44Net Main Page
44Net is a community of licensed amateur radio operators building and connecting real systems and networks using shared public address space.
44Net in Brief
44Net makes publicly reachable networking available for experimentation and learning. Amateur radio operators and groups use it to run systems that can be accessed directly from the Internet using stable public addresses.
The resource that makes this possible is a block of over 12 million IP addresses. The address block traces its origins to early packet radio networking, a project still known today as “AMPRNet.” That legacy continues, with Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) maintaining the address space in service to the community. See About 44Net for history and context.
Quick links: Get Started • Ways to Connect • Run a Project: DNS, Routing • Community
What People Build
Operators put 44Net to work in different ways. Some connect a single system; others collaborate on shared projects or build networks of their own. There is no single “right” way to participate.
Projects using 44Net vary widely in scale and technical depth. Examples include a club maintaining repeaters over cellular or satellite uplinks, an individual publishing resources from a server in their shack, preparedness teams keeping fixed public IPs on mobile devices, or a regional group linking microwave sites across a city or country.
Individual projects
Remote station operation, self-hosted services, cloud services with {{Term:|BYOIP}}.
Examples:
Club networks, linked repeaters, and services for the wider community.
Examples:
Autonomous networks
Multi-site links, resilient backbones, and globally-routed independent systems.
Examples:
See What People Build on 44Net for more examples.
How People Participate
People arrive at 44Net in different ways. Some discover an existing project and join in. Others contribute skills or help operate shared systems. Many eventually begin running projects of their own.
Anyone interested can join a mailing list, follow the discussion, and ask questions. For some people, seeing what licensed amateurs are actively doing with 44Net is motivation to get licensed themselves.
Common paths into 44Net
Join a Network
Many participants begin by connecting to an existing network or joining a local effort. Regional RF networks, shared gateways, and other volunteer-run systems provide ways to participate while learning how systems operate in practice.
Examples:
Local packet and microwave networks, regional mesh projects, and shared access systems operated by volunteer groups.
Others participate by contributing to active projects. Technicians, designers, writers, tower climbers, and system administrators volunteer to work together keeping these projects running and helping them grow. Sometimes all it takes is a radio, a Raspberry Pi, and a willingness to contribute.
Examples:
IRLP nodes, shared monitoring or DNS services, research collaborations, repeater linking systems, and community experimentation platforms.
Create Something New
Some participants begin by building something new on their own: a reachable host, a local RF deployment, an experimental network, or an open hardware project. Many parts of 44Net running today started as something one person built for themselves.
Examples:
New club networks, independent routing experiments, novel services, or radio-linked systems exploring new technical ideas.
How People Connect
When an operator is ready to run their own system, they choose a connectivity approach that fits their project, request address space, and get building.
Common ways projects connect
44Net Connect
A WireGuard-based approach that uses secure tunnels over existing Internet links to bring 44Net to common, modern devices. Developed and maintained by volunteers with support from ARDC.
IPIP Mesh
A community-operated overlay network built with IP-in-IP tunnels, allowing independently run systems to interconnect across the Internet. It’s a living descendant of the original AMPRNet packet networks.
BGP-Announced Subnet
Projects integrate directly with the Internet’s global routing system by announcing 44Net subnets via BGP. Groups with ASNs, upstream peers, or datacenter facilities join the core of the Internet this way.
A Culture of Experimentation
44Net is meant to be used and explored. Experimenting, learning, and occasionally changing direction are normal parts of participation. Many operators start with a small idea just to see what happens. Some of those ideas have grown into long-running projects that still serve the community today.
Some projects naturally conclude once operators have explored their ideas. If a project winds down, returning or exchanging a subnet is straightforward, and operators are always welcome to try something new later. You do not need a fully formed plan before you begin. Trying something new is part of participation — just return the space when you are finished so others can try their ideas too.
ARDC maintains the address space and the core infrastructure that keeps 44Net available over time. Participants help care for the network by building things, keeping them running, and supporting one another’s work. In keeping with amateur radio tradition, operators have wide freedom to experiment, provided they help protect the resource and use it thoughtfully so others can build and explore as well.
To learn more about how decisions are made or how to take part, see About 44Net, Governance, Policies, and Contributing.
Before Connecting
44Net supports non-commercial projects and is maintained as a community service. Participation generally requires an amateur radio operating license, and community expectations are similar to those of other amateur radio activities. To learn more about eligibility, see Learn how eligibility works.
Further Reading
Ways to keep learning:
- Understand history and stewardship: About 44Net
- Explore examples and existing efforts: What People Build on 44Net
- Learn how connectivity approaches compare: Ways to Connect
More ways to participate:
- Join or contribute to community projects: Ways to Participate
- Start your own project: Getting Started
- Dive deeper into infrastructure topics: DNS and naming and Routing and connectivity
Joining the Discussion
You do not need a project or subnet to participate in 44Net. Many people begin just by listening.
Participants use mailing lists and discussion spaces to compare notes, test ideas, and watch projects take shape in real time. Joining the conversation is often an easy way to start.
- Subscribe to community discussions: Community and Mailing Lists
- Introduce yourself, ask questions, or follow ongoing projects.
- See how others are experimenting and collaborating across the network.
- Listen, ask questions, and share what you learn.
44Net continues to grow through the projects people build and the knowledge they share. If you are licensed and curious, you can start simply by joining the conversation.