The internet mesh Community Connected in Kingston upon Thames is one way of addressing the black holes that exist in the cyber space of built-up high density urban contexts. It is also a way of creating real world contact points in the anonymous world of a sprawling housing estate with 3000 people.
The mesh hardware relies on Locustworld’s trusted all weather omnidirectional mesh boxes, installed just high up below tv aerials to provide a wireless cloud across the estate. These create an initial backbone for what is an evolving project. Weekly Support group meetings Wireless Wednesday provide help to the uninitiated whilst the pc plus scheme provides free refurbished pcs with ubuntu operating systems for participants without a pc at home.

At present the mesh has some 600 registered users and relies on just 3 uplinks to the internet: normal business broadband connections with ‘low contention’ ratios. That works out at less than 50p a month to get connected. For most users the service is great, but for some users its not - it all depends on where their apartment is. Buying a better antennae for your pc for less than £30 solves the problem usually. Coordinator Maher Ugaily explained the trial and error method through which the mesh continues to evolve with ongoing incremental improvements pointing out locations where the project plans to install directional antennae to plug the gaps.

Community Connected, Cambridge Road, Kinston upon Thames.