Large Accidental Wireless Networks and the Digital Divide

Paul Beckman

San Francisco State University

1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132

pbeckman@sfsu.edu

Joshua Mindel

San Francisco State University

1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132

jmindel@sfsu.edu

Sameer Verma

San Francisco State University

1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132

sverma@sfsu.edu

Abstract

This paper examines the existence and extent of LAWNs (large accidental wireless networks) in several different neighborhoods in a large metropolitan city in the Western United States. A LAWN is a geographically large wireless network infrastructure constructed through the uncoordinated and unintended actions of individual residents of a neighborhood when those residents install unsecured home wireless networks. The macro-level result of these individual actions is a high-speed wireless network that extends throughout a neighborhood and is available for access by any casual passerby. A second focus of this research project was investigation of the possible existence of a relationship between socio-economic level and LAWN coverage.

Data were collected about the wireless networks in seven neighborhoods of differing socio-economic level in the city of Oakland, California. An initial data analysis shows that there is a relationship between socio-economic level and LAWN coverage. Those in lower socio-economic level neighborhoods have, in general, fewer wireless networks per house.

Keywords: digital divide, wireless networks, community wireless networks, accidental wireless networks

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