Google WiFi

Google WiFi is a municipal wireless network deployed in Mountain View, California. It was entirely funded by Google but installed primarily on Mountain View lightposts. Google is committed to keeping the service free until 2010.

Wireless access

As of 2007, Google uses about 400 [http://www.tropos.com/ Tropos] MetroMesh routers acting as access points mounted primarily on utility poles providing usable signal and broadband internet access to over 90% of the city's area of 12 square miles. As of 2007, it serves approximately 15,000 unique users each month and handles over 300 gigabytes of data each day. There are three aggregation points that all traffic is forwarded to. These access points offer both GoogleWifi and GoogleWiFiSecure Service set identifiers (SSID). Google Wifi only requires its end users have a Google Account. Google offers a free virtual private network software client called Google Secure Access and maintains a list of other recommended third-party VPN software packages. Unlike a residential gateway, the network does not use network address translation (NAT): it provides a routable IP Address from a DHCP pool with a one-hour "DHCP lease" under the DNS domain googlewifi.com directly to the client PC. A mobile laptop user can roam through Mountain View and maintain the same IP address for at least the one-hour lease time. [ [http://www.7daywebdesign.com/marketing/2007/09/11/google-wifi/ Google Wifi] September 11, 2007]

While the equipment is of high quality and well-placed, actual coverage with a laptop with built-in Wi-Fi hardware is less than 100% of the claimed area; the system works well in commercially zoned areas but residential coveraged areas are still spotty from block to block. [ [http://groups.google.com/group/WiFi-Help-Discussion Google WiFi help group] ]

Rollout

The service was launched by Google on September 20 2005 and then more widely As of July 12006, deployment is available throughout most of Mountain View. [ [http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/20/1243224&tid=217&tid=95 Slashdot: Google WiFi+VPN Confirmed] September 20, 2006] [ [http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/free-citywide-wifi-in-mountain-view.html Free citywide WiFi in Mountain View] August 16, 2006]

References

External links

* [http://wifi.google.com/ Official website]