Yulia Rogonova. House in the Web

House in the Web
Yulia Rogonova

Publication date: February 27, 2001

If in Russia the main problems are from fools and roads, then the main problems of the Russian Internet are poor-quality communications and high prices. It is impossible to find an acceptable compromise between these two parameters. A relatively cheap connection via telephone lines, as a rule, does not stand up to any criticism; a dedicated line is not affordable for everyone. And yet the Russian people do not recognize hopeless situations. The most realistic solution to the problem today can be considered home networks (DNs).

The first home networks began to appear in Russia six or seven years ago. Their goal was far from accessing the World Wide Web. Two or three neighbors, tired of playing with a virtual opponent, threw a cable along the route computer - window - window - computer and played online games. At the same time, the process of exchanging files and programs was greatly simplified. But the boom in the development of home networks with Internet access occurred in 2000. magazine Internet even called this phenomenon the main event of the past year. Although there is no exact data on the number of home networks. The most extensive catalogs for Moscow give numbers from 127 to 204 . And this despite the fact that many DS try not to attract attention to themselves in order to avoid troubles from government agencies (but more on that later).

The advantage of home networks is obvious: a dedicated channel (copper pair or radio Ethernet / RadioEthernet ) is purchased for several users at once, and the quality of communication is almost always excellent, and the speed can vary slightly. The monthly Internet fee is quite comparable to the cost of Dial-up . Of course, to create your own DS or connect to an existing one, you need initial costs for equipment. At a minimum, you need a server, network cards for all computers, cables, hubs, connectors, and for a serious network, a switch. The final price will largely depend on the distance of user computers from each other. A network for 7-10 users living in neighboring buildings will cost at least 300 green rubles. To connect to the Internet, you need an agreement with a provider and the purchase or rental of equipment.

An equally important issue for the successful creation of a home network is the human factor. The idea “wouldn’t it be nice for my neighbor Vasya and I to find a couple more interested people and make a network with the Internet” can excite many minds. But there must be one who decides to make the dream come true . He will have to find those interested, raise money, buy and, most difficult, as experienced people say, install the equipment. But for every action there is a reaction. Practice shows that neighbors are very suspicious of additional cables in attics, boxes with blinking green lights, and, even more so, “plates” on the roof. It’s not for nothing that a common phrase among network builders says: “If your neighbors don’t show interest in your work, it means they’ve already called the police.” Often there are also people who want to make money at someone else’s expense. They steal everything: from servers to cables.

But if the problems of home networkers were limited to this, we would probably already be taking a confident step towards the Internetization of the entire country. Imagine: you spent a lot of time and money, bought and installed equipment, connected to the Internet, debugged the system and are now completely satisfied with life. But one fine day this may come to an end along with the emergence of interest in you from the relevant structures. In accordance with the Federal Law “On Amendments and Additions to the RSFSR Code of Administrative Offenses,” adopted by the State Duma on July 5, 1996, “carrying out activities in the field of communications without a license” is prohibited. Home networks also fall under this formulation. Here is how Yegor Mnin, administrator of the UltraNet home network and author of the Homenetworks.ru project, comments on this situation :

In fact, obtaining a license for home networks is no different from obtaining a license for any provider, since DS is the same provider, albeit of local importance. Russian legislation does not distinguish between the price and conditions for obtaining a package of licenses for a provider for 100 people and for 10,000. However, due to the fact that traditionally DS were built on their own, without attracting external capital, “for a license”, as a rule, was not enough. The absence of licenses is classified by our legislation as “illegal entrepreneurship.”

There can be two ways out here. First: hide deep in a hole, lead an underground life and pray that the relevant authorities do not find out about you. (Many do this, by the way, for this very reason it is impossible to name the exact number of DS not only in Russia , but even in Moscow .) Second: start licensing the network .

To begin with, a group of activists must form some kind of legal entity. If the network is non-profit, that is, the administration does not receive income from this enterprise (well, in extreme cases, free Internet), you can register as a public organization. A commercial enterprise is a completely different matter, and after receiving the coveted letters private individual entrepreneur, private legal entity, limited liability partnership, LLC or others, you will have to set up accounting and cash registers, a licensed billing system and software, etc. and so on.

As for licensing the network itself, there are different opinions regarding the necessary documents. Roman Sosunov , head of the line-cable facilities department of the oldest Moscow home network " Mitino-on-Line ", said that three licenses are basic: for data transmission, telematics and cable work. Each of them costs from 4 thousand rubles. According to unverified data, third-party organizations undertake to help with the collection and preparation of all documents for “only” one thousand dollars. For unhindered access to attics and other rooms suitable for laying cables, you need to conclude an agreement with the Single Customer Directorate (DEZ). And if access to the Internet is carried out using radio Internet, permission from the State Communications Supervision Authority is required.

Now there is a lot of talk on the RuNet that the home network market will soon be captured by the providers themselves. It is, they say, both legally and technically easier for them to do. There is no doubt that the provider can provide better and more diverse services. But so far there has not been much movement in this direction on the part of providers. The most famous attempts by PTT-Teleport to organize home networks. But it is worth noting that at the moment PTT-based DS exist in only seven regions.

One can make various assumptions as to why providers are missing out on this seemingly gold mine. The most likely obstacle is large financial costs, which, on the one hand, will fall on the shoulders of users, but on the other, may not pay off.

So, apparently, we shouldn’t expect professional providers to come to our homes any time soon. At the same time, the development of inherently promising home “amateur” networks is greatly hampered by legislation and the high prices of the same providers. But despite this, DS continue to appear like mushrooms after rain. In the near future, apparently, we can expect the consolidation of networks through unification. After all, it is always easier to overcome obstacles together.