Reconsidering network management interfaces for communities

Litumba, Ndinelao, Shinde, Siddhant, Ortega, Deysi, Bagalkot, Naveen, Verdezoto Dias, Nervo ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5006-4262, Manuel, Ganief, Dinesh, T.B. and Densmore, Melissa 2024. Reconsidering network management interfaces for communities. Presented at: The 4th African Human Computer Interaction Conference, East London, South Africa, 27 November - 1 December 2023. Published in: Jere, Norbert, Isafiade, Omowunmi, Ogunyemi, Abiodun, Anya, Obinna, Sakpere, Aderonke and Singh Jat, Dharm eds. AfriCHI '23: Proceedings of the 4th African Human Computer Interaction Conference. New York: Association for Computing Machinery, pp. 162-169. 10.1145/3628096.3629050

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Abstract

Community-owned mesh wireless networks enable cost-effective sharing of networked resources, expanding internet and local service accessibility through low-cost WiFi hardware. However, maintaining these networks comes with expenses. In addition to hardware costs, community members need extensive training to install, monitor, and troubleshoot the networks using Network Management Interfaces (NMIs). Effective network management is crucial for CWN resilience within communities. This paper presents qualitative interviews with 25 stakeholders from two CWNs in India and four in South Africa, examining challenges to CWN resilience. Workshops were conducted with network operators and users in India (Janastu) and prospective operators in South Africa (FOCUS Network) to reimagine NMIs, discussing challenges and prototyping interfaces. Our findings highlights diverse network management approaches, revealing difficulties in technical capacity building, troubleshooting, and prototyping. Designing NMIs with local network operators’ insights and skills is crucial for CWN sustainability. The paper outlines design opportunities to improve network management interfaces for CWNs, fostering network resilience for critical infrastructures.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Computer Science & Informatics
Publisher:	Association for Computing Machinery
ISBN:	9798400708879
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	1 February 2024
Date of Acceptance:	8 August 2023
Last Modified:	17 Apr 2024 17:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/163545

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