[MLB-WIRELESS] FW: "Building Wireless Community Networks, Second Editinon" Released by O'Reilly

[Ash Nallawalla]

Just received this media release. - Ash

-----Original Message-----

For Immediate release

Taking WiFi to the Streets
O'Reilly Releases "Building Wireless Community Networks,
Second Edition"

Sebastopol, CA--There was a time, not long ago, when wireless networking
technology was cool. Now it's not only cool, but also extremely useful,
cheap, and can do things that wired networks will never be able to do.
In the last year, consumers have purchased millions of wireless
networking components. Prices have fallen dramatically and more
manufacturers have integrated wireless into their products. You can find
wireless access in coffeehouses, parks, schools, offices, and homes.
"What is it about wireless networking that has so many people worked
into such a frenzy?" asks author Rob Flickenger in his new edition of
"Building Wireless Community Networks" (O'Reilly, US $29.95). According
to Flickenger, it's easy to understand.

"Wireless data networking is probably the most 'magical' technology to
evolve in recent times," says Flickenger. "Think of it: by installing an
inexpensive PC card, your laptop can suddenly send and receive data at a
very high speed, to anyone in range, even through walls! Many laptops
have dispensed with the PC card altogether, and seem to magically just
'be' online. Combined with the power of the Internet, your tiny
battery-powered computer can now communicate globally."

Flickenger has worked with 802.11b technology, commonly known as WiFi
(wireless fidelity) since its public release. The first edition of
"Building Wireless Community Networks" helped thousands of people engage
in community networking activities. At the time, it was impossible to
predict how quickly and thoroughly WiFi would penetrate the marketplace.
Today, with WiFi-enabled computers almost as common as Ethernet, it
makes even more sense to build a community network using nothing but
freely available radio spectrum.

The new edition of "Building Wireless Community Networks" has been
thoroughly updated to keep pace with rapid changes in wireless
technology. It shows readers how to make a network available, how to
extend high-speed internet access into the many areas not served by DSL
and cable providers, and how to build working communities and a shared
though intangible network. All that's required to create an access point
for high-speed internet connection is a gateway or base station. Once
that is set up, any computer with a wireless card can log onto the
network and share its resources.

In his book, Flickenger not only provides a blueprint for setting up
wireless community networks, but prods the reader into creating a
definition of "community." As Flickenger explains, "It might refer to
your college campus where many people own their own laptops and want to
share files and access to the Internet. Your idea of community could
encompass your apartment building or neighborhood, where broadband
internet access may not even be available. This book is intended to get
you thinking about what is involved in getting people in your community
connected together."

With that in mind, one of the goals of "Building Wireless Community
Networks" is to help readers get their self-defined communities
"unplugged" and online, using inexpensive off-the-shelf equipment. The
book covers:

-Selecting the appropriate equipment
-Finding antenna sites, and building and installing antennas -Protecting
your network from inappropriate access -Network monitoring tools and
techniques (new) -Regulations affecting wireless deployment (new) -IP
network administration, including DNS and IP Tunneling (new)

Flickenger's expertise, sense of humor, and enthusiasm for the topic,
make "Building Wireless Community Networks, Second Edition" a useful and
readable book for anyone interested in wireless connectivity.

Praise for the first edition:

"A slim, easy to follow volume on how to create a wireless
community-wide network. Instructions on equipment, antenna placement,
etc."--Bob Schwabach, On Compters, December 2002

"A book well worth reading by anyone who is concerned about community
access to the Internet."--Major Keary, Book News, November 2002

"While there are quite a few excellent books that teach all the 802.11b
know-how, 'Building Wireless Community Networks' is a book you can't
afford to miss. Not only is it an exemplary DIY guide to building
wireless networks and a masterpiece in terms of improvising and cutting
costs, it's also one of the most amusing books I've read
recently."--Danny Kalev, IBM DeveloperWorks, October 2002

"A damned good read...Flickenger has done a remarkable job of squeezing
in a lot of pertinent and hands-on material in such a small amount of
space, and managed to keep it both readable and reliable
throughout."--Davey Winder, PC Pro, May 2002

"Corante recommends highly: An accessible guide to just what all the
excitement on WiFi is about and how easy it can be to set up your own
network. With details on everything from firewalls to configuration.
Includes instructions on the infamous Pringles can
antenna."--Corante-Tech News: April 2002

"I highly recommend that you get O'Reilly's 'Building Wireless Community
Networks' by Rob Flickenger. This book will give you a excellent insight
of the current status of Wireless Community Networks, as well as some
great information on network topologies, configurations, equipment, and
antennas." --Erik Bussink, Geneva Wireless Community Network, April 2002

"It's an easy call to say that this book contains somewhere between
thousands and tens of thousands of dollars worth of advice on each of
those constructive topics." --Glenn Fleishman, weblogger.com, February
2002

"Flickenger not only provides a blueprint to setting up wireless
community networks, but also prods the reader into creating an
individual definition of 'community'" --Computers in Libraries, February
2002

"Plain and simple, this is a how-to guide to building a wireless network
than spans more than just a dorm room...clear and organized...the author
has impeccable credentials...the result is the perfect do-it-yourself
manual for what many think is the future of the non-commercial
net."--Netsurfer Digest, January 2002


Additional Resources:

An article by the author, "Point-to-Point Links," may be found at:
http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/wireless/excerpt/wireless_chap07/index.h
tml

Chapter 3, "Network Layout," is available free online at:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/wirelesscommnet2/chapter/index.html

For more information about the book, including Table of Contents, index,
author bio, and samples, see:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/wirelesscommnet2/

For a cover graphic in JPEG format, go to:
ftp://ftp.ora.com/pub/graphics/book_covers/hi-res/0596005024.jpg

Building Wireless Community Networks, Second Edition
Rob Flickenger
ISBN 0-596-00502-4, 168 pages, $29.95 US, $46.95 CA, 20.95 UK
order at oreilly.com 1-800-998-9938 1-707-827-7000 http://www.oreilly.com

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