INSTRUCTION GUIDE FOR INSTALLING

INTERNET-IN-A-BOX
By Katelyn Henderson, 2016

Internet-In-A-Box Instruction Guide

Katelyn Henderson, 2016

Table of Contents
WHAT IS AN INTERNET-IN-A-BOX...................................................................3
GETTING STARTED...........................................................................................4
MAKING CONTACT WITH NON-PROFITS/NGOs..................................................5
FINDING YOUR COUNTRY.................................................................................6
THE SYSTEM (SAMPLE).....................................................................................8
SYSTEM EXPENSES...........................................................................................9
FUND-RAISING................................................................................................10
PREPARATION AND TRAVEL TIPS....................................................................11
WHILE ON-SITE..............................................................................................13
INSTALLING THE SYSTEM...............................................................................15
TIPS FOR TEACHING: INTERNET SCAVENGER HUNTS.....................................16
TIPS FOR TEACHING: GENERAL TIPS..............................................................18
FOLLOW-UP....................................................................................................21
Exhibit I: Sample Travel Packing List..............................................................22
Exhibit II: Sample Fun Questions (Internet Scavenger Hunt).........................23

Internet-In-A-Box Instruction Guide

Katelyn Henderson, 2016

WHAT IS AN INTERNET-IN-A-BOX

Internet-In-A-Box (IIAB) is a server with

downloaded educational content that students
can access wirelessly without an Internet
connection.
It can be used in locations without reliable or
affordable internet access or places that would
like to limit student access to safe sites.
The system can be installed relatively
inexpensively, and the IIAB content can be
accessed by anyone with Wi-Fi capabilities on
their laptop, PC, or mobile device.
It can be an ideal system for students in certain
developing countries where educational
resources (e.g, library books) are limited and
Internet access is difficult.

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GETTING STARTED

Some things to consider before you embark

on this project:
Make contact with someone in your home country
that can serve as advisor, coach, and/or support
network. Someone with IT skills and/or international
experience would be best. An NGO may already exist
that carries out work similar to what you hope to do.
Reach out to these types of organizations for help.
See below.
This project can be expensive. Traveling expenses
alone can be over $4,000. Each IIAB system can cost
~$1,200 to install. Make a plan in advance for how
you will raise this money (crowd-funding site, local
fund-raisers, local NGOs, etc.)
Allow at least six months of prep time before leaving
for your trip. During this planning phase, you should
expect to devote 10-15 hours per week toward
preparation.
Consider traveling with someone else (e.g., a friend,
family member, classmate, coworker, etc.) who can
help or support you in your cause.
Plan to be on-site in your chosen location for at
least a week, if not two or more, to ensure you have
enough time to deal with set-up, teaching, travel
time, and the inevitable delays that will occur.
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MAKING CONTACT WITH NON-PROFITS/NGOs

Non-profits or Non-Government Agencies

(NGOs) can be invaluable resources in
helping you identify foreign locations for
installation of this technology and/or helping
you find local resources and
accommodations.
Many NGOs work to fund the educations of students
in developing countries, design technology to
enhance the educations of these students, and
provide students with this technology.
Working alongside a non-profit organization that has
experience with your type of project will make your
job much easier, your work more efficient, and
mistakes more likely to be easily resolved or avoided
completely.
One Laptop Per Child is a non-profit organization that
develops and distributes inexpensive laptops to
children in developing countries.
(http://one.laptop.org/)
Unleash Kids designs the Internet-in-a-Box and
school server used by many students and teachers
in developing countries. (http://unleashkids.org/). If
you want to install Internet-in-a-Box systems,
you will need to work closely with this group
to prepare the technology, troubleshoot, etc.

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It is okay if you are not a coding genius to begin

with. As long as you are willing to put in time
working with experts who design software for a
living, you will learn quickly.

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Katelyn Henderson, 2016

FINDING YOUR COUNTRY

Some things to consider as you investigate

developing countries and sites where you can
install the IIAB and teach lessons:
Do any of the NGOs you have reached out to have
ongoing projects in sites where IIAB would be useful
and beneficial? Do they know of any sites that would
be worth looking into?
Is the country safe? Investigate how it is viewed by
the State Department. This can be checked by going
to
https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertsw
arnings.html.
What languages do they speak on site? Teaching
through a translator can be very difficult.
What time of year is school in session? Not all
countries have the same school year as the USA,
particularly those in the southern hemisphere.
What Visas are required? What is the process to
obtain them? How much lead time is required? This
can be checked by going to
https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country
.html.
What vaccinations are required? This can be checked
by going to
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list/.
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Are there non-profit organizations or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) active on-site in

the country that can provide assistance? Do they
have an established routine for volunteers?
Where will you stay? Will the NGO provide housing or
will you need to find it on your own?
How will you travel within the country? Will you need
an escort?
What is the weather like during the time you will be
visiting? Hot or cold? Rainy or dry?

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Katelyn Henderson, 2016

THE SYSTEM (SAMPLE)

This is a sample IIAB system with basic explanations of
each component and its function. Although the individual
technologies will change with time, the basic components
(router, server, and Wi-Fi access point) will stay the same.

L
A
P
T
TP-Link Router

open Wi-Fi access

point

Intel NUC server with terabyte

drive containing:

XSCE (school server)

Internet in a Box (content)

Internet caching, blocking

I
Netgear 3G router

password-protected

direct access to the

Internet

N
T
E
R

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SYSTEM EXPENSES
As mentioned earlier, some funds will be required in order
to install each system. It may seem expensive, but
compared to the cost of a traditional library or
comparable set of resources, it is actually a great value
for what it provides.
Please note that the costs listed below are approximate
and will vary over time and by location of purchase. I
would suggest that you buy as much as you can in the
USA, as many of these items will be unavailable or very
expensive in developing countries. Some of the larger
items (batteries, battery chargers) should be bought onsite locally, but ensure you identify a reliable supply
source in advance. If you are buying in the USA and
importing to the local site, make certain you understand
local import and customs regulations, and leave plenty of
time for those items to arrive on-site.
Most of these costs are one-time. However, you will need
to allocate funds to recharge the SIM card periodically to
allow the system to communicate to the internet.
Item

Approxim Recommended
ate Cost Location of
Purchase

Intel NUC Server*

TP Link Router
Netgear 3G Router
12V 100AH Rechargable
Batteries
12V Battery Charger
SIM Card
Cables/Connectors

$400
$25
$75
$150-200

USA
USA
USA
Local

$250-$325
$50
$50

Local
Local
USA
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Tools (solder gun, solder,

$50
screwdriver, wire strippers,
etc.)
Electrical Meter
$30

Katelyn Henderson, 2016

USA
USA

*The appropriate software will need to be loaded and

tested on the Intel NUC Server in advance

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FUND-RAISING
If you are like many people, this may be one of the
hardest parts of the project. There are many possible
sources of funds, but getting people to commit to your
cause is not always easy. Regardless of who you ask, you
need to be able to put together a compelling reason for
why they should want to fund your project.
Possible sources of funding:
You
Family or friends
Fund-raising websites (e.g., Kickstarter, Go Fund Me,
CrowdRise, etc.)
Businesses with which you or your friends and
acquaintances are associated
Religious organizations with which you are affiliated
Charitable organizations that support activities in
your country
Regardless of the source(s) you approach, you should
prepare some form of communication (memo,
PowerPoint, email, poster, etc.) that explains what you
are planning to do and what the funds will be used for.

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PREPARATION AND TRAVEL TIPS

Purchase travel books and other reference materials
about the country in advance. Understand its
history, struggles, and customs. Learn a few words
of the local language. These efforts will go a long
way once you are on-site.
Get all your vaccines. Visit the website for the
Center for Disease Control
(http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list/) to
learn the recommended shots, vaccinations, and
medicines to receive before, during, and after
visiting this specific country.
Allow plenty of time to get the necessary Visa
paperwork for your trip. This process sometimes
takes several months and may be frustrating at
times.
Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. It is very
likely that you will have some type of minor ailment
while you are there. Bring all medicines you may or
may not need (painkillers, anti-itch cream, antidiarrheal medicine, etc.). A good travel clinic can
help you prepare an over the counter medication
and first aid list.
Bring sunscreen and insect repellent, if necessary. In
certain countries, you will use a great amount of it.
Bring anti-bacterial hand lotion, wipes, etc.
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Take your time to shop and pack appropriately.

Bring clothes that can be worn multiple times
without being washed or ironed. See Exhibit I for a
sample packing list for a warm climate.
Contact local suppliers in the area you are visiting to
ensure that some of the system elements you will
need to purchase are available at a reasonable cost
(see Expenses).
Assemble and test the system while you are here in
the USA. Ensure all bugs are addressed. Make sure
you understand how it works and how to assemble
it. You dont want to be testing the system for the
first time when you are already overseas.
WHILE ON-SITE

Obviously, the standard customs of the

country you visit will dictate the appropriate
behavior while you are there. However, there
are a few general rules that are applicable in
most developing countries and worth
mentioning:
Always take your medicine (e.g., anti-malarial pills)
as prescribed.
Drink lots of bottled water. Do not drink untreated
water straight from the tap. Be careful about eating
foods that may have been prepared with unboiled
water (e.g., salads, fruits, etc.). This water could
make you very sick.
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Use sunscreen and insect repellent when necessary.

Do not make cash or valuable objects easily visible.
Keep your passport and cash in a secure place.
Dress modestly to avoid offending others or
attracting unwanted attention.
Never travel alone.
Have a cellphone (and perhaps a back-up) with you
that will work in-country.
Try to avoid traveling at night.
Only drive with those you trust.
Treat all citizens, particularly elders, with respect.
Speak slowly and enunciate. Even if your hosts
speak English, they may have difficulty
understanding your accent.
Carry an emergency contact list with you at all
times.
Know how to contact and travel to the U.S. embassy
in the case of an emergency (or if you lose your
passport).
Be careful about taking photographs. Some religions
and some customs make photography offensive or
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abhorrent. Be aware of the customs of the place you

are traveling.
Consider researching tips about how to be a good
traveler, such as
http://www.independenttraveler.com/traveltips/passports-and-international-travel/traveling-in-adeveloping-country-11-dos-and-donts.

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INSTALLING THE SYSTEM

As mentioned in the section on Preparation, try to
assemble and test as much of the system as
possible while still in the USA. Doing so can avoid a
lot of unnecessary frustration while on-site, where it will
be more difficult to contact help or obtain necessary parts
and tools.
To install the system on-site, you will likely need a tool kit
that includes the following (at a minimum):

Small screwdrivers (slotted and Phillips)

Needle nose pliers
Wire strippers
Scissors
Voltmeter
Soldering iron and solder
Electrical tape
Electrical adapters for the country youll be
traveling to
USB flash drives
Be prepared for the fact that things wont always
work exactly as planned. You will need to adapt to
conditions on the fly. Dont let it get you down. Its all part
of the experience and will test your problem solving skills
and creativity like never before!

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TIPS FOR TEACHING: INTERNET SCAVENGER HUNTS

By the time you are teaching on-site, you will have made
contact with non-profits that can help you, raised your
funds, and installed your technology on-site (not to
mention all the other hard work in-between!). However,
the most important and difficult task is yet to come:
teaching students and teachers how to use this
technology. If the students and teachers do not learn how
to use it, the technology is essentially useless. Although
this task is the most challenging at times, it is also the
most rewarding.
After installing the Internet-in-a-Box, you must teach your
students how to navigate the Internet so that they can
use IIAB to enhance their educations. For most people in
developed countries, technology is such a large part of
our lives that we forget that the skills to use it are not
intuitive and must be learned over time. Think of all the
steps that navigating the Internet, or surfing the
web, entails 1) deciding what information you
are looking for, 2) choosing the best place to
search for that information, 3) entering the best
key words or phrases to find that information, 4)
navigating a specific webpage to find this specific
information, and 5) recognizing the information
that best satisfies your search and/or answers your
question.
A good way to teach your students to navigate the
Internet is to create Internet scavenger hunts, or web
quests, for them to solve. These Internet scavenger
hunts ask students questions such as What is the capital
of the United States of America? Their job is to find the
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answer to this question using the Internet-in-a-Box. Here

is how a student can find this answer using the steps
mentioned above:
1)What information am I looking for? The capital city
of the USA
2)Where should I search for this information?
Wikipedia
3)What should I search for to find this information?
United States of America
4)How do I navigate a webpage to find this
information? Use the table of contents or use ctrl+f
and search for capital on that page
5)How do I recognize this information when I come
across it? Look for the key word capital followed
by the answer, Washington, D.C.
These Internet scavenger hunts teach students how to
navigate the Internet and use it as a learning resource.
Different types of questions will force them to use
different websites and think in different ways. Once your
students master single-search questions, give them more
challenging questions that combine the use of multiple
websites (see Exhibit II for more examples). The more
questions they solve, the better they will learn to follow
those five basic steps when searching for information on
the Internet. After you are gone, the students will know
how to follow these steps to answer their own questions
at any time.

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TIPS FOR TEACHING: GENERAL TIPS

Make learning fun for your students. Create
contests and fun games that will teach them how
to use the Internet as a valuable educational
resource.
Plan your lessons in advance. Do not attempt to
wing it on the spot. You will have enough other
problems come up that you must deal with.
Do not overbook yourself. Teaching two classes a
day (two hours each) is likely the maximum you
can comfortably do.
Things will always take longer than you anticipate.
Students will show up late, the power will go out,
and your system may stop working. Expect and
prepare for the unexpected.
Start with the basics. Some of these students may
never have seen a computer before. Most will
catch on quickly, but do not assume that they
possess the same knowledge and skills as
someone from your own country!
Go slowly. Repeat lessons over and over. Learning
and teaching a new skill takes time.
Speak slowly and enunciate. English will likely not
be your students native language, and even if it is,
they may have trouble understanding your accent.
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Do not use slang or references that are U.S.centric.

Always have an off-line Plan B in case you lose
power and cannot use your system that day.
Invite teachers and administrators to your classes
so that they do not resent your intrusion and are
able to act as mentors and trainers in the future.
If you can, hold special lessons for the teachers.
Maybe even include the students as instructors for
these teachers young students will often learn
new technology faster than adults.
Be ready to think on your feet! No matter how
much you prepare, not everything will go
according to plan, and that is okay. Be flexible.
Ensure that you train a few experts (eg.,
teachers or top students) to maintain the system
after you are gone. Keep an eye out for those that
seem the most interested in and skilled at what
you are teaching during your stay. Nurture them.
Be patient. Teaching can be extremely tiring, but it
can be even more rewarding if you allow it to be. It
may challenge you at times, but always remember
how many educations you are enhancing with each
lesson you teach.
You may have to repeat instructions several times
or explain something in a different way than you
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originally intended in order for your students to

understand.
You have the amazing opportunity to teach your
students more than just technology. Answer
questions about your own culture and take the
time to learn about theirs.
Encourage every student to ask questions and
speak up, especially females. In many cultures,
women are taught to be quiet and let the men
speak up. Without disrespecting cultural norms,
encourage young women to challenge themselves
and gain confidence in their own abilities. Let
everyone know that his or her voice matters.
After each day of teaching, think back on what
worked and what didnt. Adjust future lesson plans
based on feedback from your students and what
you observed during past lessons.
Trust in yourself. Even if/when everything seems to
be going wrong, know that you are doing your best
and believe that you will make it work.
Your students will teach you more about yourself
than you can imagine. It sounds clich, but as
much as your students will learn and gain from
you, you will gain even more.

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FOLLOW-UP
Do not forget about all the people who gave their
time and/or money to your cause. Keep them
updated of your work and send thank you notes! A
handwritten note is much more thoughtful than an
email.
Keep in touch with the teachers, administrators,
and students that you work with. Confirm that they
are properly maintaining and using the system,
and be available to answer any questions they
may have.
Keep a blog while you are there and continue it
after you get back, if possible. It is a wonderful
record of your experience and allows family,
friends, and donors to follow you on your
adventure, as well as sharing experiences that can
help others

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Exhibit I: Sample Travel Packing List

Passport / Yellow Fever Card / Visa

Mini flashlights / Lantern

Money (in various currencies)

Extra Batteries

Umbrella

Granola/power bars

Plastic garbage bags

Mesh bag

Laundry detergent

Ziploc bags (2)

First

Hand sanitizer (1 large & 4 small)

Aid Supplies
Gold Bond powder
Scissors
Tweezers
Anti-itch lotion
Bandages & Gauze
Safety pins
Thermometer
Antibiotic cream
Anti-itch cream
Benadryl
Advil
Aloe

Suntan lotion
Lip balm
Insect repellent
Baby wipes
Other Medical Supplies
Anti-malarial pills
Cipro pills
Bar soap & shampoo

Antibacterial washcloths
Power Adaptors
Small gifts
Knapsack & locks
Camera
Sunglasses
Travel & Reading books
Hidden pockets
Cargo shorts
Pants
Walking Shoes
Long skirt
Sun hat
Plastic jacket

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Exhibit II: Sample Fun Questions (Internet

Scavenger Hunt)
These sample questions require students to use different
websites on the IIAB (such as Wikipedia, Project Gutenberg
books, and Open Street Map) to find the requested
information. They are designed to allow the student to
become more comfortable with using IIAB as an
educational tool while also forcing them to think about how
to approach answering the questions.
You can write questions about any subject. However, make
sure that IIAB holds the answer to the question before you
give it to your students. Through personal experience, I
found that its often easiest to write these types of
questions by working backwards. Wikipedia, for example,
has a random search function that will bring you to a
random article. Once you find an article that interests you,
you can develop your questions from that information.
Simply go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page and
click on Random article, which is found on the left-hand
side of the page in the first column.
I am an animal. I am the largest land animal in the world.
What animal am I? I died in 1955, the largest animal
ever of this kind. Where do I reside now? [Uses
Wikipedia]
I want to see a koala bear. I should go to the capital city
of what country? What is the name of a street nearby
where I should book a hotel? [Uses Wikipedia, Open
Street Map]
I just read the book Gullivers Travels. I want to visit the
city where the author was born. What is the name of a
street in that city? [Uses Project Gutenberg, Wikipedia,
Open Street Map]
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I invented a toy called the Slinky. What state in the

United States did I go to university in? What is the
largest city in that state? I lived next to City Hall on a
street that starts with M. What is the name of this street?
[Uses Wikipedia, Open Street Map]

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