My first brush with 802.11b networking in the summer of 2000 demonstrated something very clear to me, even then: it was obvious that wireless connectivity was going to be a tremendously important technology. In the next year, dozens of local community wireless groups (and even a few commercial ventures) have sprung up, building usable networks over the air using 802.11b equipment. This is the story of how an idea to make our corporate network more flexible has evolved, and has become part of a world-wide movement to provide ubiquitous wireless network access.