So Cal Free Net.org

We have created a kit to help people get online quickly and reliably. This kit has been pre-configured to work with the Socalfreenet service. It will work with either a Macintosh or PC and with almost any operating system. Its available from Influx for $90 (bakery and coffee shop) at 1948 Broadway.

Your computer needs an ethernet port. It looks a lot like a phone jack, but wider. If you bought your computer in the last 1-2 years, then it will almost certainly have this jack. Older laptops or desktops may need an adapter card available from many stores. Here's a picture of one. It might not have lights.

The price of the kit is currently $90. This reflects our cost price for the components ($60 for a D-Link 810+ and $30 for the hi gain directional antenna) with no charge for the setup.

These kits are available from Influx Cafe at 1948 Broadway (cash only). Influx cannot provide any technical support AT ALL for these kits. You can purchase these on a trial basis and return them for a full refund if they don't work in your location. Returns will be taken each month by SoCalFreenet members, until we can find a local person willing to do this.

Socalfreenet members can help install this or your own equipment on the second Sat of each month. Meet between 9-11am on Saturday at Influx cafe.

We put this kit together after helping many people get online during the past couple of months. We've found there's a wide variety of operating systems and computers and also a large variability in signal strength around the neighborhood. This kit has all the configuration built into the grey adapter box which we setup for you. Thus in almost all cases you don't need to change any settings on your computer for it to work.

In addition to being preconfigured, the kits come with a powerful antenna that provides a stronger and more reliable signal. By aiming the antenna at the closest wireless rooftop, you also avoid interference from other radio signals such as some cordless phones and microwave ovens. If this antenna isn't enough, we can swap it for an even more powerful version on one of our install days.