Hi folks, author of startyourownisp.com here. Not sure why we hit the front page today, but happy to be here! I'll try to hang around and answer questions for the next few hours. Thanks!
Also fun, for anyone else who's interested taking "DIY self hosting" to new extreme, it's possible to start your own cell phone company! I don't have a link handy, but search "starting an MVNO" will yield tons of links. When I did the math, it worked out to require only ~100 customers to hit break even. (assuming your time and labor is free, of course)
I have unreasonably happy giggle-fit inducing day dreams about some day using my own designed and manufactured smart phone (easy, because IDGAF about trendy features. running stock debian is fine.), which gets service from my own service provider, and my homemade laptop, getting internet from my own ISP, in my solar powered house.
Also also, for anyone who lives in the SFBA, monkeybrains internet is the best ISP evar. I was one of their first customers, and I miss my ~4ms ping times to the office, and ~8ms ping time to my colo box.
> I agree with the top post that if you're a engineer who hasn't dealt with low level networking stuff, worked in a DC, or had to be on call, this probably isn't a good first project.
I don't really disagree, but I would just say that if you're interested in doing this, and have money you'd like to invest in it, reach out to me. With our powers combined we can probably make something work!
Also, is SYOISP closer to what https://starry.com/ has deployed?
Thanks.
Thanks. Then, what'd you say are key differences between meshcenter.org and syoisp? Curious because meshcenter goes for maintainability and affordability too, from what I gather.
Also, has Facebook's foray into the space with https://telecominfraproject.com (and Google's too with https://opennetworking.org/) change the landscape? They're going after 4G/5G like deployments, which is in sharp contrast with what starry and meshcenter are doing?
No big differences, everything is applicable to both. In practice 'Mesh' has kind of become associated with 'non-profit, volunteer staff,' and SYOISP makes the implicit assumption of a for-profit entity.
> Also, has Facebook's foray into the space with https://telecominfraproject.com (and Google's too with https://opennetworking.org/) change the landscape? They're going after 4G/5G like deployments, which is in sharp contrast with what starry and meshcenter are doing?
Unsure yet what these efforts (and I'll add Microsoft's Airband) will amount too. I will say that I don't really see them tackling the actual hard parts of improving connectivity, which is primarily the actual building of physical infrastructure. I mean, other than Google obviously doing so with Google Fiber. Software can only get you so far in this effort, which is I think a lot of the reason that the incumbent providers have maintained such a stronghold over modern tech companies.
Probably not: >We designed every piece of hardware ourselves to ensure it works seamlessly to beam internet from the tops of towers to building receivers and right into your home without a hitch.
As I understand Starry has moved to focus largely on apartments buildings and in-home WiFi (rather than residential Internet service to single-family homes.)
If your only motivation is that you are fed up with your ISP (join the club!) that may not be enough. If you are fed up with your ISP, have a spare $25k laying around, and/or have access to grant money, then we should talk. (Many states have grant funding available today specifically for broadband projects in rural or underserved areas.)
I do consulting work on these types of projects as my main gig now. Many of my customers own businesses in other industries, live in a small town, and decided that their Internet sucked and they want to fix it. But it does take some capital.