Comments on: Meraki Madness

By: Jim James

Jim James — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 02:46:18 +0000

What Meraki doesnt tell you up front is that there is a manditory 20% monthly fee for every paid subscription you have. For example, say you have 1000 customers paying $10 a month, that means that you get $18000 gross, and Meraki gets $2000 a month from you, just for using their shoddy restricting “dashboard” program. It’s highway robbery i tell ya! This business model will be their achilies heel.

By: G$

G$ — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 21:54:02 +0000

Yes miles. Using wifi. How about 173 miles, without amplifiers? http://www.wilac.net/descargas/documentos/EnlaceAguila_Baul_EN.pdf

The Meraki Dashboard management software isn’t the same as what NetEquality uses for it’s online network status. They developed that software themselves and made it available on netequality.net. There are a few screenshots of Meraki dashboard on http://www.meraki.net

As the national broadband providers try to stop customers from sharing their connections, I think the smaller regional ISPs will try to differentiate themselves by specifically allowing sharing.

With the low cost of Meraki hardware, low power consumption, zero end user configuration, wide input voltage range and user replaceable antenna, I don’t see why the Meraki isn’t suited for rural area deployment. High gain directional antennas can create long range links for miles. Once the signal reaches it’s destination, additional Merkai Minis can distribute the signal around the city/village/area.

By: Tim Schneider

Tim Schneider — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 14:45:15 +0000

Miles? Using what? Not wifi . . .

I’d be really interested in seeing the management software. Is that what NetEquality uses for its online network status, etc?

Of course, everyone’s backed by google these days. Or hoping to be.

I think your mention of open wireless networks is spot-on. This is something that people want to do (though with enough security scares, they might not), and the question becomes, what are the constraints that pipe providers will want to place on sharing of their pipe? Is this something they can control, even? In a more competitive market, we might see providers compete on user extensability, but we’re not there yet.

That’s the difference, though. Is this just a niche device that meets the needs of apartment buildings and dense community groups? Or is it transformative, changing the way we think about infrastructure the same way p2p changed how we think about distribution?

By: Brice

Brice — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 14:34:29 +0000

The beauty of Meraki is the simplicity of the product and the powerful but easy to use management software. A third party antenna (24 dBi directional) can extend the range for miles.

Currently, Meraki is still in beta testing, so you have to sign up and buy hardware for personal use. This is a barrier of entry to the common person that wants to go to a brick and mortar store and buy a wireless router for forty dollars.

Also, don’t forget this company is backed by Google, *the* 800 pound gorilla of the IT world.

If it is used in a commercial venture with a T1 backbone, then it is legal internet access and does not violate the terms of use like a home user with a private FIOS line.

Besides, if you go to any college town you can find many unsecured wireless networks with the default SSID from students using wireless routers and broadband access.