Mesh documentation

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@ -32,16 +32,11 @@ Mesh networks are useful as a quick way to make a fully decentralised communicat
- Private and public sharing of files - Private and public sharing of files
- Blogging - Blogging
- No network administration required - No network administration required
- No servers, internet connection or cabling is needed.
Communication is local between systems within wifi range of each other. If systems are out of wifi range the data is mesh routed through intermediate peers. - Works from bootable USB drives or microSD drives.
- Data is mesh routed between systems
No servers, internet connection or cabling is needed. - Private communications is end-to-end secured and forward secret.
- Publicly shared data is /content addressable/ and therefore scalable to many peers.
Works from bootable USB drives or microSD drives.
Private communications is end-to-end secured with elliptic curve encryption and is forward secret. Not easy to censor or passively monitor.
Publicly shared data is /content addressable/ and therefore scalable to many peers.
* Disk Images * Disk Images
** Client images ** Client images
@ -162,6 +157,8 @@ The resulting image can be copied to a microSD card, inserted into a Beaglebone
* 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. 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.
** Chat System
Ensure that you're within wifi range of at least one other mesh peer (could be a router or client) and then you should see that the Tox chat and users icons appear. Select the users icon and you should see a list of users on the mesh. Select the Tox chat icon and once you are connected you should see the status light turn green. If after a few minutes you don't get the green status light then try closing and re-opening the Tox chat application. Select the plus button to add a friend and then copy and paste in a Tox ID from the users list. Ensure that you're within wifi range of at least one other mesh peer (could be a router or client) and then you should see that the Tox chat and users icons appear. Select the users icon and you should see a list of users on the mesh. Select the Tox chat icon and once you are connected you should see the status light turn green. If after a few minutes you don't get the green status light then try closing and re-opening the Tox chat application. Select the plus button to add a friend and then copy and paste in a Tox ID from the users list.
#+BEGIN_CENTER #+BEGIN_CENTER
@ -188,7 +185,33 @@ And by selecting the user from the list on the left hand side the chat can begin
One important point is that by default the microphone is turned off. When doing voice chat you can select the microphone volume with the drop down slider in the top right corner of the screen. One important point is that by default the microphone is turned off. When doing voice chat you can select the microphone volume with the drop down slider in the top right corner of the screen.
At present video doesn't work reliably, but text and voice chat do work well. In future IPFS or Tahoe-LAFS may be added to create a distributed filesystem for the mesh. At present video doesn't work reliably, but text and voice chat do work well.
** Sharing Files
You can make files publicly available on the network simply by dragging and dropping them into the /Public/ folder on the desktop. To view the files belonging to another user select the desktop icon called /Visit a site/ and enter the username or Tox ID of the other user.
#+BEGIN_CENTER
[[file:images/mesh_share_files.jpg]]
#+END_CENTER
** Blogging
To create a blog post select the /Blog/ icon on the desktop and then use the up and down cursor keys, space bar and enter key to add a new entry. Edit the title of the entry and add your text. You can also include photos if you wish - just copy them to the *CreateBlog/content/images* directory and then link to them as shown.
#+BEGIN_CENTER
[[file:images/mesh_new_blog.jpg]]
#+END_CENTER
To finish your blog entry just select /Save/ and then close the editor. On older hardware it may take a while to publish the results, and this depends upon the amount of computation needed by IPFS to create file hashes. If you make no changes to the default text then the new blog entry will not be saved.
#+BEGIN_CENTER
[[file:images/mesh_new_blog2.jpg]]
#+END_CENTER
#+BEGIN_CENTER
[[file:images/mesh_view_blog.jpg]]
#+END_CENTER
You can also visit other blogs, edit or delete your previous entry and also change your blog theme.
#+BEGIN_CENTER #+BEGIN_CENTER

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@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head> <head>
<!-- 2016-09-09 Fri 20:10 --> <!-- 2016-09-09 Fri 21:10 -->
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<title></title> <title></title>
@ -272,13 +272,13 @@ for the JavaScript code in this tag.
</colgroup> </colgroup>
<tbody> <tbody>
<tr> <tr>
<td class="org-left"><a href="#org707c257">What the system can do</a></td> <td class="org-left"><a href="#org4a254bc">What the system can do</a></td>
<td class="org-left">-</td> <td class="org-left">-</td>
<td class="org-left"><a href="#orgd00db33">Disk Images</a></td> <td class="org-left"><a href="#orgced8804">Disk Images</a></td>
<td class="org-left">-</td> <td class="org-left">-</td>
<td class="org-left"><a href="#org0840eb8">Building Disk Images</a></td> <td class="org-left"><a href="#org32e81f3">Building Disk Images</a></td>
<td class="org-left">-</td> <td class="org-left">-</td>
<td class="org-left"><a href="#orga6e8ab2">How to use it</a></td> <td class="org-left"><a href="#org759e416">How to use it</a></td>
</tr> </tr>
</tbody> </tbody>
</table> </table>
@ -287,9 +287,9 @@ 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, temporary "digital blackouts", scientific expeditions and off-world space colonies. 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. 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, temporary "digital blackouts", scientific expeditions and off-world space colonies. 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.
</p> </p>
<div id="outline-container-org707c257" class="outline-2"> <div id="outline-container-org4a254bc" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="org707c257">What the system can do</h2> <h2 id="org4a254bc">What the system can do</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-org707c257"> <div class="outline-text-2" id="text-org4a254bc">
<ul class="org-ul"> <ul class="org-ul">
<li>Discovery of other users on the network</li> <li>Discovery of other users on the network</li>
<li>Text based chat, one-to-one and in groups</li> <li>Text based chat, one-to-one and in groups</li>
@ -297,36 +297,21 @@ Mesh networks are useful as a quick way to make a fully decentralised communicat
<li>Private and public sharing of files</li> <li>Private and public sharing of files</li>
<li>Blogging</li> <li>Blogging</li>
<li>No network administration required</li> <li>No network administration required</li>
<li>No servers, internet connection or cabling is needed.</li>
<li>Works from bootable USB drives or microSD drives.</li>
<li>Data is mesh routed between systems</li>
<li>Private communications is end-to-end secured and forward secret.</li>
<li>Publicly shared data is <i>content addressable</i> and therefore scalable to many peers.</li>
</ul> </ul>
<p>
Communication is local between systems within wifi range of each other. If systems are out of wifi range the data is mesh routed through intermediate peers.
</p>
<p>
No servers, internet connection or cabling is needed.
</p>
<p>
Works from bootable USB drives or microSD drives.
</p>
<p>
Private communications is end-to-end secured with elliptic curve encryption and is forward secret. Not easy to censor or passively monitor.
</p>
<p>
Publicly shared data is <i>content addressable</i> and therefore scalable to many peers.
</p>
</div> </div>
</div> </div>
<div id="outline-container-orgd00db33" class="outline-2"> <div id="outline-container-orgced8804" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="orgd00db33">Disk Images</h2> <h2 id="orgced8804">Disk Images</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-orgd00db33"> <div class="outline-text-2" id="text-orgced8804">
</div><div id="outline-container-orgb5d2863" class="outline-3"> </div><div id="outline-container-orgfb748a3" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="orgb5d2863">Client images</h3> <h3 id="orgfb748a3">Client images</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-orgb5d2863"> <div class="outline-text-3" id="text-orgfb748a3">
<div class="org-center"> <div class="org-center">
<div class="figure"> <div class="figure">
@ -375,16 +360,16 @@ sudo dd <span class="org-variable-name">bs</span>=1M <span class="org-variable-n
</div> </div>
</div> </div>
<div id="outline-container-orgd6a576d" class="outline-3"> <div id="outline-container-orgecfe8de" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="orgd6a576d">Router images</h3> <h3 id="orgecfe8de">Router images</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-orgd6a576d"> <div class="outline-text-3" id="text-orgecfe8de">
<p> <p>
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 haul 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. 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 haul 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.
</p> </p>
</div> </div>
<div id="outline-container-org2908ddf" class="outline-4"> <div id="outline-container-orgf896ab9" class="outline-4">
<h4 id="org2908ddf">Beaglebone Black</h4> <h4 id="orgf896ab9">Beaglebone Black</h4>
<div class="outline-text-4" id="text-org2908ddf"> <div class="outline-text-4" id="text-orgf896ab9">
<div class="org-center"> <div class="org-center">
<div class="figure"> <div class="figure">
@ -418,9 +403,9 @@ If you have a few Beaglebone Blacks to use as routers then repeat the <i>dd</i>
</div> </div>
</div> </div>
<div id="outline-container-org0840eb8" class="outline-2"> <div id="outline-container-org32e81f3" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="org0840eb8">Building Disk Images</h2> <h2 id="org32e81f3">Building Disk Images</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-org0840eb8"> <div class="outline-text-2" id="text-org32e81f3">
<p> <p>
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. 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.
</p> </p>
@ -515,13 +500,17 @@ The resulting image can be copied to a microSD card, inserted into a Beaglebone
</div> </div>
</div> </div>
<div id="outline-container-orga6e8ab2" class="outline-2"> <div id="outline-container-org759e416" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="orga6e8ab2">How to use it</h2> <h2 id="org759e416">How to use it</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-orga6e8ab2"> <div class="outline-text-2" id="text-org759e416">
<p> <p>
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. 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.
</p> </p>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-org5ba5715" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org5ba5715">Chat System</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org5ba5715">
<p> <p>
Ensure that you're within wifi range of at least one other mesh peer (could be a router or client) and then you should see that the Tox chat and users icons appear. Select the users icon and you should see a list of users on the mesh. Select the Tox chat icon and once you are connected you should see the status light turn green. If after a few minutes you don't get the green status light then try closing and re-opening the Tox chat application. Select the plus button to add a friend and then copy and paste in a Tox ID from the users list. Ensure that you're within wifi range of at least one other mesh peer (could be a router or client) and then you should see that the Tox chat and users icons appear. Select the users icon and you should see a list of users on the mesh. Select the Tox chat icon and once you are connected you should see the status light turn green. If after a few minutes you don't get the green status light then try closing and re-opening the Tox chat application. Select the plus button to add a friend and then copy and paste in a Tox ID from the users list.
</p> </p>
@ -575,7 +564,65 @@ One important point is that by default the microphone is turned off. When doing
</p> </p>
<p> <p>
At present video doesn't work reliably, but text and voice chat do work well. In future IPFS or Tahoe-LAFS may be added to create a distributed filesystem for the mesh. At present video doesn't work reliably, but text and voice chat do work well.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-org7e9110a" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org7e9110a">Sharing Files</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org7e9110a">
<p>
You can make files publicly available on the network simply by dragging and dropping them into the <i>Public</i> folder on the desktop. To view the files belonging to another user select the desktop icon called <i>Visit a site</i> and enter the username or Tox ID of the other user.
</p>
<div class="org-center">
<div class="figure">
<p><img src="images/mesh_share_files.jpg" alt="mesh_share_files.jpg" />
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-orgfb852dc" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="orgfb852dc">Blogging</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-orgfb852dc">
<p>
To create a blog post select the <i>Blog</i> icon on the desktop and then use the up and down cursor keys, space bar and enter key to add a new entry. Edit the title of the entry and add your text. You can also include photos if you wish - just copy them to the <b>CreateBlog/content/images</b> directory and then link to them as shown.
</p>
<div class="org-center">
<div class="figure">
<p><img src="images/mesh_new_blog.jpg" alt="mesh_new_blog.jpg" />
</p>
</div>
</div>
<p>
To finish your blog entry just select <i>Save</i> and then close the editor. On older hardware it may take a while to publish the results, and this depends upon the amount of computation needed by IPFS to create file hashes. If you make no changes to the default text then the new blog entry will not be saved.
</p>
<div class="org-center">
<div class="figure">
<p><img src="images/mesh_new_blog2.jpg" alt="mesh_new_blog2.jpg" />
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="org-center">
<div class="figure">
<p><img src="images/mesh_view_blog.jpg" alt="mesh_view_blog.jpg" />
</p>
</div>
</div>
<p>
You can also visit other blogs, edit or delete your previous entry and also change your blog theme.
</p> </p>
@ -587,6 +634,7 @@ This site can also be accessed via a Tor browser at <a href="http://4fvfozz6g3zm
</div> </div>
</div> </div>
</div> </div>
</div>
<div id="postamble" class="status"> <div id="postamble" class="status">
<style type="text/css"> <style type="text/css">