How it works
The JoinAfrica system is designed to make operating a large-scale WiFi network easy and sustainable for regular people. The system provides tools for constructing a wireless mesh network and a cloud-based server for billing and network management. JoinAfrica takes care of building relationships with ASPs and content providers, manages user accounts and lets operators associate with the JoinAfrica Freemium service.
The network
JoinAfrica enables local operators to create self-organizing, networks with a variety of 2.4 and 5Ghz WiFi devices. Operators install our custom firmware on commodity hardware from manufacturers like Linksys, D-Link or Ubiquiti and augment the devices as needed to increase range. With some minimal configuration, JoinAfrica nodes associate with each other to form wireless mesh that automatically identifies and routes web traffic to the closest gateway.
operators
JoinAfrica brings small local operators together to integrate services and share resources as if they were one larger operator. In order to facilitate this, the core JA team operates a central management server to support new networks and provides technical training to anyone seriously interested in building their own network. Click to join. Read more on how to build your own network
users
Users can connect directly to JoinAfrica with any wifi-enabled device. When they open a web browser they are presented with the JA landing page where they can opt for the limited free access or enter a paid password. Users can purchase passwords through scratchcards or mobile payments. Users can search for coverage in their area via an online map on JoinAfrica.org.