Water bottle WiFi in Mali

In the great tradition of DIY wireless comes another

project underway in Mali. The project is investigating best practices for building small DIY antennas and router

enclosures at low-cost to serve the Malian television and WiFi markets. Designs were taken from numerous sources and

adapted to use materials readily available in Mali such as plastic water bottles (peep the ‘BottleNet’ antenna at

right), used motorbike valve stems, and window screen mesh. Goals included reducing cost and making assemblages simple

enough to require little technical skill. For about $40 per antenna, the project could end up satisfying most of the

needs of the WiFi market in Mali. Want to piggy-back off your neighbor's broadband? Start saving your bottles.