Broadband-capable community networks
FunkFeuer Wien
Volunteer-run rooftop wireless network in Vienna, with sister groups elsewhere in Austria
Carries internet traffic active
Homepage live; latest GitHub activity 3 July 2026 (read 29 Oct 2026).
Updated 29 Oct 2026
| Internet traffic | Yes. The homepage says some nodes form a direct gateway to the internet. Capacity and access terms were not published on the pages we read. |
|---|---|
| Node count | Not published as a dated figure (the homepage, read on 29 Oct 2026, says "well over 220 active nodes" for Vienna without a date) (as of 29 Oct 2026, source) |
| Geography | Vienna, Austria, founded in 2003. Regional groups exist in Graz and Wels. |
| Regions | Vienna, Austria, Graz, Austria, Wels, Austria |
| Tech |
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| Typical cost | Not published. The homepage describes DIY, volunteer-run nodes. |
| Bandwidth | Not published. |
| Legal | Not researched. Check the rules for the Wi-Fi bands you would use before building a node. |
| Governance | Volunteer-run and DIY, following the Pico Peering Agreement. Legal form not stated on the pages we read. |
| UK notes | An Austrian network. Our research found no UK Wi-Fi community mesh groups. |
| Links |
How it works
FunkFeuer Wien is a volunteer-run rooftop wireless network in Vienna, founded in 2003, with regional groups in Graz and Wels. The homepage describes it as hierarchy-free: every node connects to several neighbours and traffic re-routes automatically. It follows the Pico Peering Agreement, and nodes are DIY.
Some nodes act as gateways: the homepage says "einige Knoten bilden einen direkten Uebergang ins Internet" (some nodes form a direct gateway to the internet). The homepage does not state the routing protocol.
How to join
The homepage says anyone can take part, and points to existing initiatives and the wiki for tips, including how to make a router "FunkFeuer-ready". The wiki returned HTTP 500 when we checked on 29 October 2026, so we did not read the actual steps.
- Start from the homepage, which links a contact page.
- Look at the map to see whether nodes are near you.
- Read the wiki for the join steps once it is available.
What it realistically gives you
It carries internet traffic through gateway nodes. We found no bandwidth figure. The homepage says "well over 220 active nodes" for Vienna, with no date, so this site does not present it as a dated count.
Caveats
- Status: the site and map loaded on 29 October 2026, and the funkfeuer GitHub organisation had a push on 3 July 2026. The homepage carries no news dates.
- The wiki was down when we checked.
- It is an Austrian network. Our research found no UK presence.