Nepal Wireless Networking Project
The Nepal Wireless Networking Project was initiated to help bridge the 'digital divide' and bring services and a source of information to remote villages in the Himalayan region of Nepal. By networking remote villages through Wi-Fi technology, the project provides an opportunity for communication and a source of information to the villages.
Communication Strategies
The Nepal Wireless Networking Project uses ‘Wi-Fi’ technology and two relay stations placed on hills where there is no direct line of sight (LoS) to network and provide internet access to remote villages. The villages are wirelessly networked and connected to an ISP WorldLink, which is approx. 22 air miles (34 km) away from a relay station in a city called Pokhara. According to the project organisers, although the ‘Wi-Fi’ technology was primarily developed for wireless LANs in small areas like the inside of buildings, it has been adapted it for long range connectivity using uni-directional as well as omni-directional antennas and amplifiers. The antennas used in Myagdi have all been made from metal cans, scrap metal and discarded antennas from Pokhara and Kathmandu. The Nepal Wireless Networking Project is maintained and run by Himanchal Higher Secondary School, Nangi village, Nepal.
The project was designed for the people living in a Himalayan region of Nepal where there is "almost no chance of getting the modern means of communication in near future." According to the project organisers, the five villages in the network are at altitudes greater than 6000 feet. The terrain is difficult and the villagers have to spend a whole day walking to and from a nearby town called Beni, just to make a telephone call. The villages themselves are geographically isolated by high hills and to get from one village to another, it takes many hours of walking.
The Network is used to communicate outside of the village through email. A web server has been setup in the network, where people can post messages about things to buy and sell. Volunteer doctors in Pokhara can connect through NetMeeting and give medical consultation to the villagers. The schools are also using the internet to access better education materials and students in the villages are being introduced to information and communication technology (ICT).
The Nepalwireless intranet-wiki was developed to help share information and resources about teaching material, projects, health (telemedicine) and commerce.
The project was designed for the people living in a Himalayan region of Nepal where there is "almost no chance of getting the modern means of communication in near future." According to the project organisers, the five villages in the network are at altitudes greater than 6000 feet. The terrain is difficult and the villagers have to spend a whole day walking to and from a nearby town called Beni, just to make a telephone call. The villages themselves are geographically isolated by high hills and to get from one village to another, it takes many hours of walking.
The Network is used to communicate outside of the village through email. A web server has been setup in the network, where people can post messages about things to buy and sell. Volunteer doctors in Pokhara can connect through NetMeeting and give medical consultation to the villagers. The schools are also using the internet to access better education materials and students in the villages are being introduced to information and communication technology (ICT).
The Nepalwireless intranet-wiki was developed to help share information and resources about teaching material, projects, health (telemedicine) and commerce.
Development Issues
Technology, Health, Education
Sources
Bytes for All list-serv, September 22 2006.
- Log in to post comments