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Comment by mdasen | Hacker News Reader

One of the things I've wondered is why people don't create small-mesh networks off their cable internet? For example, if I'm living in a relatively small apartment with nearby neighbors, why not get one of those WiFi mesh router systems and hook up 2-4 apartments to a single internet connection?

This project is really interesting, but it requires a certain amount of organization and technical expertise. Installing directional antennas, running wires, etc. isn't incredibly hard, but it's a lot more work than setting up a router.

The new WiFi mesh routers are pretty great at covering a larger area and in my city the apartments are pretty close together. In a 3-unit building, it seems like you could just get one internet connection in the middle unit and a nice 3-unit WiFi mesh system and save on internet costs.

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ToS violation. You may not share Internet connections without explicit consent from the ISP.

You can order a connection which allows sharing, but it’ll cost you about a grand or so per month.

Shareable/resellable connections are often not offered over cable systems. I have tried to acquire this type of service over coax from with Comcast, Cox & Wave/RCN/Grande.

Yeah, you’ll have to ask the cable company to drop you a fiber line and you’ll be in business.

One reason could be potential exposure to legal issues if someone does something illegal on the Internet connection registered in my name.

Now, if I lived in a halfway sane society, meaning one where the worst case scenario would be police knocking at my door and asking some questions or even serving a search warrant, that might be a risk I'd be willing to take.

Unfortunately I live in a completely deranged one, where the more likely scenario would be flashbangs through my windows, a battering ram through my front door, and full auto rifles in my face.

No, thank you.

> the Internet connection registered in my name.

Well, that’s the problem right there.

If you are running an ISP business you should not have your backhaul connection registered in your name, but in the name of your business.

OK, but the physical address would still be my home, where I don't want the swat team.

Sure, but your business address should not be your home.

Thus swat would have to contact your business first before they can get a physical address.

I don’t want to get raided by the DEA cause my neighbor and network sharer likes to buy LSD online.

That’s not the reason why you don’t share your Internet connection, that’s the reason why you keep logs.

See my comment above. Keeping logs isn't going to help if the cops shoot me dead before I have a chance to even offer the logs.

Out of interest, why would the cops come to your house?

It’s not like you can deliver LSD digitally, so there would have to be a shipping address.

If you neighbor is shipping you LSD then you have a different problem: free LSD and/or a neighbor issue.

As to a proper solution, please refer to my above comment about registering a business and keeping the Internet connection in the name of the business.

The GP's example may be bad, but there are plenty of other computer crimes. Hacking, violent threats, child porn, selling LSD...

Yes, and that’s why you keep home and business addresses separate.

There are established procedures for law enforcement to contact ISPs to get the required information and that’s when you present your logs.

... we're talking about community mesh networks in NYC, right? That doesn't seem like it could work if every participant needs to rent commercial space to the tune of five figures per month just to place an antenna there?

1/ You do not need to rent commercial space to get a business address, a P.O. Box or similar will suffice.

2/ The ISP only needs a single business address, not multiple registered addresses for all their sites.

3/ This thread isn’t specific to NYC Mesh, but the same principles apply

OK, you go keep logs and have them there so when what the cops want to find doesn't turn up, it falls on you by default.

What?

You tell the cops to go to this address and see this person as that’s the customer with the requested IP address.

For any further questions you refer them to your company lawyer.

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