Traditionally owned by the Gija peoples, well-known for its flourishing arts centre, and home to some of Australia's best-known Aboriginal artists is the community of Warmun (Turkey Creek). The area is nestled by the Great Northern Highway, in the southeast of the Kimberley region, Western Australia.
Unfortunately, the town has encountered significant struggles, particularly post flash-flooding in March of 2011 which wiped out many homes and buildings. Despite shortcomings and lack of funding for this culturally rich town, Easyweb Digital are fortunate to have been chosen to assist the rebuilding of Warmun in the wireless technology department.
In November of 2018, Easyweb Digital were contracted by the Warmun Community to spruce up their Technology Centre with a brand new Public WiFi network. The project was completed in late January of 2019, over the period of a week. Our Wireless Installation Engineer, Sean O’Connor, set off from Darwin and went road tripping to Warmun via Kununurra (Ord River).
At the Warmun Technology Centre, Easyweb Digital installed three Cambium Networks CnPilot access points; two E410 devices indoors and one E501S device outdoors. Once physical installation was complete, the system was configured to the Encapto Gateway. Internet backhaul is via an NBN Sky Muster Satellite 25/5 connection.
The Easyweb Digital team back in Birraranga (Melbourne) ran training for the Warmun Technology Centre staff, to ensure successful operation of the Encapto platform. Monitoring and ongoing support for this site is performed remotely from our NOC in Birraranga (Melbourne).
“It’s usually installations in indigenous communities which are the most memorable, because I get to visit these amazing areas. When working in remote communities, it’s always awesome to see the townspeople excited by the addition of a user-friendly Public WiFi network.”
– Sean O’Connor, Wireless Installation Engineer, Easyweb Digital
The CEO of the Warmun Community, Sue Leonard, explained that some of the local teenagers had voiced their desire for the Public WiFi to reach the basketball court, almost 300 metres away from the Technology Centre. Our installer did not think the network would reach. However, a couple of cheerful basketball-goers informed Leonard that the WiFi could indeed be accessed from that distance.
With the Encapto platform, Leonard has set up password-protected access to the Public WiFi. This model is often applied to establish a reward system, particularly for youth. Not only does this encourage good behavior, it keeps the network from being exploited. The Encapto platform allows its administrators to ensure safe-internet browsing; any inappropriate content can be restricted.
Impressed with the outcome succeeding the network set-up, Leonard has expressed the potential for future wireless network expansion for the Warmun Community, in collaboration with Easyweb Digital.
The Easyweb Digital team would like to acknowledge all Traditional Custodians of the land where we work and live.
We recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay respect to all Elders past, present and emerging.
The sovereignty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has never been ceded.