Red Hook Wi-Fi is a free-to-use, Wi-Fi mesh network that provides internet access to the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.[1] It is operated by the Red Hook Initiative.
| Red-Hook Wi-Fi | |
|---|---|
| Mission statement | Resilience, Opportunity, Community and Social Justice. |
| Type of project | Non Commercial |
| Products | Mesh Networking |
| Location | Red Hook, Brooklyn. United States of America. |
| Owner | Red Hook Initiative |
| Established | November 2011 |
| Status | Active |
| Website | redhookwifi |
Background edit
Due to the location of Red Hook, Brooklyn, between the Red Hook Channel and the Buttermilk Channel, many of its residents face various challenges in accessing broadband service.[2] A survey found out that many people in the area accessed the internet primarily through mobile phones and that over 30% of the population did not have broadband access at home.[2][3]
Beginning in Fall 2011, the Red Hook Initiative (RHI), a Brooklyn non-profit, approached the Open Technology Institute about collaborating on a community wireless network. RHI wanted a way to communicate with the residents immediately around its community center.[citation needed]
When the network was initially launched, it had support for up to 150 simultaneous users and ran on an open-software platform called Commotion.[4]
Hurricane Sandy edit
In 2012, after Hurricane Sandy struck the area, and many internet and communication systems were down throughout much of the city,[5] Red Hook remained connected through its mesh network and the headquarters of the Red Hook Initiative became a hub for volunteer coordination, donation collections food distribution as residents came to the Red Hook Initiative's office to charge their devices and connect to the internet.[6][7]
Shortly afterwards, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) connected Red Hook Wi-Fi to its satellite system,[8] linking itself, the residents and the Red Cross into a communication matrix that could be used to find out about emergency relief, food banks as well as shelter locations.[9][10][6]
After the relief efforts had finished, a team led by the Red Hook Initiative continued to make improvements to the mesh network by installing nano stations powered by solar panels on rooftops around the Red Hook neighborhood.[11]
Though the Red Hook Wi-Fi project was already in the works before Hurricane Sandy struck, it gained additional media attention after the storm.[12]
In 2015, Red Hook Wi-Fi was selected to be part of the city's resiliency initiative — from a group of 27 finalists competing in the Resiliency Innovations for a Stronger Economy.[13][14]
References edit
- ^ Kasakove, Sophie; Williams, Tracie (29 January 2019). "Is New York City's Public Housing Ready for the Next Storm?". Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ a b Staff (25 September 2013). "Local Connections: The Red Hook WiFi Project". Urban Omnibus. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ Burrington, Ingrid (31 October 2017). "What Happens to the Internet After a Disaster?". Intelligencer. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ "Do-It-Yourself Internet in Brooklyn". The Washington Post. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ "Rising to the Challenge: Red Hook Initiative". NYCEDC.
- ^ a b Kazansky, Becky (6 November 2020). "In Red Hook, Mesh Network Connects Sandy Survivors Still Without Power". TechPresident.
- ^ Zandt, Deanna. "What Sandy Has Taught Us About Technology, Relief and Resilience". Forbes.
- ^ Masterson, Andrew (15 May 2014). "Meshnets serve communities when internet fails". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Cohen, Noam (22 August 2014). "Red Hook's Cutting-Edge Wireless Network". The New York Times.
- ^ Robbins, Liz (1 March 2016). "New Weapon in Day Laborers' Fight Against Wage Theft: A Smartphone App". The New York Times.
- ^ Dodd, Justin. "After Superstorm Sandy, This Brooklyn Neighborhood Reinvented Community Wifi". Inverse. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ "United States of America Global Information Society Watch". www.giswatch.org. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ "Mayor De Blasio Announces Selection Of RISE : NYC Technologies To Be Deployed At Sandy-Impacted Small Businesses Across New York City". NYCEDC.
- ^ Melendez, Steven (5 May 2015). "This Mesh We're In: Why Communities Are Building An Internet That's More Local". Fast Company. Retrieved 15 April 2019.