44Net: Build Networks Together with Public IP Space
44Net is a community of amateur radio operators building community networks using publicly routable IP address space.
44Net in Brief
44Net is shared Internet address space stewarded for experimentation, education, and community-built infrastructure. It enables amateur radio operators and groups to run systems that are directly reachable on the Internet using stable public addresses.
44Net traces its origins to the early days of the Internet, when address space was set aside for amateur radio experimentation. That legacy continues today; see About 44Net for history and context.
What People Build
People use 44Net in many different ways. Some operate a single reachable system; others collaborate through shared projects or build networks of their own. There is no single "right" way to participate. Projects vary widely in scale and technical depth. What people choose to build determines how the network grows.
Personal station and home services
Many participants begin by making a single system reachable: a home station, personal server, or experimental host available directly on the Internet.
In Practice:
YO2LOJ maintains a site sharing resources, tools, and information for 44Net users and amateur radio operators.Groups use 44Net to operate shared systems: repeaters, gateways, and services maintained collaboratively and relied on by many operators.
In Practice:
The Internet Radio Linking Project connects repeaters and stations worldwide using publicly reachable systems built on 44Net addresses.Routed and experimental networks
Some participants build larger experiments: inter-site links, research networks, and independently routed infrastructure exploring how networks operate at scale.
In Practice:
The CAIDA measurement infrastructure at UC San Diego receives a passive optical feed of global Internet traffic directed to 44Net address space, supporting large‑scale research on Internet traffic patterns and network behavior.See What People Build on 44Net for more examples and build paths.
How People Participate
People engage with 44Net in different ways. Some begin by joining existing efforts; others start something of their own. Both approaches are common, and participants often move between them.
People often find their way into 44Net by joining an existing effort, contributing to shared infrastructure, or creating something new. These paths are not sequential, and movement between them is common.
Many participants begin by connecting to an existing network or local effort. Regional RF networks, shared gateways, and community-operated infrastructure provide immediate 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 helping operate systems used by the wider community. Shared services, repeaters, research platforms, and infrastructure projects depend on volunteers who maintain, improve, and extend them.
Examples:
IRLP nodes, shared monitoring or DNS services, research collaborations, repeater linking systems, and community experimentation platforms.Some participants begin by building something entirely new: a reachable host, a local RF deployment, an experimental network, or a research project. Many long-running parts of 44Net started as small individual experiments.
Examples:
New club networks, independent routing experiments, novel services, or radio-linked systems exploring new technical ideas.When a participant is ready to run their own system, they can request address space and choose a connectivity approach that fits their project.
A WireGuard-based approach that makes it easy to experiment with publicly reachable services using existing Internet connectivity.
A community-operated mesh built with IP-in-IP tunnels, allowing independently run systems to interconnect across the Internet for experimentation and collaboration.
Projects that operate their own routing infrastructure may announce 44Net address space using BGP, integrating directly with global Internet routing.
A Culture of Experimentation
44Net address space exists to be used. Experimentation is a normal part of participation. Many projects begin as small trials, change direction, or conclude once an idea has run its course.
Trying something does not "use up" the resource. If a project ends, returning or exchanging a subnet is straightforward, and participants are welcome to request space again later. When a project ends, make room for the next experiment.
44Net is sustained through shared stewardship. ARDC provides long‑term care of the address space and supporting infrastructure, while participants build systems, operate networks, share knowledge, and help one another succeed.
Stewardship is an outcome of participation. It grows out of the projects and communities that make use of 44Net. To learn more about how decisions are made or how to take part, see About 44Net, Governance, Policies, and Contributing.
Keep Exploring
Common next steps:
- Explore examples and existing efforts: What People Build on 44Net
- Join or contribute to community projects: Ways to Participate
- Start your own project: Getting Started
- Learn how connectivity approaches compare: Ways to Connect
- Manage requests and allocations: Portal sign‑in
- Dive deeper into infrastructure topics: DNS and naming and Routing and connectivity
- Understand history and stewardship: About 44Net
Join the Conversation
You do not need a project or subnet to participate in 44Net. Many people begin by simply listening and asking questions.
The community mailing lists and discussion spaces are where ideas are shared, projects take shape, and newcomers get a feel for how people are building and collaborating. Joining the conversation is often the easiest way to start.
- Subscribe to community discussions: Community and Mailing Lists
- Introduce yourself, ask questions, or follow ongoing projects
- Learn how others are experimenting and collaborating across the network
You are welcome to listen, ask questions, and take part.