Difference between revisions of "Mesh"

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<span style="color:#20b24b;">'''<big>Feb 21: Launched [https://sudoroom.org/wiki/Mesh/Blog#Developer_Launch.21 "Snow Crash" release candidate v.0.1.0] - now deploying the first batch of experimental nodes!</big>'''</span>
<center>{{#setlogo:Meshlogo.png}}
&nbsp;
[[File:Sudomesh.jpg|350px]]</center>


'''We are an all-volunteer organization building the People's Open Network, a community-owned and operated non-profit internet infrastructure in Oakland.'''
Sudo Mesh is a people-powered project. That means that anyone can join the network if they're willing to contribute by [https://github.com/sudomesh/bugs/issues/new reporting bugs], improving [https://github.com/sudomesh software], fixing hardware, [https://sudoroom.org/wiki/Mesh/WalkThrough setting up a node], [https://peoplesopen.net/blog/new-node-in-the-berkeley-hills/ installing rooftop nodes], telling your friends about us, [https://peoplesopen.net/blog/build-your-own-internet-workshop/ joining for a workshop], bringing pizza to a hack session, donating  [[Mesh/Wishlist|equipment]]/[https://www.patreon.com/peoplesopennet money]/[https://blockchain.info/address/12RxU4DpLpdWcmEBn7Tj325CCXBwt5i9Hc Bitcoin], learning with us about how the internet works, or just being patient if something is broken :)


A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesh_networking mesh network] is a network that allows the participants to freely share internet connectivity and build their own community-owned communications. It consists of routers running software that allow them to communicate with other routers around them. People who join the network enable others to be on the network and support [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_neutrality net neutrality]. Community wireless mesh networks are growing around the world as alternatives to the existing system, creating local 'internets' rather than being dependent on the infrastructure developed by large Internet Service Providers and companies that mine and sell your personal information. 
'''Interested in learning more and exploring?''' Check out our [[#Join Us|Join Us]] section. You do not need to be technically skilled to be part of this project. We need people willing to mount gear on rooftops, folks who want to do public outreach, graphic design artists, film-makers, documentarians and so much more! Show up at a monthly general meeting and get involved!


The software we've created is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source open source] and we're using it to develop free internet for Oakland and the surrounding areas. Our mission in building the network is to connect our neighbors, support local businesses, and enable community collaboration and cultural production. In the event of disaster or censorship, a mesh network can be a resilient means of communication and sharing of information.
----


[[File:Mesh_Oakland_High_Res.png|250px|thumb|right]]
<center>{{Mesh nav}}</center>


{{Mesh nav}}
----


&nbsp;
__NOTOC__
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=What does it mean?!=
Imagine if the wifi router in your home connected to the wifi routers in your neighbours' homes and they again connected to their neighbours to form a huge free wireless network spanning the city! That's exactly what a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesh_networking mesh network] is, or at least what it can be. Roads and telephone poles are owned by government or private interests and laying down cable is expensive, but by using wireless signals that hop from building to building we can create a community-owned and -operated, free-as-in-freedom alternative to corporate Internet Service Providers. Community wireless mesh networks are growing around the world, creating local 'internets' that support Net Neutrality and community control of critical infrastructure.


= Join Us =
We are spending a lot of time developing [https://github.com/sudomesh/ software] to make it cheap and easy for anyone to be participate in cooperative communications infrastructure, regardless of technical skill.


* Join the [http://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/mesh email list]
= Who are you? =
* Follow us on [https://twitter.com/sudomesh twitter] and like us on [https://www.facebook.com/sudomesh facebook].
'''sudomesh is a group of volunteers operating out of the [https://sudoroom.org sudo room] hackerspace at the [https://omnicommons.org Omni Commons] - a collective of collectives stewarding a large community space in Oakland, California. We develop software and assemble hardware systems to help build open community networks like the [https://peoplesopen.net People's Open Network], a community-owned and -operated non-profit internet infrastructure in Oakland.''' We are all unpaid volunteers building open technology that helps to connect our neighbors, support local businesses, and enable community collaboration and cultural production. In the event of a natural disaster or state censorship, community mesh networks can be a resilient means of communication and sharing of information.
* We have '''weekly hack nights''' on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:30-11:00pm at [[Getting_there|sudo room]]. The first three Thursdays of the month are work nights -- help us change the internet!
 
* Learn more at our general meetings, which are the last Thursdays of every month. We have focus groups and we collaborate on different parts of the project - from design to software development, documentation to community outreach and of course, community outreach and climbing rooftops to mount nodes!
= Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)=
* Chat with us on [http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/irctutorial.html IRC]: [http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=peoplesopen.net #peoplesopen.net]
* [[Mesh/Decisions|Decisions]] - What decisions have we made, and why?
* We generally collaborate on [https://pad.riseup.net/p/sudomesh meeting notes] at each meeting. Look at our archive of past [[Mesh/Minutes|meeting minutes]]!
* [[Mesh/Funding|Funding]] - How the heck do we fund this thing?
* [[Mesh/Legal|Legal]] - How do we use exit nodes, relays and legal structures to protect node owners and ourselves?
* [[Mesh/Hosting|Hosting]] - How are we hosting and what does it cost?
* [[Mesh/Backup|Backup]] - How do we handle backups?
* [[Mesh/Server security|Server Security]] - How do we ensure server security?
 
= Logistics =
* [[Mesh/Minutes|Meeting Minutes]] - Notes from our weekly meetings dating back to January 2013.
* [[Mesh/Taxes|Taxes]] - Filed taxes for the sudo mesh non-profit


= How to Help =
= Research =
* [[Mesh/Other mesh projects|Other mesh projects]] around the world that have inspired us to make our own network!
* [[Mesh/Interviews with other meshers|Interviews]] - we interviewed other experienced meshers
* [[Mesh/Documentation|Other documentation]] - books, articles, wikis, blog posts.
* [[Mesh/Oakland|Oakland]] - information and resources pertaining to Oakland community organizations, wireless initiatives, policy and research initiatives
* [[Mesh/Other muni networking projects|Municipal projects]] - examples of progressive uses of municipal networks.
* [[Mesh/Decentralized FM/AM radio|Decentralized FM/AM radio]] - Bit of research on adding legal FM/AM transmitters to nodes.
* [http://wiki.tidepools.com Tidepools] - [[User:tunabananas|Jenny Ryan]] designed local use cases for a community mobile mapping application built to run on mesh networks.
* [https://wiki.projectmeshnet.org/Main_Page Project Meshnet] - Extensive wiki on the /r/darknet project, including extensive list of [https://wiki.projectmeshnet.org/Projects projects coordinating with them].
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-range_Wi-Fi#Notable_links Long Range Wifi] - Info on the longest-range wifi connections ever made.
* [https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit-WebIDE Adafruit's Web IDE built for Raspberry Pi] but probably good for editing code on any device and ensuring it is managed with a code repo.  By default it uses [https://bitbucket.org bitbucket.org] but it could probably be configured for Github.


We need more people on the network to improve the quality of the service. When you setup a node, you improve the service for everybody on the network and give more access to your community. We encourage participants to ask their communities to join their networks and create distributed services for them. We have a user introduction to help you get involved!
|style="font-size:90%; padding:10px 10px; background: #F4FDF6; border: 0px solid black;padding-left:1em;padding-right:0.5em;" width="20%"|
<center>
= Our Projects =
[[File:Mesh_Oakland_High_Res.png|center|187px|thumb|Building a community-owned and -operated wireless mesh network in Oakland, California and beyond!|link=https://peoplesopen.net]]<br />
[[File:Disasterradio.png|center|187px|thumb|link=https://disaster.radio|Disaster-resilient communications network powered by the sun.]]<br />
[[File:Byoi.png|center|187px|thumb|link=https://buildyourowninter.net|Instructions for building your own internet, plus a global directory of community wireless mesh networks.]]</center><br />
[[File:Laptops4all.png|center|187px|thumb|link=https://laptopsforall.org|Upcycling retired/donated laptops to those who can't afford them.]]<br />


*Check out our [[Mesh/ToDos|action items]]
|style="font-size:90%; padding:5px 10px; background:#F4F8FD;border: 0px solid black;padding-left:1em;padding-right:0.5em;" width="40%" align="left"|
*Support us with a small weekly donation on [https://www.gittip.com/sudomesh/ gittip], here's [[Mesh/Purchases|how we spend it]].
 
*Send bitcoins to our wallet address: {{bitcoin wallet}}
<center>
*Check out our [[Mesh/Wishlist|wishlist]], we have requests!  
= How To Participate =
*Come to our meetings in Oakland! (listed above)
</center>
*Improve our documentation
If you want to join the mesh you'll need a mesh router at your home! Currently the best way to get one is to [http://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/mesh join and send an email to the mailing list ]. We need more people on the network to improve the quality of the service. When you setup a node, you improve the service for everybody on the network and give more access to your community. We encourage participants to ask their communities to join their networks and create distributed services for them. We have a [[Mesh/User_Guide|user guide]] to help you get on the network!
*Talk to your community about joining the mesh
* Chat with us on the #peoplesopen channel in [https://www.scuttlebutt.nz/ Secure Scuttlebutt], or on [http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/irctutorial.html IRC]: [http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=peoplesopen.net #peoplesopen.net] (see also [[IRC | IRC Intro]])
* Join the [http://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/mesh email list]
* We have focus groups and collaborate on different parts of the project - from [https://github.com/sudomesh/propaganda design] and events, to [https://github.com/sudomesh software development], documentation, hardware hacking, [https://sudorom.org/wiki/Mesh/SFBayArea community outreach] and [https://github.com/sudomesh/mounting/blob/master/PONIprogram.md climbing rooftops to mount nodes and distributing hotspots to encampments]!
* We generally collaborate on [https://peoplesopen.net/notes notes] at each meeting (currently on hold as we regroup in 2024). Look at our archive of past [[Mesh/Minutes|meeting minutes]]!
* Contribute to the network by installing a mesh node at your location using our handy [https://sudoroom.org/wiki/Mesh/WalkThrough Mesh Node Setup Walkthrough]. This is especially helpful for those who are within range of an existing node (seen as a wireless SSID named "peoplesopen.net").
* Check out our [[Mesh/ToDos|ToDo list]]
* Support us with a small monthly donation on [https://www.patreon.com/peoplesopennet Patreon], here's [[Mesh/Purchases|how we spend it]].
* Send bitcoins to our wallet address: {{bitcoin wallet}}
* Check out our [[Mesh/Wishlist|wishlist]], we have requests!  
* Improve our documentation
* Talk to your community about joining the mesh - here are some [https://github.com/sudomesh/propaganda resources] for doing so!
* Follow us on [https://twitter.com/sudomesh twitter] and like us on [https://www.facebook.com/sudomesh facebook].


== Developers ==
== Developers ==
Line 39: Line 83:
We need hardware and software engineers to help us with our code. We have an overview of [[Mesh/Technical_Overview|technical documentation]] that will be helpful in understanding the network.
We need hardware and software engineers to help us with our code. We have an overview of [[Mesh/Technical_Overview|technical documentation]] that will be helpful in understanding the network.


If you want to immediately help, check out [https://github.com/sudomesh our code]! We're focused on these areas:
If you want to immediately help, check out [https://github.com/sudomesh our code], [https://github.com/sudomesh/sudowrt-firmware/milestones look at our remaining issues for upcoming milestones], report any [https://github.com/sudomesh/bugs bugs] or help us squish them!
* [https://sudoroom.org/wiki/Mesh/Firmware Firmware]
* [https://github.com/sudomesh/service-browser Service Browser]
* [https://sudoroom.org/wiki/Mesh/Distributed_Services Services]


== Designers ==
Here are some of the projects that need attention:


We need artists and designers to make things look nice! We have [[Mesh/Design|design schemes]] we already use, but we're always looking to improve it. We need to improve our presentation content and [[Mesh/Diagrams|diagrams]] too!
* [https://github.com/sudomesh/sudowrt-firmware sudowrt-firmware] - The sudowrt firmware
* [https://github.com/sudomesh/sudowrt-web-ui sudowrt-web-ui] - The new and improved web admin UI for sudowrt nodes
* [https://github.com/sudomesh/ubus-https-forwarder ubus-https-forwarder] - Allow management of extender nodes from home node web UI
* [https://github.com/sudomesh/service-browser The Service Browser] - Web UI for browsing mesh services
* [[Mesh/Distributed Services|Mesh Services]] - Which services should we provide?


= Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)=
== Designers ==  
*[[Mesh/Challenges]] - What sort of challenges and problems do we face?
*[[Mesh/Decisions]] - What decisions have we made, and why?
*[[Mesh/Funding]] - How the heck do we fund this thing?
*[[Mesh/Legal]] - How do we use exit nodes, relays and legal structures to protect node owners and ourselves?
*[[Mesh/Hosting]] - How are we hosting and what does it cost?
*[[Mesh/Backup]] - How do we handle backups?
*[[Mesh/Server security]] - How do we ensure server security?
 
=Logistics=
*[[Mesh/Checkouts]] - Who took what gear home.
*[[Mesh/Donations]] - What's been donated to the group.
*[[Mesh/Inventory]] - Continually-updated inventory of our hardware and gear.
*[[Mesh/Marketing]] - Inspiration and links to marketing materials in progress.
*[[Mesh/Naming]] - What do we call ourselves? A lineage of bikeshedding.
*[[Mesh/Purchases]] - Details on our purchases, made by either individuals or through our crowdfunded money.
 
= Research =
*[[Mesh/Interviews with other meshers]] - In which we attempt to extract the results of their hard-won experience.
*[[Mesh/Other mesh projects]] - List of active and inactive meshes we know about
*[[Mesh/Documentation]] - Books, articles, wikis, blog posts.
*[[Mesh/Oakland]] - Information and resources pertaining to Oakland community organizations, wireless initiatives, policy and research initiatives
*[[Mesh/Other muni networking projects]] - Examples of progressive uses of municipal networks.


= Other Firmware and Networks =
We need artists and designers to make things look nice! We have [[Mesh/Design|design schemes]] we already use, but we're always looking to improve it. We need to improve our presentation content and [[Mesh/Diagrams|diagrams]] too! We've been focused on these areas:
* [[Mesh/Presentations]] - Past presentations, talks, workshops, tutorials and videos
* [[Mesh/Diagrams|Diagrams]] - Diagrams outlining the network topology and technical stack
* [[Mesh/Design|Design]] - Website & logo design; swag for enthusiasts; and marketing inspiration.
|}


*[[Mesh/Freifunk]] - Germany - Home of the creators of batman-adv (the routing protocol we use) and one of the longest-running mesh networks in the world.
----
*[[Mesh/Commotion]] - A very well-documented project from the Open Technology Institute creating a simple-to-deploy mesh firmware and setup for small community meshes around the world.


=Web Resources=
''Please note that all contributions to Sudo Room may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Sudo Room:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!''
*[http://510pen.org 510pen] - East Bay community wireless mesh network spawned in 2009 by [[User:mfb|Mark Burdett]]
*[http://wiki.tidepools.com Tidepools] - [[User:tunabananas|Jenny Ryan]] designed local use cases for a community mobile mapping application built to run on mesh networks.
*[https://wiki.projectmeshnet.org/Main_Page Project Meshnet] - Extensive wiki on the /r/darknet project, including extensive list of [https://wiki.projectmeshnet.org/Projects projects coordinating with them].
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-range_Wi-Fi#Notable_links Long Range Wifi] - Info on the longest-range wifi connections ever made.
*[https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit-WebIDE Adafruit's Web IDE built for Raspberry Pi] but probably good for editing code on any device and ensuring it is managed with a code repo.  By default it uses [https://bitbucket.org bitbucket.org] but it could probably be configured for Github.


[[Category:Projects]]
[[Category:Projects]][[Category:Mesh]]

Latest revision as of 20:16, 19 January 2024

Sudomesh.jpg

Sudo Mesh is a people-powered project. That means that anyone can join the network if they're willing to contribute by reporting bugs, improving software, fixing hardware, setting up a node, installing rooftop nodes, telling your friends about us, joining for a workshop, bringing pizza to a hack session, donating equipment/money/Bitcoin, learning with us about how the internet works, or just being patient if something is broken :)

Interested in learning more and exploring? Check out our Join Us section. You do not need to be technically skilled to be part of this project. We need people willing to mount gear on rooftops, folks who want to do public outreach, graphic design artists, film-makers, documentarians and so much more! Show up at a monthly general meeting and get involved!

Quick Links (see below for more details)
Documentation Technical Outreach Operations Research External Links
Install Instructions Overview FAQ Minutes User Research peoplesopen.net
Net Topology Hardware Blog To-Do's SF Bay Area network map
Presentations Power How to Help Legal Interviews code on github
History Security Wishlist Inventory Other Meshes DisasterRadio
Press Backup Website Meetings Software Tools BuildYourOwnInter.Net
Firmware Hosting Propaganda Funding Local Services
Mounting Decisions Self-Education
Next gen


What does it mean?!

Imagine if the wifi router in your home connected to the wifi routers in your neighbours' homes and they again connected to their neighbours to form a huge free wireless network spanning the city! That's exactly what a mesh network is, or at least what it can be. Roads and telephone poles are owned by government or private interests and laying down cable is expensive, but by using wireless signals that hop from building to building we can create a community-owned and -operated, free-as-in-freedom alternative to corporate Internet Service Providers. Community wireless mesh networks are growing around the world, creating local 'internets' that support Net Neutrality and community control of critical infrastructure.

We are spending a lot of time developing software to make it cheap and easy for anyone to be participate in cooperative communications infrastructure, regardless of technical skill.

Who are you?

sudomesh is a group of volunteers operating out of the sudo room hackerspace at the Omni Commons - a collective of collectives stewarding a large community space in Oakland, California. We develop software and assemble hardware systems to help build open community networks like the People's Open Network, a community-owned and -operated non-profit internet infrastructure in Oakland. We are all unpaid volunteers building open technology that helps to connect our neighbors, support local businesses, and enable community collaboration and cultural production. In the event of a natural disaster or state censorship, community mesh networks can be a resilient means of communication and sharing of information.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • Decisions - What decisions have we made, and why?
  • Funding - How the heck do we fund this thing?
  • Legal - How do we use exit nodes, relays and legal structures to protect node owners and ourselves?
  • Hosting - How are we hosting and what does it cost?
  • Backup - How do we handle backups?
  • Server Security - How do we ensure server security?

Logistics

  • Meeting Minutes - Notes from our weekly meetings dating back to January 2013.
  • Taxes - Filed taxes for the sudo mesh non-profit

Research

Our Projects

Building a community-owned and -operated wireless mesh network in Oakland, California and beyond!

Disaster-resilient communications network powered by the sun.

Instructions for building your own internet, plus a global directory of community wireless mesh networks.

Upcycling retired/donated laptops to those who can't afford them.

How To Participate

If you want to join the mesh you'll need a mesh router at your home! Currently the best way to get one is to join and send an email to the mailing list . We need more people on the network to improve the quality of the service. When you setup a node, you improve the service for everybody on the network and give more access to your community. We encourage participants to ask their communities to join their networks and create distributed services for them. We have a user guide to help you get on the network!

Developers

We need hardware and software engineers to help us with our code. We have an overview of technical documentation that will be helpful in understanding the network.

If you want to immediately help, check out our code, look at our remaining issues for upcoming milestones, report any bugs or help us squish them!

Here are some of the projects that need attention:

Designers

We need artists and designers to make things look nice! We have design schemes we already use, but we're always looking to improve it. We need to improve our presentation content and diagrams too! We've been focused on these areas:

  • Mesh/Presentations - Past presentations, talks, workshops, tutorials and videos
  • Diagrams - Diagrams outlining the network topology and technical stack
  • Design - Website & logo design; swag for enthusiasts; and marketing inspiration.

Please note that all contributions to Sudo Room may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Sudo Room:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!

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