Meraki, makers of a $99 outdoor repeater that can extend wireless signals by up to 700 feet, is keen on using the power of the sun in their mission to affordably "unwire the world" with WiFi mesh networks.

Later this year, the company will release a combo Meraki Outdoor and Solar kit for $550. The solar component consists of a solar panel, battery pack and an outdoor Ethernet cable for a completely unwired implementation (except for the cat5, of course). It's meant for areas without ready access to a power plug, or electricity for that matter.

One interesting aspect of Meraki's product is its user-friendly dashboard, which can be used to monitor the shared connection, manage bandwidth, ban undesirables, and even charge for access. Already, they have networks up and running in San Francisco and San Diego with more cropping up around the world.

[via Groovy Green]