Abstract

As of 2019, it was estimated that over 21 million people in the United States go without reliable Internet connectivity. The Internet is integral to everyday life now more than ever; many relying heavily on it for conducting work, obtaining an education, and maintaining communications. Because of these benefits and reliance, it is essential for anyone to have access to the Internet when it is needed, especially in cases of emergency. However, many people do not have the financial resources or technical know-how to stay connected. Our PANIK Guide hopes to help solve this issue by providing a user-friendly approach to setting up an inexpensive mesh network that can be used to help provide this access in areas and times where Internet connection is needed most. PANIK kits are an affordable, easy to set up, quickly deployable approach to help connect those who are in most need of these resources.