Broadband-capable community networks
People’s Open Network
Community-owned, open-source peer-to-peer internet project in Oakland, California
Carries internet traffic unverified
Activity unconfirmed. The homepage lists workshops and a Patreon link, but its blog returned errors during research and we found no dated recent news.
Updated 29 Oct 2026
| Internet traffic | Designed to share internet access; bandwidth partners include the Internet Archive. Current speeds and coverage are not published. |
|---|---|
| Node count | Not published (as of 29 Oct 2026, source) |
| Geography | Oakland and the East Bay, California. |
| Regions | Oakland, USA |
| Tech |
|
| Typical cost | Not stated. Contact the project through its join page. |
| Bandwidth | Not published. |
| Legal | Licence-free Wi-Fi bands. |
| Governance | Community-owned and community-operated. Partners include Sudo Room and Omni Commons. Formal legal structure not stated on the pages we read. |
| UK notes | Operates in Oakland only. Our research found no UK Wi-Fi community mesh groups. |
| Links |
What it is
People’s Open Network (PON) describes itself as a community-owned and community-operated wireless network in Oakland, California. Its stated aim is an open-source, peer-to-peer internet. It is built with sudomesh software and hardware. Partners named on its pages include Sudo Room and Omni Commons, with bandwidth from the Internet Archive.
What we could not confirm
This entry is thinner than the others, and that is deliberate. We did not find enough to fill it honestly.
- Activity. The homepage lists workshops and a Patreon link. The blog returned HTTP 502 twice and the monitor page redirected when we tried them. A search for 2026 news found nothing about PON. We could not date any recent activity, so the status is marked as unverified.
- Node count. Not published on any page we read. The map page is a static, incomplete map with no data feed, so there is no live counter for PON.
- Routing stack. The pages we read do not say which routing software it uses.
- Cost and speed. Neither is stated. The join page says to contact the project.
- Legal form. Not stated.
How to join
- Read the about page for the project's current description.
- Use the join page to get in touch. It is the project's own route for new members.
- Ask about current coverage in your part of Oakland before buying anything. We cannot tell you whether new installs are being taken.
What it realistically gives you
PON is designed to share internet access, so a working node can carry ordinary internet traffic. Bandwidth partners include the Internet Archive. We have no figures for speed, coverage or reliability, and we will not guess. It serves Oakland and the East Bay only.
Caveats
- It uses licence-free Wi-Fi bands, so no amateur licence is needed. Normal Wi-Fi power and band rules apply.
- It is a US project. Our research found no UK Wi-Fi community mesh groups, so for UK readers this page is a reference, not an option.
- Treat any claim about PON on third-party sites as unconfirmed unless it carries a date.