Internet without an ISP? A Private Network? Huh?

May 15, 2018 12:27 PM

I was reading Dear Prudence instead of working, as one does. There was a follow-up from a letter-writer who, unable to join in on a new fiber optic broadband service in her area, went ahead and set up a "private network." I am super intrigued but cannot find anything about it. Here's the post. Does anyone know where I can get more information about this?
posted by bluejayway to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

Best answer: Farmers in the U.K. have done this
posted by KateViolet at 12:36 PM on May 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Here is a detailed description of how to become your own ISP. The Dear Prudence post is understandably short on technical details but I suspect they did something either along the same lines or less complicated, maybe starting with finding group of interested neighbors including one person who had access to the new fiber.
posted by exogenous at 12:36 PM on May 15, 2018 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Here's another resource about starting your own ISP (conversation on Hacker News). I happened to talk this morning with a fiber provider, and started to dream again about connecting whole neighborhoods, city block by block, by hanging ethernet cables from one building to another (as I had seen done in Moscow). Sigh. Regulations. Reality. I know, I know.

Another resource is this fund? for starting your ISP. They seem to be positioning themselves as a "start your ISP in a box" service.

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There was also this recent article regarding NYC Mesh (conversation on Hacker News) which is an alternative to commercial ISPs.

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You might want to explore the Wireless ISP ("WISP") world, where self-started ISPs are common. There's a sub-reddit dedicated to this.
posted by vert canard at 3:01 PM on May 15, 2018