#vitsyebsk

“I grew up in Vitebsk, Belarus, during the 2000s, when local networks were booming. Driven by curiosity and a desire to connect, my neighbors and I embarked on a DIY project to build a complex local network—just for communication and learning, without any involvement from big companies or organizations. We started by connecting computers within our building, then expanded the network to other buildings, and eventually across entire districts, running cables from rooftop to rooftop. Our network was called s7.lan, named after the South 7 district. It was a self-organized initiative fueled by enthusiasm and problem-solving, and at its peak, over 1,000 computers were connected.”