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Connect to the Reticulum Network

Clients​

Meshchat (Cross Platform/Portable)​

If you prefer a web based interface, use meshchat. You can install from the releases section of the meshchat repo or build using the instructions from the main README.md.
To join the Michmesh testnet:

  • click Interfaces on the left.
  • click add interface
  • Name: Michmesh Testnet
  • Type: TCP Client Interface
  • Target Host: RNS.MichMesh.net
  • Target Port: 7822
  • click Add Interface
  • Optional: enable transport mode - this will make it so other devices on your home network will have access to the testnet.
    • click Settings on the left
    • check Enable Transport Mode
  • Restart the app. After it restarts, you should see announces under Messages or Nomad Network. You can click them and send messages or browse the nomadnet

Sideband (Linux/Android/MacOS/Windows)​

Sideband is a LXMF client. For mobile connectivity or if you already have a transport node configured above on the network, you don't need to do the following. To setup TCP connection to the test net:

  • click the hamburger menu,
  • click Connectivity
  • enable Connect via TCP
  • TCP Host: RNS.MichMesh.net
  • TCP Port: 7822
  • x out of the config
  • restart Sideband.

You should now be seeing things show up in the announce stream.

nomadnet (*nix text based interface)​

If you want to install the console based nomadnet: pip install nomadnet

Host your own Node!

Initial Setup​

You will probably want to create a python venv specifically for reticulum stuff.​

cd ~/ ; python -m venv reticulum

load the new python venv​

. ~/reticulum/bin/activate

install rns, lxmfd​

pip install --upgrade rns lxmf

Start rnsd to generate the config files, then ctrl-c out:

rnsd
^c

If you want the services to start on boot, setup a systemd.service file​

Use your favorite text editor to create /etc/systemd/system/rnsd.service, you will need to use sudo. Use the following as a template, change the username to match the user we installed reticulum with above.

[Unit]
Description=Reticulum Network Service Daemon
After=multi-user.target

[Service]
Type=simple
Restart=always
RestartSec=3
User=YOURUSERNAME
ExecStart=/home/YOURUSERNAME/reticulum/bin/python3 /home/YOURUSERNAME/reticulum/bin/rnsd

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Now run sudo systemctl start rnsd. If that worked, you can now run sudo systemctl enable rnsd to start it on boot.

Sample interface configuration​

To make use of the RNS stack, you need something to connect to. The Default Interface will connect to anyone else on your network. Michmesh TCP will connect to the Michigan test network. You can also connect to many RF networks, here we will outline a few.

edit ~/.reticulum/config​

Use the following to configure your machine as a bridge to all on the same subnet with the MichMesh test net. This test net is also connected to the Chicago test net, which is connected to a European test net. The connection to the euro net will likely be dropped once we get a critical mass of services running.

[reticulum]
  enable_transport = True
  share_instance = Yes
  shared_instance_port = 37428
  instance_control_port = 37429
  panic_on_interface_error = No
[logging]
  loglevel = 4
[interfaces]
  [[Default Interface]]
    type = AutoInterface
    enabled = Yes
    name = Default Interface
    selected_interface_mode = 1
    configured_bitrate = None
  [[Michmesh TCP]]
    type = TCPClientInterface
    interface_enabled = true
    target_host = rns.michmesh.net
    target_port = 7822
    name = michmesh TCP
    selected_interface_mode = 1
    configured_bitrate = None

Restart RNSd after any changes to the config file using sudo systemctl restart rnsd

Vocabulary

Node - A participant in the reticulum network

Propagation Node - A node which runs a buffer of encrypted messages, allowing for later delivery if a node is offline

LXMF - protocol for resilient delivery of data

RNS - shorthand for Reticulum Network Stack

Transport Mode - This setting enables routing and traffic forwarding