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@@ -48,9 +48,23 @@ you want to do. This guide will outline sensible starting paths for different
scenarios.</p>
<div class="section" id="try-using-a-reticulum-based-program">
<h2>Try Using a Reticulum-based Program<a class="headerlink" href="#try-using-a-reticulum-based-program" title="Permalink to this headline"></a></h2>
<p>If you simply want to try using a program built with Reticulum, you can take
a look at <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/markqvist/nomadnet">Nomad Network</a>, which
provides a complete encrypted communications suite built with Reticulum.</p>
<p>If you simply want to try using a program built with Reticulum, a few different
programs exist that allow basic communication and a range of other useful functions
over even extremely low-bandwidth Reticulum networks.</p>
<p>These programs will let you get a feel for how Reticulum works. They have been designed
to run well over networks based on LoRa or packet radio, but can also be used completely
over local WiFi, wired ethernet, the Internet, or any combination.</p>
<p>As such, it is easy to get started experimenting, without having to set up any radio
transceivers or infrastructure just to try it out. Launching the programs on separate
devices connected to the same WiFi network is enough to get started, and physical
radio interfaces can then be added later.</p>
<div class="section" id="nomad-network">
<h3>Nomad Network<a class="headerlink" href="#nomad-network" title="Permalink to this headline"></a></h3>
<p>The terminal-based program <a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/markqvist/nomadnet">Nomad Network</a>
provides a complete encrypted communications suite built with Reticulum. It features
encrypted messaging (both direct and delayed-delivery for offline users), file sharing,
and has a built-in text-browser and page server with support for dynamically rendered pages,
user authentication and more.</p>
<a class="reference external image-reference" href="_images/nomadnet_3.png"><img alt="_images/nomadnet_3.png" src="_images/nomadnet_3.png" /></a>
<p><a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/markqvist/nomadnet">Nomad Network</a> is a user-facing client
for the messaging and information-sharing protocol
@@ -67,10 +81,16 @@ for the messaging and information-sharing protocol
on your system, you might need to reboot your system for your program to become
available. If you get a “command not found” error or similar when running the
program, reboot your system and try again.</p>
</div>
<div class="section" id="sideband">
<h3>Sideband<a class="headerlink" href="#sideband" title="Permalink to this headline"></a></h3>
<p>If you would rather use a program with a graphical user interface, you can take
a look at <a class="reference external" href="https://unsigned.io/sideband">Sideband</a>, which is available for Android,
Linux and macOS.</p>
<a class="reference external image-reference" href="_images/sideband_1.png"><img alt="_images/sideband_1.png" class="align-center" src="_images/sideband_1.png" style="width: 400px;" /></a>
<p>Sideband is currently in the early stages of development, but already provides basic
communication features, and interoperates with Nomad Network, or any other LXMF client.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="section" id="using-the-included-utilities">
<h2>Using the Included Utilities<a class="headerlink" href="#using-the-included-utilities" title="Permalink to this headline"></a></h2>
@@ -102,20 +122,26 @@ or other things you might be used to from other network types.</p>
<p>Once Reticulums knows which interfaces it should use, it will automatically
discover topography and configure transport of data to any destinations it
knows about.</p>
<p>In situations where you already have an established WiFi or ethernet network, and
many devices that want to utilise the same external Reticulum network (for example over
LoRa), it will often be sufficient to let one system act as a Reticulum gateway, by
adding any external interfaces to this systems configuration, and enabling transport. Any
other device on your local WiFi will then be able to connect to this wider Reticulum
network just using the default interface configuration.</p>
<p>Possibly, the examples in the config file are enough to get you started. If
you want more information, you can read the <a class="reference internal" href="networks.html#networks-main"><span class="std std-ref">Building Networks</span></a>
and <a class="reference internal" href="interfaces.html#interfaces-main"><span class="std std-ref">Interfaces</span></a> chapters of this manual.</p>
</div>
<div class="section" id="connecting-reticulum-instances-over-the-internet">
<h2>Connecting Reticulum Instances Over the Internet<a class="headerlink" href="#connecting-reticulum-instances-over-the-internet" title="Permalink to this headline"></a></h2>
<p>Reticulum currently offers two interfaces for connecting instances over the Internet: <a class="reference internal" href="interfaces.html#interfaces-tcps"><span class="std std-ref">TCP</span></a>
<p>Reticulum currently offers two interfaces suitable for connecting instances over the Internet: <a class="reference internal" href="interfaces.html#interfaces-tcps"><span class="std std-ref">TCP</span></a>
and <a class="reference internal" href="interfaces.html#interfaces-i2p"><span class="std std-ref">I2P</span></a>. Each interface offers a different set of features, and Reticulum
users should carefully choose the interface which best suites their needs.</p>
<p>The <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">TCPServerInterface</span></code> allows users to host an instance accessible over TCP/IP. This
method is generally faster, lower latency, and more energy efficient than using <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">I2PInterface</span></code>,
however it also leaks considerable metadata about the server host.</p>
<p>Direct TCP client connections are able to see the IP address of your instance and may be able
to use this information to determine your location or identity. Adversaries
however it also leaks more data about the server host.</p>
<p>TCP connections reveal the IP address of both your instance and the server to anyone who can
inspect the connection. Someone could use this information to determine your location or identity. Adversaries
inspecting your packets may be able to record packet metadata like time of transmission and packet size.
Even though Reticulum encrypts traffic, TCP does not, so an adversary may be able to use
packet inspection to learn that a system is running Reticulum, and what other IP adresses connect to it.
@@ -123,9 +149,8 @@ Hosting a publicly reachable instance over TCP also requires a publicly reachabl
which most Internet connections don’t offer anymore.</p>
<p>The <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">I2PInterface</span></code> routes messages through the <a class="reference external" href="https://geti2p.net/en/">Invisible Internet Protocol
(I2P)</a>. To properly use this interface, users must also run an I2P daemon in
parallel to <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">rnsd</span></code>. For always-on I2P nodes it is recommended to use <a class="reference external" href="https://i2pd.website/">i2pd</a> because it
generally runs more efficiently.</p>
<p>By default, I2P will encrypt all traffic sent over the Internet, and
parallel to <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">rnsd</span></code>. For always-on I2P nodes it is recommended to use <a class="reference external" href="https://i2pd.website/">i2pd</a>.</p>
<p>By default, I2P will encrypt and mix all traffic sent over the Internet, and
hide both the sender and receiver Reticulum instance IP addresses. Running an I2P node
will also relay other I2P user’s encrypted packets, which will use extra
bandwidth and compute power, but also makes timing attacks and other forms of
@@ -299,7 +324,11 @@ for more information:</p>
<h3><a href="index.html">Table of Contents</a></h3>
<ul>
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#">Getting Started Fast</a><ul>
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#try-using-a-reticulum-based-program">Try Using a Reticulum-based Program</a></li>
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#try-using-a-reticulum-based-program">Try Using a Reticulum-based Program</a><ul>
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#nomad-network">Nomad Network</a></li>
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#sideband">Sideband</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#using-the-included-utilities">Using the Included Utilities</a></li>
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#creating-a-network-with-reticulum">Creating a Network With Reticulum</a></li>
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#connecting-reticulum-instances-over-the-internet">Connecting Reticulum Instances Over the Internet</a></li>