We want to welcome Lotus Moon Yoga Studio to Y-FI. Megan contact us to and wanted to host a Y-FI access point in her yoga studio so that she could have internet for herself and her partons. With varied studio hours and only limited need to use the internet she did not need dedicated internet service at her studio. Y-FI was a great way for her to get the access she needs without the added expense of monthly service costs. Using the Y-FI signal already along N George Street from our other partners, the access point at Lotus Moon is able to join the network and repeat the signal into the yoga studio.

For more information about hosting a Y-FI access point for you and your customers contact us today!

Lotus Moon Yoga
237 North George St
York, PA 17401
(717) 424-2273

It has been a while since I’ve updated you on the progress with Y-FI, York’s Free community wireless initiative. The project which I started in late 2009 with just 2 nodes, grew throughout 2010 and now includes over 30 wireless nodes in York City. The pace has been quickening and I’m receiving more and more inquiries from residents and businesses that want to participate. Much of the current coverage area surrounds Central Market, Strand-Capitol and the Beaver Street shops, but we’ve branched out into other areas of the city.

In 2010 we developed partners and installed several nodes in the Avenues. We also have a cluster forming around the E Philadelphia/N Queen Street intersection. Most recently we’ve begun a partnership with the YWCA to rollout Y-FI in parts of the Olde Town East neighborhood, allowing the YWCA and the neighborhood association to continue their service to their neighbors. Y-FI is fortunate to have many supporting partners, both residents and businesses. Our website is always the best place to see who is supporting Y-FI. Our network growth sees user traffic over 10Gb per day and loads of users. I’m thankful for the support this idea has received thus far and I’m excited about where 2011 is going to take us.

And that brings me to …

Yesterday we announced that Y-FI is now in partnership with the York County Economic Development Corporation to expand and grow Y-FI in York City. This is a great strategic partnership for Y-FI and allows both the YCEDC and myself to focus on what we do best. The YCEDC is able to bring its large wealth of development knowledge and its long list of resources to Y-FI, to help our community network grow larger and more consistently through 2011. Their staff has relationships with many of the business owners and potential supporting partners downtown and can make the vital connections that will allow Y-FI to flourish.

As you may know, IT and internet networking is not my full time occupation. The development work on Y-FI happens after hours and on weekends. It takes numerous hours to setup and maintain the network. Keeping the network running consistently and performing well, leaves few hours left for developing the supporting connections that continue to be critical to Y-FI’s future. That’s where the YCEDC will make it’s biggest impact.

Y-FI is completely free to use and enjoy, but that means we have costs that we have to develop funding for. Working with our existing partners, our new partners and the YCEDC I’m hopeful we can raise the funding needed to expand over much more of the central business district as well as being able to support the growth in other residential areas. How can you support Y-FI and the greater community? I’m glad you asked Visit our website for ways several ways you can help Y-FI continue brining this free tool to our city.

For More information about the Y-FI / YCEDC partnership
Click this link to see the Press Release.

Thank you. We look forward to providing expanded free wireless coverage in York City this year!

As each day passes on, the divide is growing larger. Those that have easy access to the internet can gain information and conduct business that those that do not have easy internet access can not. At Y-FI, our aim is to assist in reducing this divide.

Next American City: The Digital Divide

Most readers of Next American City take the Internet for granted, a utility like running water or electricity. You e-mail at work and communicate with colleagues using instant messenger; you check blogs for the latest news or gossip. At home, you download music or movies, pay bills online or Google old friends. Civic life, too: instructions on obtaining a marriage license, the date school starts for the kids, how much the house next door sold for and how it will affect your property value, all can be found on city websites. Heck, if you want the city to fix a pothole, you send the info over the Internet.  (Read the rest of the article here…)

At Y-FI we are continuing to search and develop partnerships that that will get our free internet service into the homes and onto the computers of those that most need it.  If you, your business or a community organization wants to partner with Y-FI to bring free wifi internet to your neighborhood PLEASE contact us.

We’ve been busy working on the network but slacking at keeping the blog updated.  We’re excited to announce that we have brought on partners at both the East and West ends of the central business district and right smack in the middle of the central district.

On the West we have Star Systems Engineering, Inc. at 232-236 West Market St.  On the square Inside Out Creative has graciously allowed us to install a repeater on their network and provide signal to a large portion of the square. And finally on the east, at the intersection of Philadelphia and Queen street we have a repeater installed in the basecamp/home of the local musicians “Free Breakfast”  All three partners deeply care about the resurgence of energy that’s currently growing in York City and are eager to participate in our network which allows freedom of movement to work and play and use the internet to get things done.

Stay tuned, we have other exciting things coming up soon!  As always if you’d like to help our network check out our page on how to contribute

Here at Y-FI we are working to continually expand our network. We currently have 15 network nodes placed in and around the area of N Beaver Street with Central Market being the epicenter of our growing network.

We gladly welcomed new support for our network from Idea Tree, a software development company. As a young software startup, Idea Tree sees the value of providing our free wifi using our mesh network and was eager to help us expand even before their office space was complete. The staff at Idea Tree regularly telecommute and enjoy central market and have found the Y-FI system to be invaluable.  Idea Tree who recently relocated their office to Clarke Ave just behind Central Market gave us a great launching point to expand our coverage into Cherry Lane which has been a target for us since our network’s creation.

Our coverage now extends into Cherry lane court and covers the seating area.  The shade tree coverage and the tables and chairs make Cherry Lane and excellent place to take your work outside and enjoy the fresh air.

If you haven’t checked it out, take a look at our network node location map.

This week is a big week for Y-FI as we bring online 2 new partners in the endeavor to bring free wireless connectivity to downtown York. We are pleased to announce that The Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center and the Camera Center of York have both joined our mission.

The Strand-Capitol, up until now has not had wifi access for it’s patrons, performers or staff and this will provide a huge benefit to the Strand-Capitol as they use their building to promote culture and arts in the community. Conferences that use the facility will be able to use the free Y-FI as well as guests before, during or after a show. The Free Y-FI will also benefit they Strand-Capitol as they look to future endeavors along their street frontage.

The Camera Center of York, has long been a mainstay of the N Beaver Street merchants. The staff at the Camera Center of York is very knowledgeable about the camera equipment they sell. They can take care of your regular photo printing needs and are also able to do large or unique photo print orders that can’t be done at the 1hour photo shops. The Camera Center joined on with Y-FI as a way to show their support for this community endeavor as well as increase exposure for their business.

If you or your business would like to help support Y-FI please see our FAQ

This coming week will be a busy one for us. We need to roll up our sleeves and get to work installing our very first network nodes.  We’re getting out our ladders, tools and drills so we can run cables and mount our test units. All this so we can provide FREE wireless internet to a major stepping stone to our project. We’ll be having a soft launch very soon and then look for a big announcement in the next couple of weeks!

We Still need a LOT of support

We want to know that you’re interested. Follow us on Twitter and say hello!
Tell your friends, tell your co-workers, tell your boss, tell everyone your know -

It’s Free and It’s Coming

The owner’s of Lincolnway Flower Shop and Greenhouses have been avid supporters of Y-FI from it’s inception. They have just recently increased their stand size and presence in Central Market and are encouraging Central Market to be an anchor with Y-FI. They even purchased their own repeater to locate close to their stand to help cover the signal in Central Market and to push the mesh out into Cherry Lane.

Thanks Lincolnway Flower Shop for helping ‘grow’ our mesh network.  We’re excited to have you!

Lincolnway Flower Shop and Greenhouses
3420 E. Market St. York, PA 17402

PHONE (717) 755-4961 or (800) 682-4958

Also at Central Market 34 W. Philadelphia Street, York 17401

If you would like to contribute to the Y-FI network, visit our How do I Contribute to Y-FI page, or use the Contact form.

We are pleased to have the City of York as a supporter and partner with the Y-FI project. York City is in the midst of a development resurgence in the downtown business district. New businesses and new arts organizations are drawing more people downtown to enjoy all that York City has to offer. Y-FI desires to be one more tool that York can use to continue making downtown more enticing.We will be working closely with the City of York to develop a strategic plan for system locations.

We continue to work with our existing partners and new partners to broaden support for the project. Y-FI still needs significant financial resources and business partnerships to create a strong wifi mesh. The Y-FI community project’s primary funding is from business and individual donations.  The City’s support will boost the work that the Y-FI partners are currently doing.

If you would like to contribute to the Y-FI network, visit our How do I Contribute to Y-FI page, or use the Contact form.