REAL TECHNOLOGY • ACTIVE DEPLOYMENTS

Chicago Community
Mesh Network

Build a resilient, decentralized internet that works when everything else fails. Based on proven technologies deployed in 40,000+ nodes worldwide.

Why Build a Mesh Network?

🛡️

Resilience

When internet services fail—natural disasters, infrastructure attacks, ISP outages—the mesh keeps running. Self-healing, multi-path routing ensures connectivity.

🌐

Decentralization

No single point of failure. No ISP gatekeepers. No surveillance chokepoints. Every node is equal. The network belongs to the community.

🔐

Privacy

End-to-end encryption via Yggdrasil. No ISP monitoring. No centralized logs. Your traffic is yours—encrypted from source to destination.

Technology Stack

Layer 5: Applications

IPFS content distribution, local DNS (.mesh domains), chat, file sharing

IPFSCoreDNSmDNS

Layer 4: Encrypted Overlay

Yggdrasil Network - End-to-end encrypted IPv6 routing with automatic peer discovery

YggdrasilCJDNS (alt)DHT Routing

Layer 3: Mesh Routing

B.A.T.M.A.N. advanced - Layer 2 mesh with self-healing, multi-path routing

B.A.T.M.A.N. VLinux Kernelbatctl

Layer 2: Physical Links

WiFi (802.11ac/ax), Ethernet (1Gbps+), Point-to-Point (5GHz/60GHz), LoRa (long-range)

802.11ac/ax802.11sEthernetLoRaWAN

Layer 1: Hardware

UniFi Access Points, UISP radios, Raspberry Pi nodes, OpenWrt routers

UniFi 6 LRUISP AirFiberRaspberry Pi

CFN Addressing: Beyond IPv4/IPv6

Community Forest Network (CFN) Addresses

A cryptographically-derived, proximity-aware addressing scheme designed for decentralized mesh networks.

cfn:dp3w:7a3f2b1c5d8e:8080
Prefix:
cfn- Network identifier
Geo-hash:
dp3w- Proximity identifier (Chicago area)
Node-ID:
7a3f2b1c5d8e- Cryptographic hash of public key
Port:
8080- Service port (optional)

✓ Self-Generated

No central authority needed. Derive from your public key.

✓ Proximity-Aware

Geo-hash enables efficient local routing and discovery.

✓ Cryptographically Secure

Addresses tied to public keys—impossible to spoof.

Quick Start Guide

Option 1: Raspberry Pi Node ($100)

Build a mesh node with consumer hardware in under 30 minutes.

Hardware Needed:

  • • Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB+) - $55
  • • WiFi 5GHz USB adapter - $25
  • • MicroSD card (32GB+) - $10
  • • Power supply - $10
# Install Raspberry Pi OS Lite
# Then run:

curl -sSL https://mesh.chicagoforest.net/install.sh | sudo bash

# Configure your location
sudo mesh-config --lat 41.8781 --lon -87.6298 --name "MyNode"

# Join the network
sudo mesh-join chicago

Option 2: UniFi Professional Deployment

Deploy production-grade mesh using Ubiquiti UniFi hardware (NYC Mesh proven).

Recommended Hardware:

  • • UniFi Dream Machine Pro - Gateway/router
  • • UniFi 6 LR Access Point - WiFi mesh nodes ($99 each)
  • • UniFi Switch 16 PoE - Wired backbone
  • • UISP LiteBeam 5AC Gen2 - Point-to-point links (optional)

Deployment Pattern:

  • • 1 wired AP per 2-3 mesh APs (reliability)
  • • Firmware 4.3.20 (critical - later versions break meshing)
  • • 5GHz for mesh backhaul, 2.4GHz for clients
  • • Max 1 wireless hop per path

Option 3: OpenWrt Router ($50-150)

Flash consumer routers with open-source firmware for budget-friendly mesh nodes.

Compatible Routers:

  • • GL.iNet GL-AX1800 - $130 (pre-configured OpenWrt)
  • • TP-Link Archer C7 - $70
  • • Netgear Nighthawk R7800 - $150

Proven Deployments Worldwide

NYC Mesh

New York City, USA

Nodes:1,000+
Members:500+
Since:2014
nycmesh.net →

Guifi.net

Catalonia, Spain

Nodes:37,000+
Links:63,000 km
Since:2004
guifi.net →

Freifunk

Germany

Nodes:40,000+
Protocol:B.A.T.M.A.N.
Since:2002
freifunk.net →

Toronto Mesh

Toronto, Canada

Nodes:50+
Protocol:CJDNS
Since:2016
tomesh.net →

Build the Decentralized Internet

This is REAL technology. These protocols work. The hardware exists. Communities worldwide are building this TODAY. You can too.

Join the Community

Connect with mesh network builders in Chicago and beyond.

Discord →

Deploy a Node

Install mesh software on Raspberry Pi or UniFi hardware.

Installation Guide →

Contribute Code

Help improve mesh protocols and deployment tools.

GitHub →

Let's Build This Together

Community-owned. Decentralized. Resilient. Free.