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{{DISPLAYTITLE:44Net: Public IP Space for Amateur Radio Operators}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:44Net Main Page}}
__NOTOC__


{{Lead|44Net gives licensed amateur radio operators access to public, globally routable IP addresses, so they can build and operate real systems on the open Internet.}}
{{Lead|44Net is a community of licensed radio amateurs using Public IP addresses to build networks.}}


[[File:Network_map_illustration.png|thumb|right|400px|44Net IP addresses are globally routable, enabling direct connectivity on the public Internet.]]
{{Deck|Connect a Raspberry Pi, run services for your club, or build a network. 44Net provides free IP address resources for licensed radio amateurs, with several ways to put them to use.


'''44Net''' exists so individuals and small groups can learn, experiment, and run services using directly reachable addresses — free of the constraints of NAT or consumer-grade Internet service.
You can connect through an existing network or project, or obtain addresses and arrange your own routing.}}


On 44Net, participants work directly with addressing, routing, and naming — engaging with the connective tissue of the Internet as builders, not just users.
'''[[#Find a way to connect|Explore ways to connect]]''' · '''[[#Build with 44Net resources|Get address resources]]'''


The network traces its roots to 1981, when Hank Magnuski asked Jon Postel for IP address space to support amateur packet radio networking, at a time when the Internet was still taking shape in text files on university minicomputers. As the Internet has evolved, 44Net has grown through decades of technical and community stewardship.
{{Section|variant=secondary|
=== Find a way to connect ===


Today, 44Net carries that stewardship forward as a program of ARDC, which provides governance and support, while the network itself is built and operated by its participants.
{{SectionLayout|min=16rem|gap=0.75rem|
{{SectionCard|
==== 44Net Connect ====
'''Public IP addresses for your devices and networks'''


{{Aside|For more on the network’s early history, see ''The 44Net Origin Story'', a recorded set of conversations with early contributors including Hank Magnuski, John Gilmore, Bdale Garbee, and Phil Karn: [https://archive.org/details/youtube-MQVyJUjmfZc available on the Internet Archive].}}
Use a WireGuard tunnel over your existing internet connection to get a public 44Net address for your project.


== Start Here ==
[[44Net Connect|Get started with Connect →]]
}}


If you are new, returning, or already building, start here:
{{SectionCard|
==== IPIP Mesh ====
'''Connect with other participating amateur networks'''


* '''New to 44Net''': [[GetStarted|Getting started]]
Run a gateway that exchanges traffic directly with other Mesh gateways through IP-in-IP tunnels over the Internet.


* '''Already signed up''': [[DNS|DNS and naming]], [[Routing|Routing and connectivity]], and [https://portal.ampr.org/ Portal sign-in]
[[IPIP Mesh|Explore the IPIP Mesh →]]
}}


* '''Getting involved''': [[Policies|Policies]], [[Governance|Governance]], and [[Contributing|Contributing]]
{{SectionCard|
==== Community projects ====
'''Find something interesting to join, use, or help build'''


== What People Build on 44Net ==
Explore independently operated networks and projects, including regional radio networks and shared infrastructure.


[[File:44net_Globe.png|thumb|right|240px|44Net is a globally distributed community network.]]
[[Projects|Browse networks and projects →]]
}}
}}
}}


Participants use 44Net address space for a wide range of independent and community projects, often combining radio links and Internet routing in creative ways.
{{Section|variant=primary|
== Build with 44Net resources ==
If you’re arranging your own connectivity through an ISP, transit provider, data center, or cloud, start with the resources you need.


=== Personal and Home Infrastructure ===
{{SectionLayout|min=16rem|gap=0.75rem|
{{SectionCard|
=== Address space ===
Request an assignment for your amateur radio network or project.


* Remote access to home stations and personal systems (QTH infrastructure)
[[Portal/Request Address Space|About address assignments →]]
* Self-hosted services, dashboards, and control systems
}}
* Personal blogs, documentation, and project sites


=== Shared Radio and Emergency Systems ===
{{SectionCard|
=== Routing and BGP ===
Arrange to announce your assigned addresses directly to the Internet.


* Networked repeaters and gateways
[[BGP|Using 44Net with your provider →]]
* RF-linked backhaul and control networks
}}
* Emergency communications and public-service systems


=== Community and Club Networks ===
{{SectionCard|
=== DNS ===
Give your systems names under ampr.org or delegate DNS to your own servers.


* Amateur radio club networks
[[DNS|DNS options and setup →]]
* Maker space and hackerspace infrastructure
}}
* Shared servers and internal services for local groups
}}
}}


=== RF and Point-to-Point Networks ===
{{Section|
== See what people are building ==
Explore remote stations, club services, radio networks, and experiments built by 44Net participants. Find ideas for your own project, learn from other operators’ work, or find out how you can contribute yourself.


* VHF, UHF, and microwave links across neighborhoods and regions
[[What People Build|Explore participant projects →]]
* Long-distance RF networks spanning countries
}}
* Point-to-point links between hilltops and collaborating operators


=== Overlay and Experimental Networks ===
{{Section|variant=secondary|
=== Already participating? ===
[https://portal.ampr.org/ Open the Portal] to manage your account, assignments, and records.


* VPN- and tunnel-based private networks
[[:Category:Device and platform guides|Setup guides]] · [[Get Help|Troubleshooting and help]] · [[Community|Community discussions]] · [[Contributing|Contribute to this Wiki]]
* Mesh and ad-hoc routing systems
}}
* Testbeds for new protocols and architectures
* Educational and laboratory environments


Behind each of these projects are volunteers who maintain systems, share knowledge, and give back to their communities, exemplifying the best traditions of amateur radio.
== About 44Net ==
[[ARDC|ARDC]] administers the 44Net address space and supports amateur networking through infrastructure, services, and project support. Participants operate their own systems and networks, including independent projects with their own teams and ways to get involved.


== Stewardship and Participation ==
This Wiki explains the available resources and projects and documents how to use them.


44Net is sustained through a combination of volunteer effort, shared norms, and institutional support. Most of the network’s day-to-day work — from maintaining infrastructure to helping new participants — is carried out by members of the community.
[[About 44Net|About 44Net and its history →]] · [[Eligibility|Eligibility]] · [[EULA|Terms of use]] · [[Archive|Earlier documentation]]


ARDC provides governance, legal and fiduciary oversight, and staff support. Within that framework, participants are responsible for building, operating, and caring for their own systems, and for working cooperatively with others who share the network.
[[Category:Explanation]]
 
[[Category:Getting Started]]
Policies and guidelines are developed and maintained in the open, drawing on community experience and evolving operational practice. While many reflect long-standing norms, others are still being refined as the network grows and new use cases emerge. ARDC provides continuity and institutional oversight, helping ensure that this process remains fair, consistent, and aligned with the network’s long-term stewardship.
 
Participation in 44Net takes many forms: running services, maintaining documentation, mentoring new users, contributing technical expertise, and helping coordinate shared projects. All of these forms of work are valued and necessary to the health of the network.
 
== Documentation Status ==
 
This wiki is under active reconstruction as part of an ongoing effort to improve clarity, organization, and coverage. Some pages are incomplete, outdated, or in transition as this work progresses.
 
Foundational guides, portal documentation, and operational references are being developed in stages. For now, this page serves as a pointer to current, maintained resources.
 
== Next Steps ==
 
Whether you are just getting started or looking to go deeper, these are good places to begin:
 
* Getting connected and claiming address space: [[GetStarted|Getting started]] and [https://portal.ampr.org/ Portal sign-in]
* Building and operating your network: [[DNS|DNS and naming]] and [[Routing|Routing and connectivity]]
* Exploring current documentation and resources: [[Home|Wiki index]]
* Contributing knowledge, tools, or support: [[Contributing|How to get involved]]

Latest revision as of 22:41, 30 September 2026


44Net is a community of licensed radio amateurs using Public IP addresses to build networks.

Connect a Raspberry Pi, run services for your club, or build a network. 44Net provides free IP address resources for licensed radio amateurs, with several ways to put them to use.

You can connect through an existing network or project, or obtain addresses and arrange your own routing.

Explore ways to connect · Get address resources

Find a way to connect

44Net Connect

Public IP addresses for your devices and networks

Use a WireGuard tunnel over your existing internet connection to get a public 44Net address for your project.

Get started with Connect →

IPIP Mesh

Connect with other participating amateur networks

Run a gateway that exchanges traffic directly with other Mesh gateways through IP-in-IP tunnels over the Internet.

Explore the IPIP Mesh →

Community projects

Find something interesting to join, use, or help build

Explore independently operated networks and projects, including regional radio networks and shared infrastructure.

Browse networks and projects →

Build with 44Net resources

If you’re arranging your own connectivity through an ISP, transit provider, data center, or cloud, start with the resources you need.

Address space

Request an assignment for your amateur radio network or project.

About address assignments →

Routing and BGP

Arrange to announce your assigned addresses directly to the Internet.

Using 44Net with your provider →

DNS

Give your systems names under ampr.org or delegate DNS to your own servers.

DNS options and setup →

See what people are building

Explore remote stations, club services, radio networks, and experiments built by 44Net participants. Find ideas for your own project, learn from other operators’ work, or find out how you can contribute yourself.

Explore participant projects →

Already participating?

Open the Portal to manage your account, assignments, and records.

Setup guides · Troubleshooting and help · Community discussions · Contribute to this Wiki

About 44Net

ARDC administers the 44Net address space and supports amateur networking through infrastructure, services, and project support. Participants operate their own systems and networks, including independent projects with their own teams and ways to get involved.

This Wiki explains the available resources and projects and documents how to use them.

About 44Net and its history → · Eligibility · Terms of use · Earlier documentation

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