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Wikimania 2016 bids/Esino Lario/Connectivity

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Eolo equipment on villa Clotilde.
Wikimania Haifa.

As of June 2016, Esino Lario is served by an additional 1 Gb/s line by EOLO, while Telecom Italia installed 4G. Wifi is available in all , most of the accommodation in Esino inferiore/superiore and the main streets.

In the school building, ethernet sockets are available for those who need faster connection, by asking Simone Sala.

Design

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Optical fiber reached Esino Lario and was distributed using ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) over existing local telephone network wires. In order to properly serve the conference with connectivity as per required by Wikimedia in the Wikimania Handbook, an ad hoc network has been designed. Such a network responds to Wikimedia core values (e.g. openness, freedom, neutrality). The network will furthermore partly represent the legacy to Esino Lario from Wikimania, thus providing a sustainable telecommunication infrastructure for the people living in the village.

Implementation

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The site-visit of EOLO to define the infrastructure for the connectivity at Wikimania, 4 December 2015. The site-visit was also filmed.

Plan for the distribution of the optical fiber in Esino Lario. The plan is by the Esino Lario City Council in collaboration with EOLO.


Initial plan for Wikimania Esino Lario

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Initial plan for a mash network.
  • We have started the discussion with Telecom Italia – the major Italian communication company – for the technical support to Esino Lario connectivity during Wikimania; presentation of the project to the head of the brand development projects (positive feedback), introduction of the project to the managers; the project will be evaluated in 2015 (according to the company fiscal year plan). Telecom Italia owns and manages the optical fiber reaching Esino Lario. The presence of the optical fiber in Esino Lario is a reassuring asset. Further discussion with Telecom Italia will define the best technical implementation for the connectivity. Other options have been mentioned in the current discussion; the Telecom site-visit and check will allow to select the most appropriate and efficient solution.
  • Under 100 meters, Optical fiber can be distributed using ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) over existing local telephone network wires with good performance. we have identified the position of the buildings according to their distance to the arrival of the optical fiber and the presence of the local telephone network wires https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Kv5M2tciY0n_vh64Ja5-Lx5L7RnGgGhBYVzFaf0UQbI/edit#gid=1240151931[1].
  • This backhaul link can provide Internet access to be shared via an open, free and neutral wireless mesh network. Such serverless network con provide Internet service on the whole territory of Esino Lario (open space, accommodation, restaurants and bars).
  • Single wired/wireless (up to 1Gb) point-to-point links can ensure high quality Internet service in the various venues where the main Wikimania events will be held and it can prevent contention/congestion issues during heavy user demand.

It has been suggested to consider a backup plan in case the connectivity does not respond to the needs of the hackathon[2]; we have contacted the Politecnico di Milano – a university with very good ICT capacities and spaces; in the worst scenario the backup plan is feasible and it guarantees also the implementation of the hackathon, the Wikimania session with the highest connectivity needs.

Done Villa Monastero has been booked and made available thanks to the support of Provincia di Lecco, which is offering all the rooms. Thanks to the support and collaboration with Società Italiana di Fisica, Villa Monastero has access to the GARR network (the high speed network for research) also during Wikimania.

Device Function Unit cost No. of units Total in euro Total in dollars Additional notes
RJ45 Cable (optimized for outdoor use) Distribute Internet connection via wired cables € 50 / 100m 20 € 1.000,00 $ 1.372,49
Cable channel Channels to isolate wired cables from outdoor € 0.6 / 1m 2000 € 1.200,00 $ 1.646,99
Ramped cable protector Protect ethernet cables temporarily installed on public roads 60 30 € 1.800,00 $ 2.470,48
Cable connector Allow linking cables to cover distances > 100m 0,7 30 € 21,00 $ 28,82
Direct access to Internet backhaul (via optical fiber) Provision of direct access to Internet for the duration of the event € 4500 (estimate) 1 € 4.500,00 $ 6.176,21 Estimated cost
UPS Provision of power backup in case of blackout for key devices 250 4 € 1.000,00 $ 1.372,49
Server Small server for local operations (e.g. registration, network backup 2000 € 2.000,00 $ 2.744,98 We can also not use it but we prefer to include it in the budget
Wireless mesh radios Nodes of the mesh network 100 30 € 3.000,00 $ 4.117,47
Point to point 1Gb link among hotspots Provision of high bandwith link among the main venues of the event € 2'000 6 € 12.000,00 $ 16.469,88 Links which are redundant with the cable links. Among those, 3 can be used from the main hub to the sport hall, collaborative space and former cinema; 2 can be used to link Villa Rogo and the industrial area of Bigallo. It is also possible to not use cables for safety reasons (the cost is 2'000 euro per link, with a 10 km range).
Wireless Router (Wireless) Distribution of Internet service across computer networks 200 22 € 4.400,00 $ 6.038,96 Included 6 for the sport hall, 4 for the collaborative space, 3 for the other venues (primary school, museum, city hall and former cinema).
Switch (24 port), unmanaged Connection of devices together on a computer network 100 18 € 1.800,00 $ 2.470,48 Included 3 for the venue
Data center hosting rental Rental of space in a data center (e.g. Moresi) to facilitate the upload of video shot at Wikimania € 4.000,00 $ 5.489,96 Estimated cost not based on pre-invoice
Total € 36.721,00 $ 50.399,21
Contingencies € 3.279,00 $ 4.500,39
Total amount planned in the estimated costs € 40.000,00 $ 54.899,60
Currency € 1,00 $ 1,37


Companies/services

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Connectivity - infrastructure

  • Telecom
  • Eolo (radio)

Mobile phone companies

  • Vodafone
  • Tim
  • Wind
  • 3

Local connectivity wifi

  • Free Italia WiFi
  • Fastweb with local networks
  • Freeluna - commercial service
  • Open WiFi - standard service by Telecom
  • Do it yourself CCC (!)

Notes

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  1. Suggestion by Manuel Schneider during the site-visit in Esino Lario, July 2014.
  2. Wikimania Esino Lario meeting at Wikimania London, August 2014.

References

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