Table of Contents

Setup for Wireless Community Networks Initiative

As a part of the Libre Digital Library (LDL) and the Community Networks Initiative, FSFTN is planning to start the activity and collect around 4TB size of Creative Commons Data in the form of Ebooks, Videos, Audio, Tutorials, Softwares and other infrastructures that are required to setup the Community Networks.

In order to do that we need,

Item Cost
Western Digital 4TB Hard Disk Rs. 8,499
Western Digital 1TB Hard Disk Rs. 3,699 (Bought)
Raspberry Pi 4 (2 GB) Rs. 3,390
Sandisk 32GB SD Card Rs. 399
TP-Link Router Rs. 999
Total Cost Rs. 16,986

If you would like to donate Routers and other requirements for this initiative, it will be very useful.

What?

A Local Network will be initiated by FSFTN at variou localities through our contacts primarily in Schools, Libraries, Community Centres, etc. This network will be setup using Raspberry Pi, Routers, Data in HDD. It will be owned by the Community where we will be deploying. The Community will participate in managing the netowrk, add contents, customize, etc. Hence, we call it as Wireless Community Networks. People can join the network through their devices and use the contents available in the Network.

Where?

The Community Network Initiative arises out of necessity after discussing with various communities and locality associations in Chennai primarily in OMR where FSFTN participated in a Book Fair in June, 2019. Till now, the plan is to deploy the networks in,

  1. Community Learning Centres in OMR
  2. Government Schools
  3. Apartments in Sai Nagar, OMR

Out of the experience gathered from the above areas, we are planning to expand it across.

How?

With the amount of technical expertise gathered and exhibited during the POC at OMR Book Fair, the plan is simple and straightforward. Gather contents in a HDD, serve it through Raspberry Pi and establish a network with Router. People can connect to the network, use the contents, read books and add services on top of it.

Why?

Through Community Network we aim to bring upon participation and ownership from the Community. We conduct regular activities, learnings, access to Creative Commons contents primarily relating to education, E-Books both in Tamil and English. These networks act as an introductory platform between FSFTN and Localities. Through this People's Network we can take forward a Social, Cultural change driven by Collectivism and move on a path to Knowledge Freedom. Its kinda be a slow process but a possible future 8-)

FSFTN requests the Community to donate a minimum contribution for the movement to afford these devices which would be used for,

Account Details

Name Free Software Foundation Tamil Nadu
Bank Union Bank of India
IFSC UBIN0535214
Account No. 352101010800768

For UPI Transaction - fsftn@upi

Note - Please send your details to [email protected] after the contribution for us to track the contributors list. It would be a valuable contribution for the Community to proceed with the Community Networks Activities around Tamil Nadu.


Contributions

Name Contribution
Lokesh Rs. 500
Velchamy Rs. 500
Survesh Rs. 100
Kamalavelan Rs. 200
VMS Rs. 500
Shrinivasan Rs. 1,000
Umar Rs. 250
Radhakrishnan Rs. 500
Bharathi Rs. 1,000
Anonymous Rs. 2,000
Total Rs. 6,550

Items Bought

1TB Hard Disk - Rs. 3,200