meraki mini

I really like the idea of having free wifi access points out in public. This startup, Meraki, has created a WiFi repeater/router that they're trying to push to community groups looking to provide free wifi via mesh networking. There's actually a non-profit called SoCalFree.net based here in San Diego that's been using these things to set up free wifi access in some of the lower-income neighborhoods and housing projects. They place these repeaters on the rooftops of low-income apartment buildings, or on telephone poles, and build a mesh network utilizing one or more access points.

So I'm thinking about getting one of these things and tinkering around with it.