From 4c8dc03d43ce5efddb9a95c2a1ddd02e643298cf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Bob Mottram Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2016 12:12:47 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] mesh documentation --- doc/EN/mesh.org | 6 +++--- website/EN/mesh.html | 44 ++++++++++++++++++++++---------------------- 2 files changed, 25 insertions(+), 25 deletions(-) diff --git a/doc/EN/mesh.org b/doc/EN/mesh.org index 71324f6c..b3a40f12 100644 --- a/doc/EN/mesh.org +++ b/doc/EN/mesh.org @@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ gpg --verify mesh-client-i386.img.xz.sig sha256sum mesh-client-i386.img.xz eaf87dcbb17b7d8328fde56005d396d423e51390e4163385c0ee8cfa0844d6f3 unxz mesh-client-i386.img.xz -dd bs=1M if=mesh-client-i386.img of=/dev/sdX conv=fdatasync +sudo dd bs=1M if=mesh-client-i386.img of=/dev/sdX conv=fdatasync #+end_src If you're in an emergency and don't have Atheros wifi dongles then there is also an "insecure" image which contains some proprietary wifi drivers which may work with a wider range of laptops. Proprietary drivers *are not recommended* because they're unsupportable and may be exploitable or contain malicious antifeatures which fundamentally compromise the security of the network. However, the trade-off between security/maintainability and simply having the ability to communicate at all may be a valid one in some situations. @@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ gpg --verify mesh-client-i386-insecure.img.xz.sig sha256sum mesh-client-i386-insecure.img.xz 2aa1552d695485505b6a145857e5cebb7dc365dbf9614488f474bf5ac1149473 unxz mesh-client-i386-insecure.img.xz -dd bs=1M if=mesh-client-i386-insecure.img of=/dev/sdX conv=fdatasync +sudo dd bs=1M if=mesh-client-i386-insecure.img of=/dev/sdX conv=fdatasync #+end_src ** Router images @@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ gpg --verify mesh-router-beaglebone-black.img.xz.sig sha256sum mesh-router-beaglebone-black.img.xz 7e90e0489eff70d7211b2b9b891ba6da20670bedbbe6db3edbb41bc54f7c8679 unxz mesh-router-beaglebone-black.img.xz -dd bs=1M if=mesh-router-beaglebone-black.img of=/dev/sdX conv=fdatasync +sudo dd bs=1M if=mesh-router-beaglebone-black.img of=/dev/sdX conv=fdatasync #+end_src * To build the disk image yourself diff --git a/website/EN/mesh.html b/website/EN/mesh.html index ee36c547..8cfc530e 100644 --- a/website/EN/mesh.html +++ b/website/EN/mesh.html @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> - + @@ -255,12 +255,12 @@ for the JavaScript code in this tag. Mesh networks are useful as a quick way to make a fully decentralised communications system which is not connected to or reliant upon the internet. Think festivals, hacker conferences, onboard ships at sea, disaster/war zones, small business internal office communications, protests, remote areas of the world, scientific expeditions and off-world space colonies. All the cool stuff. The down side is that you can't access any internet content. The upside is that you can securely communicate with anyone on the local mesh. No ISPs. No payments or subscriptions beyond the cost of obtaining the hardware. Systems need to be within wifi range of each other for the mesh to be created. It can be an ultra-convenient way to do purely local communications.

-
-

Ready made images

-
-
-

Client images

-
+
+

Ready made images

+
+
+

Client images

+

"Client" isn't exactly the right term, but it's a mesh peer with a user interface. These images can be copied to a USB drive, then you can plug it into a laptop/netbook/desktop machine and boot from it. You will probably also need an Atheros USB wifi dongle, because most built-in wifi usually requires proprietary firmware. In the commands below substitute /dev/sdX with the USB drive device, excluding any trailing numbers (eg. /dev/sdb).

@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ gpg --verify mesh-client-i386.img.xz.sig sha256sum mesh-client-i386.img.xz eaf87dcbb17b7d8328fde56005d396d423e51390e4163385c0ee8cfa0844d6f3 unxz mesh-client-i386.img.xz -dd bs=1M if=mesh-client-i386.img of=/dev/sdX conv=fdatasync +sudo dd bs=1M if=mesh-client-i386.img of=/dev/sdX conv=fdatasync
@@ -291,22 +291,22 @@ gpg --verify mesh-client-i386-insecure.img.xz.sig sha256sum mesh-client-i386-insecure.img.xz 2aa1552d695485505b6a145857e5cebb7dc365dbf9614488f474bf5ac1149473 unxz mesh-client-i386-insecure.img.xz -dd bs=1M if=mesh-client-i386-insecure.img of=/dev/sdX conv=fdatasync +sudo dd bs=1M if=mesh-client-i386-insecure.img of=/dev/sdX conv=fdatasync
-
-

Router images

-
+
+

Router images

+

Routers are intended to build network coverage for an area using small and low cost hardware. You can bolt them to walls or leave them on window ledges. They don't have any user interface and their only job is to move network traffic across the mesh. Copy the image to a microSD card and insert it into the router, plug in an Atheros wifi dongle and power on. That should be all you need to do.

-
-

Beaglebone Black

-
+
+

Beaglebone Black

+
sudo apt-get install xz-utils wget
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ gpg --verify mesh-router-beaglebone-black.img.xz.sig
 sha256sum mesh-router-beaglebone-black.img.xz
 7e90e0489eff70d7211b2b9b891ba6da20670bedbbe6db3edbb41bc54f7c8679
 unxz mesh-router-beaglebone-black.img.xz
-dd bs=1M if=mesh-router-beaglebone-black.img of=/dev/sdX conv=fdatasync
+sudo dd bs=1M if=mesh-router-beaglebone-black.img of=/dev/sdX conv=fdatasync
@@ -324,9 +324,9 @@ dd bs=1M
-
-

To build the disk image yourself

-
+
+

To build the disk image yourself

+

It's better not to trust images downloaded from random places on the interwebs. Chances are that unless you are in the web of trust of the above GPG signatures then they don't mean very much to you. If you actually want something trustworthy then build the images from scratch. It will take some time. Here's how to do it.

@@ -427,9 +427,9 @@ This site can also be accessed via a Tor browser at -

How to use it

-
+
+

How to use it

+

When you first boot from the USB drive the system will create some encryption keys, assign a unique network address to the system and then reboot itself. When that's done you should see a prompt asking for a username. This username just makes it easy for others to initially find you on the mesh and will appear in the list of users.