CONCEPT

The idea of NeighborNet is to solve a primary problem in an area of the Smokey Mountains. The community has no cell service that reaches it, surrounded by mountains and consisting of thick forests and many valleys and has low population.

The idea is to use WiFi where individuals can choose to participate in the network and provide each other a way to have mobile communications.

The concept is rather simple and easy. The implementation is complex from a more legal and liability reality.

The most basic idea would be to have an open, unsecured SSID where all people would use the same SSID, i.e. "NeighborNet" with fast roaming enabled and one's phone would simply connect and "roam" between Access Points (APs). This would allow internet and "WiFi Calling" to happen, assuming enough individuals participated with enough APs to provide coverage. The issues come into play with someone accessing the internet and doing nefarious deeds, eating up enough bandwidth to slow down to the ISP customer's (the personal actually paying for the internet) connection slowing it down, others deciding to use the free ride instead of paying for their own internet, and various other issues.

OpenWRT is probably capable of being configured to be the OS of the APs and routers. Deciding a configuration and access plan is the hard part.

WiFi calling is relatively low bandwidth, consuming at even the high estimates of 125kbps meaning 8 calls at full usage would be 1 Mbps. Most home connections in the area at at minimum 300 Mbps so even 200 calls at once might consume 25 Mbps.

Internet usage will vary widely per device, which could consume much more bandwidth. Research on Google Maps navigation suggests up to 15 MB per hour which is like 30 kbps so again, rather small, even at scale. Add in the kids streaming netflicks in the backseat might add 5 to 10 Mbps which WOULD be a problem at scale.

So reality says that the participate person will want their router to prioritize their own traffic first. Then logic would say to prioritize WiFi calling next as it is the primary reason to participate in the network - to have communications. Maybe limited other internet traffic could be allowed after that. Maybe limited to 1 Mbps or 10 or 2.5 even. Enough to be very slow if really needed, but a deterrent to relying on.

Another dimension is to have a user access system. RADIUS or the like has been considered, but might be more complex than is feasible. An alternative is to use VPN systems, where a user could choose to open bigger pipes to others that reciprocate or some system of the like. The VPN would also solve the encryption and security aspects of an open SSID.