And so, banananet is born:

(5:41:59 PM) h: I always liked the idea of setting up a couple of servers that only did tor routing, and using it for the urban wide area network system i wanted to design but as with everything i sit here and drink my tea and dream
(5:42:17 PM) AlexC: lol
(5:42:32 PM) AlexC: yeah i’ve thought about making a mesh-type network
(5:42:43 PM) AlexC: for file sharing
(5:43:06 PM) AlexC: i also sit and dream though
(5:43:07 PM) h: thats pretty much what i wanted to do, based on openbsd with a a wireless network and a solar panel
(5:43:21 PM) AlexC: hmmm
(5:43:44 PM) AlexC: the MPAA and RIAA would probably complain
(5:43:57 PM) AlexC: or the government would find a way to make us look like the bad guys
(5:44:28 PM) h: if I dont provide the files myself but mearly allow access to tor then i cant e blamed if terrorists miss use my tech
(5:46:51 PM) v4v: how about we create a load of music and media and build a free mesh network wherever there are sympathisers, and get everyone to build a big database of useful or free info
(5:46:57 PM) v4v: fuck mainstream media
(5:47:06 PM) AlexC: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10405824-83.html
(5:47:19 PM) h: pretty much theres enough great stuff on archive.org to keep me happy for years
(5:47:41 PM) v4v: there must be plenty of copyright free stuff to fill a few servers
(5:47:51 PM) h: and who gives a shit what the next iwank or what bull shit McMicro are up to
(5:48:14 PM) v4v: we need open source stuff and a few servers and some mesh network software
(5:49:01 PM) v4v: banana nets
(5:49:18 PM) AlexC: it’s possible
(5:49:23 PM) v4v: then open source the information on how to make them
(5:49:32 PM) AlexC: there are already heaps of wireless networks out there
(5:49:42 PM) v4v: maybe people would turn away from mainstream media eventually
(5:49:50 PM) h: i was looking at either http://www.soekris.com/net5501.htm or the nano itx running twelve volts striaght froma battery
(5:49:50 PM) AlexC: someone just needs to provide services on those networks
(5:50:55 PM) h: services like what? netconnection?
(5:50:57 PM) v4v: we need an all in one router,server and hdd system capable of running from a single solar panel
(5:51:16 PM) h: cant be that hard with sd cards and the like
(5:51:44 PM) AlexC: have you looked at nettops?
(5:51:50 PM) v4v: if we got a few big sd cards, you could put video, books and music on your local banana net
(5:52:19 PM) AlexC: the fit-pc2 uses 8W max
(5:52:25 PM) h: it would need massive cae hardening
(5:52:46 PM) AlexC: 1.6GHZ 1GB RAM 160GB HDD
(5:52:56 PM) v4v: put it in an ammo can
(5:53:11 PM) AlexC: I’m getting one as soon as the new model comes out
(5:53:16 PM) v4v: spray a banana on it – hook up the antenna and solar panel
(5:53:16 PM) h: thats what i was thinking then paint them bright yellow or something
(5:53:18 PM) AlexC: because i’m on solar
(5:54:13 PM) AlexC: you could even put it on your roof and use power over ethernet
(5:54:16 PM) h: what sort of price are they
(5:54:29 PM) v4v: if the software and hardware are hard enough and the systems could be made cheap enough you could leave them in place for a long time and allow people to upload stuff to them
(5:54:29 PM) AlexC: the fit-pc?
(5:54:34 PM) h: yeah i figure you get a couple the run from houses
(5:54:44 PM) h: yeah what the AUD?
(5:54:49 PM) v4v: put them in info shops
(5:55:06 PM) v4v: hide them in houses you vacate
(5:55:16 PM) h: its got to be cheap enough that people on the dole in various countries can get into it
(5:55:22 PM) v4v: aye
(5:55:27 PM) v4v: or can scrounge the parts
(5:55:32 PM) h: exactly
(5:55:37 PM) v4v: we have a bit of a mission there
(5:55:55 PM) h: mind you theres no reason why you couldnt just bodge a old atx board to get online with
(5:55:58 PM) h: we do
(5:56:15 PM) AlexC: 459.79
(5:56:18 PM) AlexC: with postage to aus
(5:56:27 PM) AlexC: for a good one
(5:56:31 PM) h: to much man
(5:56:42 PM) h: we need it cheaper if we can do it
(5:56:43 PM) AlexC: yeah they’re pretty pricey
(5:57:06 PM) AlexC: i’ve looked into building one myself
(5:57:16 PM) AlexC: but it’s way too hard to get the cases or power supplys
(5:57:27 PM) AlexC: and get everything to be compatible
(5:57:43 PM) h: i wonder if we started work on a normal desktop and worked from there as pretty much every computer manufacturer builds x86 compliant systems
(5:58:29 PM) AlexC: 333.37 for bottom of the line model
(5:58:42 PM) AlexC: but has no hard drive
(5:58:49 PM) v4v: there has to be an easier or cheaper way
(5:59:06 PM) AlexC: i’ll have a look
(5:59:31 PM) h: i say recycle corporate waste, most companies throw out there boxen after a few years, and it’s got to be esier to nick lekky then design a mini computer
(5:59:53 PM) v4v: can you run a desktop from a smallish solar panel – you wint need a monitor when it’s set up, and if you use a USB stick and a micro sd card reader as the storage, the power requirements would drop
(6:00:17 PM) AlexC: to about 100W
(6:00:22 PM) v4v: so pretty much, just running the board
(6:00:31 PM) AlexC: still uses a bit
(6:00:32 PM) v4v: that would require loads of power
(6:02:01 PM) h: 120W solar panels cost ~700AUD which was got to make it cheaper to borrow electricity
(6:02:07 PM) AlexC: for a motherboard cpu gpu all in one it’s US $164.99
(6:02:34 PM) AlexC: then you just need a power supply and case
(6:02:36 PM) h: thats getting closer you dont need the case if you mount it in a ammoncan
(6:02:58 PM) h: power supply isnt that just a bit of twelve volt wiring?
(6:03:01 PM) AlexC: yeah
(6:03:13 PM) v4v: how about built into obsolete laptops?
(6:03:14 PM) h: got a link for he barebones model?
(6:03:26 PM) h: the*
(6:03:57 PM) h: v4v: i like it then you could just leave it connected with a system running
(6:04:10 PM) h: and the system wouldnt require hardly any power
(6:04:16 PM) v4v: and they would definitely run from a 12 volt system
(6:04:25 PM) h: yep
(6:04:40 PM) AlexC: for fit-pc or motherboard?
(6:04:45 PM) v4v: you could work out how long the solar charged battery would run the laptop for and set up a mechanical power timer to turn it on
(6:04:46 PM) h: motherboards
(6:05:04 PM) AlexC: something like this: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ZOTAC-IONITX-A-U-Dual-Core-N330-Mini-ITX-NVIDIA-ION_W0QQitemZ270519774741QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotherboards?hash=item3efc3c2e15
(6:05:25 PM) h: average modern laptop is around 65Watts
(6:05:27 PM) AlexC: it has included wifi
(6:06:05 PM) AlexC: but you’d need a different router for large scale wifi
(6:06:08 PM) AlexC: with large antenna
(6:06:21 PM) AlexC: antenna wouldn’t cost much
(6:07:02 PM) h: a soerkris runs at 181EUR
(6:07:25 PM) AlexC: too much for such low performance
(6:07:29 PM) AlexC: but i guess it is tiny
(6:08:09 PM) AlexC: i think the motherboard might not need a power supply :O
(6:08:57 PM) AlexC: if you just feed it 12V dc
(6:09:44 PM) h: soerkris only use between 18 and 24 watts
(6:10:07 PM) h: but they are rather limiting in processor power
(6:10:14 PM) AlexC: yeah
(6:10:30 PM) AlexC: that motherboard supports up to 4GB ram
(6:10:43 PM) AlexC: and a 1.6GHZ cpu
(6:10:48 PM) AlexC: dual core
(6:10:50 PM) h: any .au based supplies i wonder?
(6:11:15 PM) AlexC: they are really expensive most of the time
(6:12:08 PM) h: http://www.getprice.com.au/Waterproof-RJ45-Connector-2-Pk-Gpnc_362–42117357.htm
(6:12:52 PM) v4v: I really need to get in touch with an alternative power guy – i think this is a really good idea for all sorts of reasons, but I also really think that for the devloping world, old laptops are the key
(6:13:16 PM) v4v: but you guys are smarter than me on this stuff
(6:13:19 PM) h: yeah they get shed loads of them off the corporate scum
(6:13:33 PM) AlexC: heard of one laptop per child?
(6:13:36 PM) h: but it does have to be labrador
(6:13:41 PM) v4v: lol
(6:14:11 PM) v4v: if we can put it in labrador – there could be millions of them worldwide and we might never need the internet again
(6:14:31 PM) h: you realise you created a new usage of a word there dont you i use labrador to describe lots of things after you started me on it
(6:14:36 PM) v4v: especially if we put the istructions on how to build a banananode on each machine
(6:14:42 PM) h: and so banananet is born
(6:14:57 PM) v4v: you never know
(6:15:05 PM) h: lets fucking hope!
(6:15:46 PM) v4v: we need to get some nodes build
(6:15:47 PM) v4v: built
(6:15:56 PM) h: god this little island of freedom has been fucked with, i want my interwebs back not this bullshit microshits/msn/cnn fest of web2.0
(6:16:50 PM) v4v: well this is one way to get it
(6:17:19 PM) h: can i stick without a graphic user configuration?
(6:17:33 PM) h: or is typing going to scare people
(6:17:39 PM) h: or rather to many people
(6:17:47 PM) v4v: sure – you could just let it run a web index page
(6:17:47 PM) AlexC: http://www.allbids.com.au/Buy/?T=HP-dc7100SFF-Pentium-4-3.2GHz-Computer&ID=398355
(6:18:18 PM) h: ohh ive got enough old computers out of skips lying around the hosue
(6:19:46 PM) v4v: the first banananodes could just be old pcs – they dont need to run on solar – we could just set up the OS to start with and get them sorted with wireless networking and allow people to share copyright free data in our local areas
(6:19:47 PM) h: we need the webpage to build its self from a database of files
(6:20:24 PM) h: yeah it makes it easier and means the idea spreads I can think of a few places to stick them round here
(6:20:29 PM) AlexC: wouldn’t be too hard
(6:21:05 PM) AlexC: i think that’s what a few i2p directory pages do
(6:21:09 PM) h: can we dfine what it is we need from that lot, so we dont go off track
(6:21:23 PM) h: perl will do it easy enough or lisp
(6:22:12 PM) h: yay http://www.tw.openbsd.org/faq/faq4.html#Install
(6:22:19 PM) h: that just made things a shitload easier
(6:22:32 PM) v4v: i think it’s a goer – you could make it into a community library of useful stuff and distribute the software and build instructions freely
(6:23:02 PM) v4v: even distribute the complete OS so any PC could be a banananode
(6:23:09 PM) h: yeah its not like most poeple cant burn a cd at a mates place or library
(6:23:31 PM) v4v: even give away the cds at info shops
(6:23:42 PM) v4v: ‘build your own banananode’

Links to various things mentioned:

OpenBSD – here

Soerkis and miniITX – here and here (also wonder about arduino webservers)

Mesh network software – here

Mesh network explaination – here

A detailed tutorial explaining installation/system setup needs writting but theres enough to get your mouth watering. Ideas, suggestions, donations, resources are all welcome.

harlequin