Choosing an internet service provider can often feel like being backed into a corner, with hardly any options to choose from. Often, specific providers dominate geographical areas, creating miniature monopolies on our internet access. While it doesn’t appear as though companies like Time Warner/Spectrum are exploiting their position (yet), the recent debate and FCC vote on net neutrality regulations have brought many dangerous “what ifs” to the forefront of conversations regarding how we log on.
One of the most prominent responses to the dangers of internet service provider monopolies is the evolution of mesh networks — hyper-local points of connection to the internet that do not rely on an internet service provider to operate. In theory, this decentralized structure creates a more private, democratized internet experience that’s becoming more and more appealing to communities particularly in New York.
Shortly after the FCC voted to eliminate net neutrality, media outlet Vice unveiled a multi-step plan to sponsor the construction of a mesh network to serve their company and their community. Elsewhere in the city, a group called NYC Mesh is working, building by building, to establish a sustainable, ISP-free means of internet connection.
Though understanding the ins and outs of the internet may seem like a loaded subject, mesh networks are quite simple, and understanding how they work puts you far ahead of the tech curve.
To start, traditional networking structures rely on a hierarchical format, wherein your laptop connects to a local ISP, then to a regional ISP, then to an even larger ISP and so on and so forth.
While this hierarchy allows for standardization and organization, it also has its risks. If your access points to the internet are arranged in a linear fashion, like a strand of Christmas lights, internet structures are at risk of one of those “lights” going out, and the entire “strand” becoming useless.
Where mesh networks provide an alternative is their ability to create a self-reliant network. A mesh network is comprised of many pieces, similar to the pieces of a traditional ISP. Yet, instead of a firm hierarchy, all elements comprising a mesh network hold equal value and, as a result, are connected to all other elements in the network.
Such connections boost the security and reliability of a network, and eliminate the need for a central service provider. Data, whether its being sent or received, can go through any number of paths, as opposed to a central route. In the allegory of the Christmas lights, any one bulb could go out and the entire strand would remain powered.
While all of the above can be interpreted as positives, there are also drawbacks evident. The autonomy of each connection point results in a greater number of machinery, wires and power in order to keep a single unit functioning.
What’s more, some argue that the decentralized means of data transmission could slow connection speeds or cause them to be erratic. Still, the hyper-localized nature of these connection points may be able to curb potential problems.
There is much to be explored in terms of the form and functionality of mesh networks in New York City, yet it is a system that is quietly expanding and could, while you’re not looking, create a total shift in the internet landscape of our city. It’s an extremely exciting time to be an individual on the internet because, more than ever, you have the power to change it.
