Red Hook Wi-Fi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Red Hook Wi-Fi is a free-to-use, Wi-Fi mesh network that provides internet access to the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.[1] It is operated by the Red Hook Initiative.
| Red-Hook Wi-Fi | |
|---|---|
| Mission statement | Resilience, Opportunity, Community and Social Justice. |
| Type of project | Non Commercial |
| Products | Mesh Networking |
| Location | Red Hook, Brooklyn. United States of America. |
| Owner | Red Hook Initiative |
| Established | November 2011 |
| Status | Active |
| Website | redhookwifi |
Background
Due to the location of Red Hook, Brooklyn, between the Red Hook Channel and the Buttermilk Channel, many of its residents face various challenges in accessing broadband service.[2] A survey found out that many people in the area accessed the internet primarily through mobile phones and that over 30% of the population did not have broadband access at home.[2][3]
Beginning in Fall 2011, the Red Hook Initiative (RHI), a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization,[4] approached the Open Technology Institute about collaborating on a community wireless network. RHI wanted a way to communicate with the residents immediately around its community center.[citation needed]
When the network was initially launched, it had support for up to 150 simultaneous users and ran on an open-software platform called Commotion.[5]
Hurricane Sandy
In 2012, after Hurricane Sandy struck the area, and many internet and communication systems were down throughout much of the city,[6] Red Hook remained connected through its mesh network and the headquarters of the Red Hook Initiative became a hub for volunteer coordination, donation collections food distribution as residents came to the Red Hook Initiative's office to charge their devices and connect to the internet.[7][8] Shortly afterwards, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) connected Red Hook Wi-Fi to its satellite system,[9] linking itself, the residents and the Red Cross into a communication matrix that could be used to find out about emergency relief, food banks as well as shelter locations.[10][11][7] After the relief efforts had finished, a team led by the Red Hook Initiative continued to make improvements to the mesh network by installing nano stations powered by solar panels on rooftops around the Red Hook neighborhood.[12]
Though the Red Hook Wi-Fi project was already in the works before Hurricane Sandy struck, it gained additional media attention after the storm.[13]
In 2015, Red Hook Wi-Fi was selected to be part of the city's resiliency initiative from a group of 27 finalists competing in the Resiliency Innovations for a Stronger Economy.[14][15]