"Let's roll up our sleeves and do it ourselves ..."

Living with slow, unreliable internet access has become all too commonplace on Foxglove and Chenango.  Just like the basic amenities of food, clothing and shelter, good internet service has also become a necessity these days.  Waiting on corporate America to come save us is just not going to happen, but if we all get together and share our resources, we can do this on our own!

the SILO AND THE supplier (wisP)

Agile Networks (Canton, OH) is a hybrid fiber-wireless supplier able to provide broadband internet connectivity where it’s needed at the speed required.  We have an agreement from Agile Networks for a guaranteed 100 Mbps symmetrical wireless link installed on top of the 90 ft. Concrete Silo @ Bill Schwinn's farm on the corner of Chenango Road and State Route 162.

The cost of this 100 Mbps x 100 Mbps guaranteed bandwidth is significant but doable when divided amongst our members.

If the future dictates more bandwidth, the capacity of the equipment installed can accommodate up to 330 Mbps both directions.

THE initial SERVICE AREA

From the Agile link, we will create a Point-to-Multipoint (PtMP) network of wireless radios all stemming from a transmitter and 60° Sector Antenna mounted atop the Silo facing toward Foxglove.

This antenna will shoot a 60-degree beam of signal that will catch all of the homes on Foxglove and all of the homes on Chenango up to Jason Gardner’s and Matt Good’s residences.  This is a potential membership of 25 homes, with no immediate plans to expand.  This will ensure everyone has the Quality of Service (QoS) to avoid  slow speeds during those evening and weekend hours when everyone is online.  Once we are up and running with a reliable service, considerations for adding additional clients will be entertained,  allowing for even lower monthly service bills.

We need a minimum of 10 commitments to make this feasible.  Some residents may only use internet for email and simple web browsing.  Those folks may decide their current DSL or wireless service is adequate, and choose not to participate in the co-op which is perfectly understandable.

OUR equipment

On the Silo, we will have a Ubiquiti Rocket 5ac Prism radio attached to a Ubiquiti airMAX Sector AC 60° Antenna.  This will provide the signal to everyone's home.  We will also have a router at the base of the Silo that firewalls us from our provider.  If you want more details, we'd be glad to give you call.

At your house we will install a Ubiquiti Nanobeam 5AC CPE (Customer Premise Device) that will receive the signal from the Silo.  This will be installed on a J-mount arm, or any existing pole, TV antenna you may have already.  Outdoor-rated Ubiquiti ToughCable Cat5e ethernet cable will run from the Nanobeam down into your house, where it will either connect to an existing router you have, or we will install a Ubiquiti AirGateway  or EdgeRouter X for you, depending on your needs.

There is obviously a lot more that goes into this, and if you want to know the details, or better yet help us get it installed, we'd be glad to share.