Introduction
This course on wireless for Community Networks is part of the AfNOG 2017 Workshop on Network Technology, held in conjunction with the Africa Internet Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, in May/June 2017.
We use hands-on training in a well-equipped classroom over a three-day period to teach skills required for designing, specifying, configuring, operating and supporting low cost wireless community networks
The topics covered include:
1. Intro to Telecommunications: signals, amplitude, power, frequency, phase, noise, spectrum, bandwidth, signal to noise ratio. Modulation. Medium access techniques. Channel capacity.
2. Wave propagation: attenuation, absorption, reflection, refraction.
3. Antenna and transmission lines fundamentals: gain, loss, connector and adaptors types, dB, dBi, dBm, radiation pattern, beamwidth, vertical and horizontal polarization. Omnidirectional, directive and sectorial antennas. Antenna alignment techniques.
4. Wireless standards and protocols: WiFi networking architecture, access points and clients. LAN and WAN, Point to Point and Point to Multipoint, MAC and IP addresses. APs and clients: configuration, security.
5. Network planning. Software aids for radio networks planning: BotRf and spectrum analysis tools. Link budget calculation: free space loss, EIRP, receiver sensitivity, Fresnel zone, earth bulge, link margin. Site survey and outdoors installations. Long distance links requirements.
Who should attend: Community Network Operators from Africa
Prerequisites: Basic networking background including; TCP/IP, IP addressing and routing protocols. Basic knowledge
Instructors
- Ermanno Pietrosiemoli (Italy) [EP]
- Michuki Mwangi (Kenya) [MM]
- Marco Zennaro (Italy) [MZ]
Participants
- Pascal Zigashane Bahati (DRC)
- Joseph Bishi (Zimbabwe)
- Njungle Nges Brian (Cameroon)
- Patrick Byamungu (DRC)
- John Dada (Nigeria)
- Patrick Gichini (Kenya)
- Billy Einkamerer (South Africa)
- Yakubu Ezekiel (Nigeria)
- Joseph Kamau (Kenya)
- Quentillian Louw (Namibia)
- Nelson Mandela (Kenya)
- Lwando Mdleleni (South Africa)
- Thato Mfikwe (South Africa)
- Josephine Miliza (Kenya)
- Sammy Munyua (Kenya)
- Brian Mxolisi Magwaza (South Africa)
- Simon Ojwang (Kenya)
- Tonny Okwonga (Uganda)
- Benson Olobo (Uganda)
- Nicolas Pace (Argentia)
- Annastasia Shipepe (Namibia)
- Masbulele Siya (South Africa)
- Pacifique Zikomangane (DRC)