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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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-{{DISPLAYTITLE:44Net: Public IP Space for Amateur Radio Operators}}
+{{DISPLAYTITLE:44Net Main Page}}
+__NOTOC__
-{{Lead|44Net provides publicly routable IP address space for amateur radio operators who want to build, experiment, and operate their own networked systems.}}
+{{Lead|44Net is a community of licensed radio amateurs using Public IP addresses to build networks.}}
-[[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.]]
+{{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.
-== What is 44Net? ==
+You can connect through an existing network or project, or obtain addresses and arrange your own routing.}}
-'''44Net''' is a shared pool of Internet address space set aside for experimentation, learning, and community-built infrastructure. It lets individuals and groups run systems that are directly reachable on the Internet using a stable public IP address, just like traditional Internet hosts and services, without needing to use private address space behind NAT.
-Net predates the Internet as we know it today, and its history is worth exploring; see [[About 44Net]] for background and origins.
+'''[[#Find a way to connect|Explore ways to connect]]''' · '''[[#Build with 44Net resources|Get address resources]]'''
-== What is it for? ==
+{{Section|variant=secondary|
+=== Find a way to connect ===
-People come to 44Net with different goals. Some want a single system online and reachable; others join community projects or regional networks — or build routed networks of their own. Rather than one prescribed setup, 44Net offers several practical paths into the network.
+{{SectionLayout|min=16rem|gap=0.75rem|
+{{SectionCard|
+==== 44Net Connect ====
+'''Public IP addresses for your devices and networks'''
-{{CardRow|
+Use a WireGuard tunnel over your existing internet connection to get a public 44Net address for your project.
- | title = Where to Start
- | 1 =
+[[44Net Connect|Get started with Connect →]]
-<div style="grid-column: 1 / -1;"><p>The right starting point depends on what you want to build and how deeply you engage with networking. </p>
-<p>Most participants use one of three approaches: 44Net Connect, IPIP Mesh, or BGP-announced subnet.</p></div>
-{{Card
-  |44Net Connect
-  |<p>A WireGuard-based system designed to provide the shortest path to your first packet.</p>
-  <p>[[GetStarted#Get_Started_with_44Net_Connect|Get Started with 44Net Connect →]]</p>
 }}
-{{Card
+{{SectionCard|
-  |IPIP Mesh
+==== IPIP Mesh ====
-  |<p>A community-driven network built on IP-in-IP tunnels, used for learning and experimentation.</p>
+'''Connect with other participating amateur networks'''
-  <p>[[GetStarted#Get_Started_with_IPIP_Mesh|Get Started with IPIP Mesh →]]</p>
-}}
+Run a gateway that exchanges traffic directly with other Mesh gateways through IP-in-IP tunnels over the Internet.
-{{Card
+[[IPIP Mesh|Explore the IPIP Mesh →]]
-  |BGP-Announced Subnet
-  |<strong>Best for</strong>: operators announcing and routing their own subnet.<br>Need: routing knowledge and network equipment.<br>[[GetStarted#Get_Started_with_BGP-Announced_Subnets|Get Started with BGP-Announced Subnets →]]
 }}
-<div style="grid-column: 1 / -1;">
+{{SectionCard|
-=== Community-provided Access ===
+==== Community projects ====
+'''Find something interesting to join, use, or help build'''
-These three paths describe how connectivity is provided at the 44Net level. Many participants also connect through community‑run projects built on top of them — including regional networks, shared gateways, wireless links, VPN services, and local experimentation groups. You may begin through any of these community efforts, or create one of your own.
+Explore independently operated networks and projects, including regional radio networks and shared infrastructure.
-If you are looking for something to join rather than build from scratch, see [[What People Build|What People Build on 44Net]] and [[Contributing|Ways to Participate]].</div>
+[[Projects|Browse networks and projects →]]
+}}
+}}
 }}
+{{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.
-= Experiment Freely =
+{{SectionLayout|min=16rem|gap=0.75rem|
+{{SectionCard|
+=== Address space ===
+Request an assignment for your amateur radio network or project.
-Many participants begin with a single system or small subnet and grow from there. You do not need a large network or deep routing experience to take part. Curiosity and a willingness to try things are enough to get started.
+[[Portal/Request Address Space|About address assignments →]]
+}}
-Address space on 44Net is meant to be used, explored, and learned from. You are not "using it up" by trying something. If a project ends or you decide not to continue, returning a subnet is simple, and requesting space again later is okay. Many participants adjust, exchange, or return allocations as their interests change.
+{{SectionCard|
+=== Routing and BGP ===
+Arrange to announce your assigned addresses directly to the Internet.
+[[BGP|Using 44Net with your provider →]]
+}}
-= What People Build on 44Net =
+{{SectionCard|
+=== DNS ===
+Give your systems names under ampr.org or delegate DNS to your own servers.
-{{CardGrid|
+[[DNS|DNS options and setup →]]
-  | 1 =
-{{CardGrid_Card|
-  | heading = Personal station and home services
-  | body = <p>Remote access to stations, self-hosted services, and always-reachable endpoints</p>
-  <p style="font-size: 0.9em; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: 1em;">In Practice:</p>
-  [http://yo2loj.ampr.org YO2LOJ] operates a page with resources for 44Net users and other amateur radio enthusiasts.
 }}
-{{CardGrid_Card|
-  | heading = Shared infrastructure
-  | body = <p>Repeaters, gateways, and group-operated systems with stable public addressing</p>
-  <p style="font-size: 0.9em; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: 1em;">In Practice:</p>
-  [[IRLP|The Internet Radio Linking Project]] is a worldwide voice-over-IP network of amateur radio repeaters and stations that uses public IP addresses from 44Net.
-}}
-{{CardGrid_Card|
-  | heading = Routed and experimental networks
-  | body = <p>Overlay networks, inter-site links, and BGP-operated subnets for advanced operators</p>
-  <p style="font-size: 0.9em; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: 1em;">In Practice:</p>
-  [[IRLP|The Internet Radio Linking Project]] is a worldwide voice-over-IP network of amateur radio repeaters and stations that uses public IP addresses from 44Net.
 }}
 }}
-See [[What People Build|What People Build on 44Net]] for more examples and build paths.
+{{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.
-= Stewardship and Participation =
+[[What People Build|Explore participant projects →]]
+}}
-Net is operated through a mix of community participation and organizational stewardship. ARDC provides long‑term care of the address space and supporting infrastructure, while participants build and operate their own systems and help one another.
+{{Section|variant=secondary|
+=== Already participating? ===
+[https://portal.ampr.org/ Open the Portal] to manage your account, assignments, and records.
-If you are interested in how decisions are made or how to participate more deeply, see [[About 44Net]], [[Governance]], [[Policies]], and [[Contributing]].
+[[:Category:Device and platform guides|Setup guides]] · [[Get Help|Troubleshooting and help]] · [[Community|Community discussions]] · [[Contributing|Contribute to this Wiki]]
+}}
-= Status of this Documentation =
-This documentation is actively evolving. Some areas are well established, while others are being reorganized or expanded as new tools and participation models develop.
+== 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.
-= Next Steps =
+This Wiki explains the available resources and projects and documents how to use them.
-If you are ready to continue, these are common next steps:
+[[About 44Net|About 44Net and its history →]] · [[Eligibility|Eligibility]] · [[EULA|Terms of use]] · [[Archive|Earlier documentation]]
-* Choose your first path and get connected: [[GetStarted|Getting started]]
+[[Category:Explanation]]
-* Compare path fit before you configure anything: [[Ways to Connect|Ways to Connect]]
+[[Category:Getting Started]]
-* Sign in and manage requests: [https://portal.ampr.org/ Portal sign-in]
-* Understand context and stewardship: [[About 44Net|About 44Net]]
-* Explore use cases and examples: [[What People Build|What People Build on 44Net]]
-* Build and operate your network: [[DNS|DNS and naming]] and [[Routing|Routing and connectivity]]
-* Contributing knowledge, tools, or support: [[Contributing|How to get involved]]