Emergency Phone and Internet

Emergency Methods of Digital Media Transmission

We live in a very connected world. Things like cellphones, email, blogs, message boards, and social networking sites can be incredibly useful. But what do you do when the internet is down or you can’t call out on your cellphone or landline? Here are some inexpensive alternatives for sending and receiving digital media, including voice, in the absence of an official service provider.

Method 1: Wireless LAN (Local Area Network)
Theses types of networks are already commonly found in homes, schools, libraries, businesses, etc., and are designed to work with standard wireless devices such as laptops and smartphones. With a little configuration, a LAN network could be retrofitted to serve backed up websites such as wikipedia.com, or to allow people to send and receive emails locally, or participate in message boards. They could also be used to make phone calls (voip) with anyone else who is connected to the LAN. Useful range of up to 300 ft, depending on obstacles.

• Requires at least 1 wireless router (and power supply), and wireless devices to connect to the network (ie laptops, smart phones, etc...). Optional VOIP equipment.

Method 2: Mesh Network
This type of network is similar to Method 1, but instead of just using 1 wireless router, it uses multiple, each spread a couple of hundred feet apart (house to house?) in order to increase the range of the network. A network like this could, in theory, connect an entire community, and allow them to share digital files, participate in message boards and chat rooms, publish web pages, make voip phone calls, and more (only within the network only, but see ‘*note’ below).

• Requires multiple wireless routers and wireless devices, some software, and some semi-complicated configuration. Once setup, it will be as easy to use as today's internet.

Method 3: Physically carry a storage device from one place to another
This is the easiest method of sharing digital files, but also takes a long time, and is not ideal for great distances. It involves physically copying a file onto a digital media storage device, like a USB flash drive, an SD card, an external hard drive, or even a CD or DVD. The storage device is then carried to the location where the data needs to be delivered. This method can be used for sharing pictures, ebooks, audio files, video files, software, etc.. Obviously this method will not allow you to make live phone calls or do instant chat, but it could be used to participate in message boards, if a system was in place that everyone was using.

*Note: If there is a willing ham radio operator in your community, who has a radio that is able to interface with a computer (most of the newer ones can), you should make it a priority to include them in your community network. This can allow your community network to share email, data, and even live ‘phone’ calls, with other community networks who are doing the same thing.

*Also, there is a good, free program called TrueCrypt, that can encrypt files for added for privacy.