Solar powered wireless internet

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Not long ago, we brought you a story on how to get a telephone line to your off-grid palace in multiple ways (Ssstay connected). Now a California company has introduced a product that will help you get internet access, and through it the possibility of an IP-phone, powered by solar power!

What the Meraki network has put together is new, but the individual bits that make it up are not. The solar powered wifi box sells for around 100 dollars but it is also something your could do yourself with some of the products in our online store and a visit to your computer hardware store.

What makes the Meraki system impressive is that it uses a mesh network so that you can connect several of their wireless routers to span really great distances, and combined it with solar power. without access to mains power!

For example, your neighbour, one kilometre away has a broadband internet connection that he doesn’t mind sharing with your off-grid mansion. But you are tired of trudging up there to use it. One solution is to buy a few of these solar powered mesh routers, or build your own, and place them in a line about 700 feet apart from each other, from their place to yours. Or, buy an antenna and a single router can span a distance of several miles!

To build one of these yourself, you would need to get a wifi-router – like those available through Amazon (here), a solar panel and battery (an old car battery could work) and of course a wireless receiver on your computer receive the signal.

You will ideally want a router so can function as a mesh network (a mesh network allows your access point to connect to more than one network at a time, which means that it can connect to the source of the internet connection, as well as to the network it is providing the connection to). The advantage of this is that your can then share the wireless connection to many people. From your off-grid, wirelessly connected palace, you can now share the connection further to the old codger who lives further off-grid than you or even a whole community living off-grid.

There are already communities, off-grid and otherwise, who are using mesh technology to provide low cost internet connections, some of whom have combined it with solar power for reliability and scalability. The Champaign-Urbana group is just one example and they are happy to share the experience and technologies they have developed.

200W Portable Power Station, Powkey 120Wh/33,000mAh Power Bank with AC Outlet, 110V 6 Outputs Solar Generator External Battery Pack with LED Light for Home Use and Outdoor Camping

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120WH CAPACITY: The power station has a power capacity of 120Wh/33,000mAh which the camping power supply can power most electronic devices efficiently. It can fully charge mobile phone 10+ times, the laptop 2 times, the CPAP machine 3 hours (the time... read more

Portable Power Station 600W, Powkey 296Wh Battery Backup with 2 Pure Sine Wave AC Outlets, USB-C PD100W and 2 Wireless Chargers, Solar Generator (Solar Panel Optional) for Outdoor Camping/RVs/Home Use

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$275.54 (as of September 15, 2024 12:00 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

CAMPING BATTERY WITH MOST PORTS: The outdoor backup lithium battery features 2 x AC outlet (110V 600W in total), 2 x USB-A port, 2 x USB-C port, 2 x 10W Wireless Charger, 2 x 12V DC port and 2 x charging port (USB-C, DC). Our portable power generator... read more

powkey Portable Power Station 800W with 3 AC Outlets, 110V/740Wh Solar Generator(Solar Panel Optional), 200,000mAh Emergency Backup Lithium-ion Battery for Outdoors Travel RV Trip Camping CPAP Machine

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$474.99 (as of September 15, 2024 12:00 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

The outdoor backup lithium battery features 3 x AC outlet (110V 800W in total), 2 x USB-A port, 2 x USB-C port, 2 x 10W Wireless Charger, 2 x 12V DC port and 2 x charging port (Anderson, DC). Our portable power generator with wireless charger, you ca... read more

Generac B4177GS Generator Battery Charger Genuine Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Part

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Portable Power Station 350W, Powkey 260Wh/70,000mAh Backup Lithium Battery, 110V Pure Sine Wave Power Bank with 2 AC Outlets, Portable Generator for Outdoors Camping Travel Hunting Emergency

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