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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 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.

On 44Net, participants work directly with addressing, routing, and naming — engaging 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.

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.

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: available on the Internet Archive.

Start Here

If you are new, returning, or already building, start here:

• New to 44Net: Getting started

• Already signed up: DNS and naming, Routing and connectivity, and Portal sign-in

• Getting involved: Policies, Governance, and Contributing

What People Build on 44Net

44Net is a globally distributed community network.

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

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 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.

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: 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