Latest revision as of 20:53, 5 February 2026

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.

44Net exists so individuals and groups can learn, experiment, and run services using directly reachable IP addresses, free of the constraints of NAT or consumer-grade Internet service.

On 44Net, participants work directly with the connective tissue of the Internet as builders, not just users.

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 into a worldwide federation of community networks.

Today, 44Net continues to be built and operated by its participants, with the support of Amateur Radio Digital Communicatons (ARDC).

For an inside look at how 44Net came to be, see The 44Net Origin Story, a series of conversations with people who were there.

Where to Start

New to 44Net

Getting started

Already signed up

DNS and naming
Routing and connectivity

Getting involved

Policies
Governance
Contributing

What People Build on 44Net

Personal and home infrastructure

Remote access to home stations, self-hosted services, and project sites

Shared radio and emergency systems

Networked repeaters, gateways, and public-service communications

Community networks

Club, makerspace, and local group infrastructure

RF and point-to-point links

VHF, UHF, and microwave links across regions and between sites

Overlay and experimental networks

VPNs, tunnels, mesh systems, and testbeds

For more detailed examples and case studies, see What People Build on 44Net.

Stewardship and Participation

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.

ARDC provides resources, legal and fiduciary stewardship, 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.

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 sustainability.

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.

Status of this Documentation

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

If this page has helped you orient yourself, these are good ways to continue:

Getting connected and claiming address space: Getting started and Portal sign-in
Building and operating your network: DNS and naming and Routing and connectivity
Exploring current documentation and resources: Wiki index
Contributing knowledge, tools, or support: How to get involved

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 {{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.}}
-[[File:Network_map_illustration.png|thumb|right|400px|44Net IP addresses are globally routable, enabling direct connectivity on the public Internet.]]
+[[File:Network_map_illustration.png|thumb|right|400px|class=mw-thumb-card|44Net IP addresses are globally routable, enabling direct connectivity on the public Internet.]]
-'''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.
+'''44Net''' exists so individuals and groups can learn, experiment, and run services using directly reachable IP addresses, free of the constraints of NAT or consumer-grade Internet service.
-On 44Net, participants work directly with addressing, routing, and naming — engaging with the connective tissue of the Internet as builders, not just users.
+On 44Net, participants work directly with the connective tissue of the Internet as builders, not just users.
-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.
+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 into a worldwide federation of community networks.
-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.
+Today, 44Net continues to be built and operated by its participants, with the support of [https://www.ardc.net Amateur Radio Digital Communicatons (ARDC)].
-{{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].}}
+For an inside look at how 44Net came to be, see [https://archive.org/details/youtube-MQVyJUjmfZc The 44Net Origin Story], a series of conversations with people who were there.
-== Start Here ==
+{{CardRow|
+ | title = Where to Start
+ | 1 =
+{{Card|New to 44Net|[[GetStarted|Getting started]]}}
-If you are new, returning, or already building, start here:
+{{Card|Already signed up|[[DNS|DNS and naming]]<br>[[Routing|Routing and connectivity]]}}
-* '''New to 44Net''': [[GetStarted|Getting started]]
+{{Card|Getting involved|[[Policies]]<br>[[Governance]]<br>[[Contributing]]}}
+}}
-* '''Already signed up''': [[DNS|DNS and naming]], [[Routing|Routing and connectivity]], and [https://portal.ampr.org/ Portal sign-in]
+= What People Build on 44Net =
-* '''Getting involved''': [[Policies|Policies]], [[Governance|Governance]], and [[Contributing|Contributing]]
+{{CardGrid|
+  | 1 =
+{{CardGrid_Card|
+  | heading = Personal and home infrastructure
+  | body = Remote access to home stations, self-hosted services, and project sites
+}}
+{{CardGrid_Card|
+  | heading = Shared radio and emergency systems
+  | body = Networked repeaters, gateways, and public-service communications
+}}
+{{CardGrid_Card|
+  | heading = Community networks
+  | body = Club, makerspace, and local group infrastructure
+}}
+{{CardGrid_Card|
+  | heading = RF and point-to-point links
+  | body = VHF, UHF, and microwave links across regions and between sites
+}}
+{{CardGrid_Card|
+  | heading = Overlay and experimental networks
+  | body = VPNs, tunnels, mesh systems, and testbeds
+}}
+}}
-== What People Build on 44Net ==
+For more detailed examples and case studies, see [[What People Build|What People Build on 44Net]].
-[[File:44net_Globe.png|thumb|right|240px|44Net is a globally distributed community network.]]
+= Stewardship and Participation =
-Participants use 44Net address space for a wide range of independent and community projects, often combining radio links and Internet routing in creative ways.
-=== Personal and Home Infrastructure ===
-* Remote access to home stations and personal systems (QTH infrastructure)
-* Self-hosted services, dashboards, and control systems
-* Personal blogs, documentation, and project sites
-=== Shared Radio and Emergency Systems ===
-* Networked repeaters and gateways
-* RF-linked backhaul and control networks
-* Emergency communications and public-service systems
-=== Community and Club Networks ===
-* Amateur radio club networks
-* Maker space and hackerspace infrastructure
-* Shared servers and internal services for local groups
-=== RF and Point-to-Point Networks ===
-* VHF, UHF, and microwave links across neighborhoods and regions
-* Long-distance RF networks spanning countries
-* Point-to-point links between hilltops and collaborating operators
-=== Overlay and Experimental Networks ===
-* VPN- and tunnel-based private networks
-* 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.
-== Stewardship and Participation ==
 Net 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.
-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.
+ARDC provides resources, legal and fiduciary stewardship, 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.
-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.
+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 sustainability.
 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 ==
+= Status of this Documentation =
 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.
@@ Line 80: / Line 69: @@
 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 ==
+= Next Steps =
-Whether you are just getting started or looking to go deeper, these are good places to begin:
+If this page has helped you orient yourself, these are good ways to continue:
 * Getting connected and claiming address space: [[GetStarted|Getting started]] and [https://portal.ampr.org/ Portal sign-in]