LAWNs (large accidental wireless networks): A further analysis

Paul Beckman, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA

pbeckman@sfsu.edu, 1.415.338.5240

Sameer Verma, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA

sverma@sfsu.edu, 1.415.338.7016

Joshua Mindel, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA

jmindel@sfsu.edu, 1.415.338.1175

ABSTRACT

This research article documents the refined analysis related to residential-area wireless network infrastructures that the authors call a LAWN (Large Accidental Wireless Network). A LAWN will arise when individuals with uncoordinated but related actions inadvertently construct a very large high-speed wireless network that can completely span an entire neighborhood. The LAWN therefore consists of the large set of individual residential wireless networks that can be accessed by casual passersby, if enough of those APs are installed without security implemented. This document describes the analysis of data that was collected to determine the extent to which LAWNs exist in several neighborhoods in the city of San Francisco.

Keywords: Wireless Community Networks, Digital Divide

References

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