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Introduction to LibreMesh

LibreMesh is a modular framework for creating OpenWrt-based firmwares for wireless mesh nodes. Several communities around the world use LibreMesh as the foundation of their local mesh firmwares.

The LibreMesh logo

The LibreMesh project includes the development of several tools.
The firmware (the main piece) allow simple deployment of auto-configurable, yet versatile, multi-radio mesh networks.

Check How it Works to see the basic architecture ideas.
Visit Get it to know how to start using it.
Read some Documentation to understand better how it works.
And join us in the mailing lists to follow the current discussions.

Mesh Networks

Mesh networks are such networks where all participants (nodes) are able to route traffic from other participants.
So there are not central points and the physical topology can be completely random.
Mesh Topology
Usually mesh networks are decentralized, bottom-up organized, deployed and maintained by the people using them.
We believe this is the only way for achieving a real free network out of
control of the governments and global enterprises.

Free Networks, Free Society

We understand that a free network as a telecommunications network should accomplish these three points:

  • It is open, so anyone can connect to it if physically possible

  • It is neutral, so there are not preferences for the kind, origin or destination of the data

  • It is free as in freedom (libre means free as in "free speech" in Spanish)

Organizations supporting LibreMesh:

AlterMundi

Argentina

http://altermundi.net

Altermundi

FreiFunk

Germany

http://freifunk.net

FreiFunk

FunkFeuer

Austria

https://www.funkfeuer.at

FunkFeuer

Guifi

Iberian peninsula

http://guifi.net

Guifi.net

Ibebrasil

Brasil

https://ibebrasil.org.br/

LibreRouter

Global

https://librerouter.org/

LibreRouter

Ninux.org

Italy

http://ninux.org

NiNux

Wakoma

Global

https://wakoma.co/

Community mesh networks using Libremesh:

Antennine

Appennino Bolognese

https://antennine.noblogs.org

NiNux

Calafou

Catalunia

https://calafou.org/

Coolab

Brasil

https://www.coolab.org/

Janastu CowMesh

Rural Karnataka

https://open.janastu.org/projects/cowmesh

Several other community networks are using or used LibreMesh on their devices with their own customizations (network profiles), some of these are listed here.

Firmware and Embedded Device

An embedded device is a small computer. Usually the operating system running in such small computers is called Firmware.
Our way of deploying free mesh networks is by installing our own firmware to the devices (usually WiFi routers).
OpenWrt
Our system is based on the OpenWrt project, which at the same time is based on the well known Linux operating system.
Everything we develop is free software for a free society so anyone can
use, copy, modify and distribute according with
AGPL license.

History

The LibreMesh project (LiMe) was started in 2013 by a set of free network
activists from several cultures and different projects around the world,
willing to create a common solution for the deployment of free mesh networks.

In 2017 Shuttleworth Foundation awarded us with a
Flash Grant
Shuttleworth Flash Grant