Shared Community WiFi Networking Blog From A Toronto Co-op ISP

Sunday, June 29, 2008

WN's Direct IP Address 198.235.202.22

As posted below in a response to Michael:

"The direct IP seems to help get at WN's site, but caused additional problems for other websites. Not sure why, but that's what happened when I tried it myself.

But, for the intrepid, try 198.235.202.22

It will get you the website, but maybe nothing else."

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Servers OK, DNS Propagation Delay

Good morning, all!

As most of you are now aware, the Wireless Nomad website and WiFi login are currently inaccessible to most people. The telephone system and e-mail system are both functioning without difficulty. DSL Internet is also working without any general problems for everyone, so if you simply plug into your router, you should be able to get online without any difficulty.

The website and WiFi login will be inaccessible for some users for up to 72 hours. Many users (hopefully all) will have access to the website and WiFi login before then.

The reason for this disruption is an error in the DNS switchover to the new server.

While the new server is functioning properly (and is wicked fast compared to the old ones!), the server’s new IP address is not yet properly associated with the www.wirelessnomad.com domain name. This means that while the Wireless Nomad server and website are working properly, many people cannot see them on the Internet because the address of our website has not been properly updated.

There are approximately a dozen “DNS servers” that perform this address and name association for the entire Internet, and different users will use different DNS servers at different times. Each of these DNS servers will update with the proper information on its own schedule. There is nothing we can do to accelerate this process, and it will happen automatically without our assistance.

As soon as each DNS server updates its association list, any user connected to that DNS server will again be able to direct their web browser to www.wirelessnomad.com and receive access to our website and WiFi login.

While the exact source of the error is not certain yet, it appears to be on the part of our previous server hosting provider. With the installation of the new server in a new co-location hosting facility, we will have no further dealings with the provider or facility that is likely the cause of this disruption.

Sorry for any inconvenience resulting from this growing pain. Please remember, your Internet is still working, even though the WiFi and website are inaccessible to some users over the next little while.

Thanks for your patience,
-the Wireless Nomad team

Friday, June 27, 2008

Servers down temporarily- we're on it

Hello all: sorry, the servers are down temporarily as of 3:27pm, 27 JUNE 2008.

Steve and Ron are on it: will update everyone as soon as we have more info.

Hopefully things will be back up soon. In the meantime, you can always access the Internet by plugging in to your router's ethernet ports: while the WiFi is affected by the server outage, the DSL internet is not.

More soon,
-Damien

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Bell Canada's confidential network data reveals that P2P congestion isn't really a problem

Bell's been screwing with our internet connections for the past couple of months, even though all we rent from them is access to the copper phone lines that were built long ago... Cory explains the latest development pretty well over on BoingBoing:

"
POSTED BY CORY DOCTOROW, JUNE 25, 2008 8:17 PM | PERMALINK

Bell Canada has been forced by the CRTC (Canadian telco regulator) to reveal exactly how congested its network is. This follows revelations that Bell has been slowing down P2P traffic -- even traffic on its wholesale customers' networks, so no matter who you buy your DSL from, Bel gets to ruin your P2P experience.
The confidential documents show that, basically, Bell just doesn't have a substantial congestion problem -- in fact, backbone congestion has been going down.
"

LINK

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Gov't Pushes for Computer and Internet Controls to Appease Record and Movie Industries

From BoingBoing:

"Canadian Industry Minister Jim Prentice loads the DMCA, aims it at Canada's temple, and pulls the trigger"

POSTED BY CORY DOCTOROW, JUNE 11, 2008 1:47 PM | PERMALINK

Here it is, folks, at long last: Industry Canada Minister Jim Prentice is about to introduce his Canadian version of America's disastrous Digital Millennium Copyright Act tomorrow. In so doing, he is violating his own party's promise to seek public consultation on all treaty accession bills, he's ignoring the cries of rightsholders, industry, educators, artists, librarians, citizens' rights groups, legal scholars and pretty much everyone with a stake in this, except the US Trade Representative and the US Ambassador, who, apparently, have had ample opportunity to chat with the Minister and give him his marching orders.


LINK

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Cable: deregulation good for consumers; Ars: like heck it is

"If the last 10 years have taught us anything, it's that the cable industry in the US is focused on openness, innovation, and customer satisfaction; but if we can't keep the government's knuckleheaded regulators out of our cable lines and off our Internet, cable's nearly absurd level of innovation will be throttled down more effectively than BitTorrent uploads on Comcast's network. Well, so says the cable industry, at least."

LINK

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Prentice's Staff Scrubbing Copyright Controversy From Wikipedia Entry

From Prof. Geist's Blog:

Wednesday June 04, 2008

While Industry Minister Jim Prentice has sought to project an air of unflappability around the outcry over the Canadian DMCA, it would appear that behind the scenes his staff is working overtime to eliminate any negative comments on Wikipedia. Prentice's Wikipedia entry has been anonymously amended multiple times over the past week with regular attempts to remove any copyright criticism (as I post this there is no reference to copyright).

LINK

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Canadian DMCA will take $500/download from your kids' college fund

Canadian DMCA will take $500/download from your kids' college fund

Cory sez:

"More word on Canada's version of the American Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which Industry Minister Jim Prentice is rumoured to be ready to release tomorrow: it will include a $500/download fine, which means that if your kids download a couple of $0.99 singles without paying for them, the American labels will be able to take $1,000 out of her college fund (and those are Canadian dollars, still worth something on the international market)."


From Prof. Geist's blog:

"Some sources say that it comes as a result of Prentice's concern that the Conservatives could be tied to huge damage awards against teenagers for peer-to-peer file sharing. If that is indeed the case, it is not clear how this provision will solve that concern. While there are still many questions about this provision (does it target downloading or uploading? does it exempt sound recordings covered by the private copying levy? is the $500 a set amount or a maximum? is it per infringement or cover all activity? does it require actual evidence that files made available are downloaded?), consider a case involving 1000 song files, not an unusually high number. The "retail" value of those files is roughly $1000, yet on a per infringement basis the Prentice proposal could lead to a damage award of $500,000. Even small scale cases would lead to huge awards - 50 songs could lead to a $25,000 fine. Ironically, the prospect of huge damage awards comes as Canadian musicians and songwriters have both rejected lawsuits against individuals. If Prentice hopes that the provision reduces the concern associated with file sharing lawsuits, this move may actually have the opposite effect."

>LINK

More Copyright Rules Coming Soon?

Online Rights Canada (ORC) has an online "email your MP" system up and running-- pretty cool, and a good way to let your MP know what you think about the impending new copyright rules.

"The Day Before the Copyright Bill?
The rumours have begun again: that Jim Prentice will introduce his long-delayed Copyright Act reform this Wednesday. Let your MP know you're watching closely, with our new Copyright For Canadians letter to Parliament!"


www.onlinerights.ca/