevent a long term decade - a low property zone mainly inhabited by elderly and socially disabled. A Digital divide.

• Participate in create a whole Denmark in front in the IT society for generations to come.

Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net - Demographics

• Denmark: • Population: 5.4 million people • Total Area: 43905 m2 • Population density:

124,6 people/km2

• Djursland: • Population: 82.420 people • Total area: 1.491 km2 • Population density:

57,6 people/km2 Approx. 1/2 of the general density.

Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net - the Movie

Niels - please show us the movie!

Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net - Gear talk

• Started with Linksys allover • Backhaul was 2,4GHz now 5GHz • Clients mostly cheap Ovislink 2,4GHz • Starting to replace and expand using Mikrotik and 5GHz clients • Longest link 15km carries 20Mb FD • Fiber backbone ties it all together • 60 Mb Internet Access • “Fair Share” internet access of typ. 2/2Mb Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net - Backbone

Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net Development

Development over time

4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 0 650 1000 1500 2000

3800

2500 Ju n 03 S ep -0 3 D ec 03 M ar -0 4 Ju n 04 S ep -0 4 D ec 04 M ar -0 5 Ju n 05 S ep -0 5 D ec 05 Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net - Coverage 2004

Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net - Most interesting links

15km 8km 11km

Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net - Most interesting links bw

40Mb/s 20Mb/s

Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net?

Niels - Show us some images from Djursland Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net - Mikrotik

• Mikrotik “saved” the project • User divide on routing platform • Too few “Linux nerds” • Started “borrowing” M$ server for routing • Met Dmitry and John, CeBIT 2003 • Moved focus from platforms to learning how to route • Superusers can easily learn simple tasks in WinBox • We “nerds” may still “fool around” in shell Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DjurslandS.net - People

• 100% non-commercial • 100% build by volunteers • 100% growth expected the next 2 years • Users still pay $320,- and $16,- / month •

STILL NO HIRED STAFF

• 300+ Volunteers build everything • No fond finances, no help from government • Locals make “computer clubs all over” Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

RanumNet.dk

• Moved “back to my new hometown” • Started with link from my brother to my new house • The rest of town say the antennas • Founded January 2006 • Same Principe as Djurs but 5GHz and Mikrotik only running NStream • Will include VoIP • Cost: $500,- and $16,- month • First link to remote island made Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

SevelNet.dk - Commercial

• Powerline sold solution to the City • City had an “Investment community” that wished to finance the infrastructure, ROI = 3 years • First 25 CPE is running with VoIP • Next 50 is arriving from Latvia soon • Further 100 is ordered • Cost without Voip: $150,- / $26,- month • Cost with VoIP: $200,- / $30,- month • Mikrotik based backhaul and CPE Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

Broadband in Denmark

• Power companies ”go Telecom • They use billions of $ digging fiber • States publicly that every home is FTTH enabled within a few year • Logistically impossible • Minimum 10 years before the farms in Denmark is FTTH enabled • Using inferiour PON fiber solution • Still a big marked for wireless • No need yet for TV on demand (illigal) Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

Farmers in Denmark whining

”Being a farmer without broadband sucks” ”Rural areas needs speed on the internet” Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

HiSpeed Internet cost

• Even IF the Power/Telecom guys get there, a fiber internet connection is not cheap • Focus on speed, not price • Typicaly twice the price of DSL • DSL in denmark starts around $60,- / month – flatrate • Telephone monthly fixed fee is $20,- and then you start paying pr. minute • ”Do it together” wireless solution has an ROI of 1 (one) year in Denmark • A commercially is absolutely feasible: – RouterBoards as hardware – MT-OS as firmware – 5GHz (802.11a – 1W) radio technology – Need Cheap good buildin antennas in Danmark Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

DIIRWB / WSFII

• DIIRWB = Djursland International Institute of Wireless Broadband • DjurslandS.net created education facility • Teaching internationally how to build Wireless Rural area networks • “Hands on” courses combined with theory • Part of the WSFII = “World Summit on Free Information Infratructures, supported directly by Kofir Annan • EU funding supports the idea • Part of the Baltic Rural Broadband Project Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

Summercamp 2006

• Come join wireless geeks from all over the world, community as well as commerce.

• In 2004 several hundred boys and girls came from no less than 36 contries on ALL continents • Workshops, seminars, hands-on experiments • Build your own antenna and test it.

• Mesh, roam, link, share ideas and get new inspiration in 100% informal surroundings.

• July 1-8 2006, Friland, Djurs, Denmark • Arnis and I want to come and nerd MT 24/7 • Brochure available after this commercial Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

Summercamp - Agenda

Sorry Not yet BUT Niels, Please show us some pictures from Freifunk Sommerevent 2004 Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006

More Information

(Thank you for listning) DjurslandS.Net: http://www.djurs.net

SevelNet: http://www.sevel.net

RanumNet: http://www.ranumnet.dk

DIIRWB: http://diirwb.net

WSFII: http://www.wsfii.org

Commerciel solutions: Niels C. Sorensen [email protected]

+45 2214 4077 Mikrotik in rural area networks - MUM Dallas, Texas 2006