Check out this sub-reddit, lots of valuable info, but more importantly a central place to plan and join in. Help the protocol, awareness and coverage move forward. (already 12k active users)
http://www.reddit.com/r/darknetplan
Add your self to the map, http://darknetmap.zone42.ca/
The Serval project is a mobile free global mesh network being headed by Dr Paul Gardner-Stephen and a team of engineers and developers. They have already released an Android app, very interesting http://www.servalproject.org/
A charity called ahumanright.org has plans to buy old satellites ( and also use new ones) as a provision of basic human rights and connectivity on a world wide scale.
An ad hoc network in space would provide global coverage for people in need. As we saw recently in Egypt, the internet has become an essential form of communication, even a basic human right.
If you want to help out or read more check out the blog, http://www.blog.ahumanright.org/
They would be happy to work with any capable engineers, or maybe you have a spare satellite floating around?
Well if not, a few dollars would be helpful for such a great project.
The after math in Egypt is really a testament to the power of social media as something that belongs in the hands of the people in a truly democratic sense. We are quickly realizing it is a tool that can save lives and create change for the better. S
Collective empowerment in real-time.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted Google the application to use the whitespace spectrum ( along with several other companies).
White space spectrum, or super wifi, or even wifi on steroids as it is sometimes called, has a much longer wavelength than traditional wifi, furthering it’s reach with much better penetration, some initial research showing at can reach over 50 miles.
Here is a video of one of Google founders, Larry Page, speaking about super wifi , http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2008/05/larry-page-talks-about-googles-vision.html
The FCC vote : http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2010/09/fcc-vote-on-white-spaces-lays-promising.html
Combined with mesh networks this would be a game changer, of course the tech would most likely still be currently run by the telco’s and Google, but I am positive some open source ad hoc solutions come out of this new field.
B.A.T.M.A.N – http://www.open-mesh.org/
Roofnet | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roofnet
GNUnet | https://gnunet.org/
Netsukuku | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netsukuku
Open Mesh Project | http://www.openmeshproject.org/
OLPC Mesh Network | http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Mesh_Network_Details
Open source BGP | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Gateway_Protocol
Digitatas | https://sites.google.com/a/opensailing.net/digitata/
sMesh | http://www.smesh.org/
Coova | http://coova.org/
Babel | http://www.pps.jussieu.fr/~jch/software/babel/
SolarMESH | http://owl.eng.mcmaster.ca/~todd/SolarMESH/
WINGproject | http://www.wing-project.org/
Wiki list of mesh protocols: Wikimedia list of ad-hoc mesh protocols and packet routing
Even bigger list of ad-hoc routing protocols: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hoc_routing_protocol_list
Commercial projects:
Meraki ( google funded) | http://meraki.com/
Firetide | http://www.firetide.com/
Basic explanation – how this stuff works:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesh_networking
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_mesh_network
Example of a working grassroots wireless community
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athens_Wireless_Metropolitan_Network
The list here is to consolidate information, please feel free leave any protocols that have been left out and relevant comparison/analysis of mesh solutions in the comments.
openmesh 