NetGuido

Wireless Island is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide wireless Internet access free public users of mobile phones and PDAs through the city of Montreal in Canada. Users can use the Internet in some places called points accèsexternal link, provided they have at their disposal a laptop equipped with a WiFi card. The group works with cafes, shops and organizations to make the Internet available free in public places.


The goal is to use technology in order to get people to come into contact with each other. Island Wireless intends to use the access points to promote interaction between its users, presenting original works of art and provide information that is relevant locally. Projects artists in Island wirelessly exhibition halls. Ile wireless wishes to encourage local communications and meetings around a “coffee wireless.” In terms of technology, it uses free software and affordable WiFi equipment to share Internet connections to broadband. The structure that hosts (coffee, restaurant …) provides the connection, the wireless router and adheres to the association Ile wirelessly. Each user must identify themselves by e-mail to connect and this identifier is usable on any of access points. The access points are independent of each other but connected to one central server which handles authentication. Today approximately 18 000 users have registered on the network with 81 access points