About The Portable Network Kit

The Portable Network Kit (PNK) is a wireless network in a suitcase that helps people understand how to build their own mini-internet – and with it, how the internet works and might be owned and governed more equitably. Originally conceived as a network repair kit for Resilient Networks for RISE: NYC in New York City, the kits were repurposed to work both as a teaching tool and as an emergency standalone wireless network.

History & Partners

PNK was originally developed in 2017 through the Resilient Networks NYC project, a 5-neighborhood NYC mesh networking partnership among Community Tech NY, New America’s Resilient Communities program, The Point CDC, the Fifth Avenue Committee, the Kings Bay Y, Silicon Harlem, and the Rockaway Development and Revitalization Corporation. Resilient Networks NYC was supported by the New York City Economic Development Corporation’s RISE:NYC program, a Superstorm Sandy recovery effort.

Currently, it is being expanded and maintained by the Community Tech Lab, a partnership between Community Tech NY and El Puente de Williamsburg, and supported by The Altman Foundation and the New York Community Trust (NYCT).

This server documentation and software are free and open source, made possible by funding from the Internet Society Foundation (ISOC).

What Is A PNK?

_{Illustration by Raul Enriquez.}

PNKs consist of off-the-shelf hardware and open-source software housed in a waterproof, battery-powered, solar-enabled kit. The kits can be used to connect to an existing internet connection or offline as a local wireless networking system, complete with its own server, chat service, and document editor.

Hardware

_{Illustration of PNK Components by TBA}

The off-the-shelf elements of the PNK include a processor, a router, and a wireless antenna, providing a modular, accessible and customizable starting off point.

Component	Role	Part Number	Links
Raspberry Pi 5	Processor	RP5-8GB	RaspberryPi or Vilros
SD Card	Local Storage	MB-MC64GA/AM	Samsung Evo
MikroTik Router	Router	RB960PGS	Mikrotik or Newegg
AC Mesh	Wireless Antenna	UAP-AC-M	Ubiquity
Ethernet Cables	Connector	RJ45	Choosing Ethernet Cables

For a spreadsheet B.O.M. click here.

Software

The open-source software of the PNK establishes a local wireless networking system, featuring its own shared server, chat service, and document editor. It provides access to self-contained and self-maintained communication and collaboration tools.

For code, software documentation and license, click here.

PNKs are NOT a product – Community Tech NY does not sell them off-the-shelf. CTNY uses PNKs when training community members in network development and deployment, giving them practical hands-on experience that can serve as a springboard for building their own networks with in-person or remote learning support.

The PNK project was developed with a strong commitment to community collaboration and shared progress. We encourage you to use and contribute to it in a spirit of collective improvement and mutual benefit, ensuring that it serves the greater good and fosters positive innovation.

If you’re interested in a training or workshop with the PNK, please get in touch.

Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability

Unless otherwise separately undertaken by Community Tech NY (CTNY) to the extent possible, CTNY offers the Portable Network Kit (PNK) materials as-is and as-available, and makes no representations or warranties of any kind concerning these licensed materials, whether express, implied, statutory, or other. This includes, without limitation, warranties of title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, absence of latent or other defects, accuracy, or the presence or absence of errors, whether or not known or discoverable. Where disclaimers of warranties are not allowed in full or in part, this disclaimer may not apply to You.

To the extent possible, in no event will CTNY be liable to You on any legal theory (including, without limitation, negligence) or otherwise for any direct, special, indirect, incidental, consequential, punitive, exemplary, or other losses, costs, expenses, or damages arising out of this Public License or use of the Licensed Materials, even if CTNY has been advised of the possibility of such losses, costs, expenses, or damages. Where a limitation of liability is not allowed in full or in part, this limitation may not apply to You.

License

The Portable Network Kit (PNK) by Community Tech NY is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/.