I found an interesting article on the New York Times technology page about sharing broadband with your neighbors to increase the speed of your download connection. It is like pooling resources, and during times when you are sharing that pool with less people, you could notice large increases in total bandwidth.

WiBoost, which is also the name of the company’s technology system, now requires an antenna mounted outside the home. The company is exploring ways to license its technology to manufacturers and hopes to make WiBoost devices available for $200 to $300. In flat areas with minimal obstructions, the system might be able to link homes separated by several miles, with do-it-yourself installation.

Mushroom Networks is conducting trials using a device called an access point aggregator that is similar to a conventional home Wi-Fi router. It is intended to be used to connect homes or businesses that are closer together.

Both companies said they were going to great lengths to assure service providers that they did not plan to become bandwidth Napsters, a reference to the music file-sharing company that raised havoc with the audio recording industry.

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Freenet: A New Approach to File-Sharing

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