ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would like to thank most our Head of Department ………………..and Seminar In-
charge ………………. for providing me with this opportunity to impart knowledge to my
fellow classmates about the Daknet. They have provided me the plateform to explore
different horizons of the art of speech delivering. This plateform would not only prove
beneficial to me but to everyone because through this one can learn to know their short
comings and imperfections as well as would come to learn about different concepts and
technologies about most of which we are unware of. In the preparation of seminar, I am
cordially thankful to our seminar in-charge for motivating and teaching me to never
backdown to ansemsey situation and circumstances that may arise. He has proved to be an
inducement to me for keep pushing the envelope. I would also like to thanks my parents and
my beloved friends for helping me where ever they could and for always having my back, I
knew I could count on them.

I would also like to thank

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………… the faculty members of the Department
of………………………………………………. for their timely help and precious time.

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 ABSTRACT

This paper outlines a migration path towards universal broadband connectivity,

motivated by the design of a wireless store-and-forward communications network.

Daknet, an ad hoc network that uses wireless technology to provide asynchronous

digital connectivity, is evidence that the marriage of wireless and asynchronous service which
may lead to the beginning of a road to universal broadband connectivity.

DakNet has been successfully deployed in remote parts of both India and Cambodia at
a cost two orders of magnitude less than of traditional landline solutions. It can provide
broadband access to even the most remote areas at a low price.

Instead of trying relay data over a long distance, which can be expensive and power-
hungry, DakNet transmits data over short point-to-point links between kiosks and portable
storage devices, called mobile access points(MAP). Mounted on and powered by a bus, a
motor cycle, or even a bicycle with a small generator, a MAP physically transports data
among public kiosks and private communication devices and between kiosks and hub.

Its advantages are:

 Store-and-forward communication.
 Seamless scalability.
 Cost effective.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

 INTRODUCTION………………………………………05
 MOBILE AD HOC NETWORK………………………05
 WHAT IS DAKNET? ………………………………….06
 WHY DAKNET?.........................................................07
 DAKNET ARCHITECTURE……… …………………07
 DAKNET OPERATION……………………………….08
 ADVANTAGES…………………………………………09
 DISADVANTAGES………………...............................10
 APPLICATIONS………………………………………..11
 DAKNET IN ACTION………………………………....11
 CONCLUSION………………………………………....12

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 INTRODUCTION

As a government representative enthusiastically talks about the new telephone for a

village in remote rural India, a villager asks, “Who am I going to call? I don’t know anybody
who owns a telephone.” Yet, despite this sensible observation, a phone is dutifully installed
as part of the current government mandate to connect villages to neighbouring towns.
Although some villagers do use the phone occasionally, most still travel sometimes days to
talk to family or to obtain the forms and other data that citizens in developed nations can call
up on a computer in a matter of seconds.

In short, the goal of “broadband connectivity for everyone” has been shelved in
favor of cutting back to the minimum possible standard telephone service in the mistaken
belief that this is the cheapest way to provide connectivity. This compromise is particularly
tragic given recent advances in wireless technology, which make running a copper line to an
analog telephone far more expensive than broadband wireless Internet connectivity. Rather
than backpedal on the goal of connecting everyone, society should be thinking, How can we
establish the kernel of a user network that will grow seamlessly as the village’s economics
develop? In other words,what is the basis for a progressive, market-driven migration from
government seed services- e-governance -to universal broadband connectivity that local users
will pay for?

DakNet, an ad hoc network that uses wireless technology to provide asynchronous

digital connectivity, is evidence that the marriage of wireless and asynchronous service may
indeed be that kernel -the beginning of a road to universal broadband connectivity.
Developed by MIT Media Lab researchers, DakNet has been successfully deployed in remote
parts of both India and Cambodia at a cost two orders of magnitude less than that of
traditional landline solutions. Villagers now get affordable Internet services-and they’re using
them. As one man in a small village outside of New Delhi remarked, “This is better than a
telephone!”

MOBILE AD HOC NETWORK

A mobile ad hoc network (MANET), sometimes called a mobile mesh network, is a
self-configuring network of mobile devices connected by wireless links. The ad hoc networks
are a new wireless networking paradigm for mobile hosts. Unlike traditional mobile wireless
networks, ad hoc network do not rely on each other to keep the network connected.

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 It represent complex distributed systems that comprise wireless mobile nodes that can
freely and dynamically self-organize into arbitrary and temporary, “ad-hoc” network
topologies, allowing people and devices to seamlessly internetwork in areas with no pre-
existing communication infrastructure.

Ad hoc networking concept is not a new one, having been around in various forms for
over 20 years. Traditionally, tactical networks have been the only communication networking
application that followed the ad hoc paradigm. Recently, the introduction of new topologies
such as Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11 and Hyperlan are helping enable eventually commercial
MANET deployment outside the military domain. These recent evolutions have been
generating a renewed and growing interest in the research and development of MANET.

The Applications of ad hoc network are,

 Tactical networks
 Sensor network
 Emergency Services
 Educational Applications
 Entertainment
 Location Aware Services

WHAT IS DAKNET?
As the implementation of very low cost asynchronous communications infrastructure,
we have developed a store-and-forward wireless ad-hoc network for rural connectivity known
as Daknet. The name derives from the Hindi word “dak” which means “post” or “postal”.
The Daknet wireless network takes advantage of existing communications and transportation
infrastructure to distribute digital connectivity to outlying villages lacking digital
communication infrastructure. Daknet combines physical means of transportation with
wireless data transfer in order to extend the internet connectivity provided by a central uplink
or hub to kiosks in surrounding villages.

Daknet, an ad hoc network that uses wireless technology to provide asynchronous

digital connectivity, is evidence that the marriage of wireless and asynchronous service may
lead to the beginning of a road to universal broad band connectivity.

In short, the goal of “broad band connectivity for everyone” has been shelved in favor
of cutting back to the minimum possible standard telephone service in the mistaken belief
that this is the cheapest way to provide connectivity.

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 WHY DAKNET?

Real time communications need large capital investment and hence high level of user
adoption to receiver costs. The average villager cannot even afford a personal communication
device such as telephone or computer. To recover cost, users must share communication
infrastructure. Real time aspect of telephony can also be a disadvantage. Studies show that
the current market for successful rural Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

services does not appear to rely on real-time connectivity, but rather on affordability and
basic interactivity. The poor not only need digital services, but they are willing and able to
pay for them to offset the much higher costs of poor transportation, unfair pricing, and
corruption.

It is useful to consider non real-time infrastructures and applications such as voice

mail, e-mail, and electronic bulletin boards. Technologies like store-and-forward or
asynchronous modes of communication can be significantly lower in cost and do not
necessarily sacrifice the functionality required to deliver valuable user services. In addition to
non real-time applications such as e-mail and voice messaging, providers can use
asynchronous modes of communication to create local information repositories that
community members can add to and query.

DAKNET ARCHITECTURE
The main parts of Daknet are,

 Hub
 Mobile Access Point (MAP)
 Kiosk

HUB
An Ethernet hub, active hub, repeater hub, multiport repeater or hub is a device for
connecting multiple Ethernet devices together and making them act as a single network
segment. It has multiple input/output (I/O) ports, in which a signal introduced at the input of
any port appears at the output of every port except the orginal incoming.

MOBILE ACCESS POINT

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 Daknet offers data to be transmitted over short point-to-point links. It combines
physical and wireless data transport to enable high bandwidth intranet and internet
connectivity among kiosks (public computers) and between kiosks and hubs (places with
reliable Internet connection). Data is transported by means of mobile access point, which
automatically and wirelessly collects and delivers data from/to each kiosk on the network.
Low cost Wi-Fi radio transceivers automatically transfer the data stored in the MAP at high
bandwidth for each point-to-point connection.

KIOSK
An interactive kiosk is a computer terminal featuring specialized hardware and
software designed within a public exhibit that provides access to information and applications
for communication, commerce, entertainment, and education.

Kiosks are installed at public places like ATM, Schedule displaying screen on airport
etc. In Daknet, kiosk acts as the terminal that provides public internet access.

DAKNET OPERATION
A simple store-and-forward Wi-Fi system, using a government bus has a central
linkage. The bus contains a simple Wi-Fi installation and server, and when in range of one of
the outlying information kiosks it synchronizes data for later processing.

Daknet is a patented wireless package that does away with base stations. Daknet offers
a cost-effective network for data connectivity in regions lacking communications
infrastructure. Instead of trying to relay data over long distances, which can be expensive,
Daknet transmits data over short point-to-point links between kiosks and portable storage
devices called Mobile Access Points (MAP). Mounted and powered on a bus or motorcycle
with a small generator MAP physically transports data between public kiosks and private
communication devices and between kiosks and hub (for non real-time internet access). Low
cost Wi-Fi radio transfer data stored in MAP at a high bandwidth for each point-to-point
connection.

Daknet has thus two functions:

 As the MAP equipped vehicle comes within the range of a village Wi-Fi
enabled kiosk it automatically senses the wireless connection and uploads and
downloads tens of mega bytes of data.
 As it comes in the range of Internet access points (the hub) it automatically
synchronizes the data from kiosks using the internet.

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 These steps repeat or all the vehicles carrying MAP, thus providing a low cost wireless
network and seamless communication infrastructure. Even a single vehicle passing by a
village is sufficient to carry the entire daily information. The connection quality is also high.

Although daknet does not provide real time data transport, a significant amount of data
can move at once typically 20MB in one direction.

Thus asynchronous broadband connectivity offers a stepping stone to always on

broadband infrastructure and end user applications. Daknet makes it possible for individual
households and private users to get connected.

Each time the MAP on the bus comes within the range of a kiosk to transfer data it is
referred to as a “session”. The average length of a session is 02:34(MM:SS) during which an
average of 20.9MB can be transferred uni-directionally (from kiosk to MAP) and up to twice
that amount bi-directionally (from kiosk to MAP and MAP to kiosk). The average Good put
(actual data throughput) for a session, during which the MAP and kiosk go in and out of
connection due to mobility and obstructions, is 2.47Mb/sec.

ADVANTAGES
 Store and forward network
Daknet allows rural villages to exchange messages and video through a mobile ISP. By
mounting a wireless card on a vehicle that travels around to remote villages and exchanges
updated information with each kiosk it encounters through Wi-Fi.

Villagers are able to send messages and record videos through these kiosks. That data is
stored in outbox of the kiosk. When the mobile vehicle comes around it exchanges the data in
the outbox and in the inbox.

These awaiting messages are able to check the inbox for any messages or videos. All
information is downloaded to the central system at the office station.

 Seamless scalability
In addition to its tremendous cost reduction, a critical feature of Daknet is its ability to
provide a seamless method of upgrading to always on broadband connectivity. As a village
increases its economic means, its inhabitants can use the same hardware, software, and user
interface to enjoy real time information access. The only change is the addition of fixed
location wireless antennas and towers , a change that is entirely transparent to end users
because they need not learn any new skills or buy any new hardware or software. The
addition of fixed transceivers would provide real tile connectivity, thus enabling new, more
sophisticated services, such as voice over IP, which allows “normal” real time telephony.

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Thus asynchronous broadband wireless connectivity offers a practical stepping stone and
migration path to always on, broadband infrastructure and end user applications. Together
with the development of two other key rural communication components robust, low cost
terminals and local user interface design and applications. Daknet makes it practical for
individual household and private users to get connected.

 Cost effective
The total cost of the Daknet MAP equipment used on the bus is US$580, which
includes a custom embedded PC running Linux with 802.11 wireless card and 512MB CF
memory, a 100mW amplifier, cabling, mounting equipment, and 14” omnidirectional
antenna, and a UPS that is powered by the bus battery.

The average total cost of the equipment used to daknet enable a village kiosk or hub is
US$185. Assuming that each bus can provide connectivity to approximately 10 villages, the
average cost of Daknet enabling each village in this pilot was US$243 ($185 at each village +
$580 MAP cost/10).

A back of the envelope calculation for Daknet suggests that a capital investment of
$15M could equip 50,000 rural vehicles with a $300 MAP and there by provide intermittent
broadband connectivity to most of rural India. This is orders of magnitude lower in cost than
current alternatives for rural communications.

Costs for interactive user devices supported by Daknet are also far more affordable than
PCs or traditional WLL (Wireless Local Loop) equipment. New PDA (Personal Digital
Assistant) like devices using a daknet like wireless protocol retail for $100, with a
manufacturing cost of approximately $50. These costs are being further reduced by “system
on chip” technology, with prototypes of wireless PDAs achievable at prices as low as $25.

DISADVANTAGES

 Since the nodes (MAP,Hub,Kiosk) communicate over the wireless links, they have to
contend with the effect of radio communication such as noise, fading and interference.
 It provides only non real time data transfer functionality.

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 APPLICATIONS

 Internet/Intranet messaging: this can include e-mail, video/audio messaging,

mobile e-commerce.
 Information distribution/broadcasting: this can include community bulletin
boards, transfer of educational materials, public health announcements, news, music
and video broadcasts.
 Information collection: this can include collection of environmental sensor
information, voting, census/polling, health records, and land records.
 Rural supply chain management: by incorporating global positioning systems
the Daknet network can also function as a means of tracking the movement of
vehicles and shipment of goods in a geographical area.
 Information searching, web services: by incorporating new types of Internet
applications that are designed for non real-time access, many new web related
applications can be developed for the rural market.

DAKNET IN ACTION
Villagers in Indian and Cambodia are using daknet with good results. Local
entrepreneurs currently are using Daknet connections to make e-services like e-mail and
voice mail available to residents in rural villages. One of the Daknet’s early deployments was
an affordable rural connectivity solution for the Bhoomi e-governance project.

Daknet is also implemented in a remote province of Cambodia for 15 solar powered

village schools, telemedicine clinics, and a governor’s office.

Daknet is currently in action in many places. They are,

Bhoomi initiative in Karnataka.

SARI (Sustainable Access for Rural India) project of Tamilnadu.

Ratanakiri project in Cambodia

BHOOMI INITIATIVE IN INDIA

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 Bhoomi, an initiative to computerized land records of villagers is the first e-governance
project in India. Bhoomi has been successfully implemented at district headquarters across
the state to completely replace the physical land records system.

Daknet makes Bhoomi’s land records database available to villagers 40km away from
the district headquarters. In this deployment a public bus is outfitted with a Daknet MAP,
which carries the land record requests from each village kiosk to the taluka server. The server
then processes the requests and outputs land records. The bus then delivers the records to
each village kiosk and the kiosk manager prints the records and collects Rs.15 per record.It
has also been successfully employed in the villages of Cambodia. Next steps involve
combining Daknet and Bhoomi with a package of applications to provide a sustainable model
for rural entrepreneurship.

The Government of Karnataka plans to use Bhoomi as the backbone for providing other
kinds of information of relevance to rural areas. This includes commodity prices, information
on agricultural inputs, social assistance like old age, widow and physically handicapped
pensions etc. There are also plans to extend these kiosks to the village level by involving
private sector entrepreneurs and gram panchayats (local governance units) on a revenue
sharing basis.

MOTO BIKE INNOVATION

Early every morning, five Honda motorcycles leave the hub in the provincial capital of Ban
lung where a satellite dish, donated by shin satellite, links the provincial hospital and a
special skills school to the Internet for telemedicine and computer training. The motor drivers
equipped with a small box and antenna at the rear of the vehicle, that downloads and delivers
e-mail through a wi-fi (wireless) card, begin the day by collecting the e-mail from the hub’s
dish, which takes just a few seconds.

Through the donations from various organizations the developing world is given an
opportunity to participate in the technological revolution. After many pilot projects there are
still investigations to understanding how to increase the projects through various solutions
such as Daknet.

CONCLUSION

Daknet’s low deployment cost and enthusiastic reception by rural users has motivated
dozens of inquiries for further deployments. This provides millions of people their first
possibility for digital connectivity. Increasing connectivity is the most reliable way to
encourage economic growth.

The larger goal is to shift the policy focus of the Governments’s universal service
obligation funds from wireless village telephones to wireless ad hoc networking.

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 The shift will probably require formal assessment for user satisfaction, resulting
economic growth and system reliability.

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