Mesh Networks

Mesh Networks are decentralised communication networks where each node can relay data for other nodes. Unlike traditional networks that depend on central infrastructure (ISPs, cell towers, undersea cables), mesh networks route traffic through participant devices, creating resilient communication independent of centralised control. OMXUS uses mesh networking -- primarily Yggdrasil, with LoRa and Meshtastic fallbacks -- as its communication layer, ensuring that the democratic infrastructure cannot be shut down by any single authority.

How Mesh Networks Work

Traditional Network Architecture

        [Central Server]
              |
    +---------+---------+
    |         |         |
[Router]  [Router]  [Router]
    |         |         |
 [User]    [User]    [User]

Problems:

• Single points of failure: If a router, server, or backbone link fails, all downstream users lose connectivity
• Central control over access: ISPs can throttle, block, or monitor traffic
• Can be shut down by authorities: A government order to an ISP disconnects all users
• Requires infrastructure investment: Towers, cables, and data centres cost billions
• Surveillance by design: All traffic passes through identifiable chokepoints

Mesh Network Architecture

[Node]---[Node]---[Node]
  |   \    |    /   |
  |    \   |   /    |
[Node]---[Node]---[Node]
  |    /   |   \    |
  |   /    |    \   |
[Node]---[Node]---[Node]

Advantages:

• No single point of failure: Any node can go down without disrupting the network
• Routes around obstacles automatically: If a path is blocked, traffic finds another way
• Each node extends network coverage: More participants = more reach
• No central authority required: No one entity controls the network
• Censorship-resistant by design: No chokepoint to censor

Key Properties

Self-Healing

When a node fails, the network automatically routes around it:

• Packets find alternative paths through neighbouring nodes
• No manual reconfiguration needed -- routing adapts in real-time
• Network degrades gracefully rather than catastrophically
• Resilience increases with density -- more nodes means more alternative paths

Decentralised

No central authority controls the network:

• No ISP can cut access -- there is no ISP
• No government can issue a shutdown order to a single entity
• No corporation owns it -- the network is the participants
• Censorship requires shutting down every node, which is practically impossible at scale

Scalable

Network grows organically:

• Each new node extends coverage and adds routing capacity
• More participants = more resilience and more bandwidth
• No infrastructure investment beyond individual devices
• Community-built and community-maintained

Mesh Network Technologies

Yggdrasil

Yggdrasil is an encrypted IPv6 overlay network that forms the primary mesh layer for OMXUS:

Property	Detail
Network type	Encrypted IPv6 overlay (runs on top of existing internet or direct connections)
Addressing	Cryptographic -- your public key IS your address (200::/7 range)
Encryption	Curve25519 key exchange + XSalsa20-Poly1305 authenticated encryption
Routing	Spanning tree + source routing via distributed hash table
Discovery	Multicast (local) + configured peers (remote)
Transport	TCP or UDP
Platforms	Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, OpenWrt
License	LGPLv3 (open source)

How Yggdrasil works for OMXUS:

1. Each device generates a cryptographic key pair
2. Public key becomes the IPv6 address -- identity IS address
3. Devices discover peers automatically on local networks (multicast) or connect to configured peers
4. Traffic routes through available connections, finding the shortest path
5. All traffic is end-to-end encrypted -- even relay nodes cannot read content
6. The network works over internet connections, local WiFi, direct Ethernet, or any combination

Benefits for OMXUS:

Feature	Benefit
Cryptographic addresses	Identity tied to keys, not assigned by authority -- integrates with Decentralized Identifiers
End-to-end encryption	Private communication by default -- votes, messages, and identity data are protected
Automatic routing	No configuration needed -- devices find each other and route traffic
Internet + direct connections	Uses any available transport -- works even during partial internet outages
Self-healing	Network survives node failures -- no single point of failure
Open source	Auditable -- no hidden backdoors or surveillance capabilities

CJDNS

CJDNS (Caleb James DeLisle's Network Suite) is an earlier encrypted mesh protocol that inspired Yggdrasil:

• Encrypted IPv6 overlay network (fc00::/8 range)
• Uses Kademlia-based DHT for routing
• Requires manual peering configuration (less automatic than Yggdrasil)
• More mature but less actively developed
• Notable deployment: Hyperboria network

OMXUS chose Yggdrasil over CJDNS primarily for its automatic peer discovery and simpler deployment.

LoRa (Long Range Radio)

LoRa is a low-power, long-range radio technology ideal for mesh fallback:

Property	Detail
Range	2-15 km (line of sight); 1-5 km (urban)
Bandwidth	0.3-50 kbps (very low -- text only)
Power	Extremely low (years on battery)
Frequency	915 MHz (Australia), unlicensed ISM band
Cost	$15-50 per node
License required	No (ISM band)

What LoRa can carry:

• Text messages (emergency alerts, community notifications)
• Vote submissions (small data packets)
• Identity verification requests
• GPS coordinates (emergency location)
• Sensor data (environmental monitoring)

What LoRa cannot carry:

• Video or audio streaming
• Large file transfers
• Web browsing

Meshtastic

Meshtastic is an open-source firmware for LoRa devices that creates mesh networks with zero configuration:

• Runs on cheap hardware (TTGO T-Beam, Heltec, RAK devices -- $20-50 each)
• Automatic mesh formation -- devices discover and relay for each other
• Encrypted messaging -- AES-256 encryption
• GPS positioning -- nodes report location
• Long battery life -- weeks to months on a single charge
• Smartphone app -- Bluetooth connection to Android/iOS

Meshtastic in OMXUS:

Meshtastic serves as the last-resort communication layer. When internet is down and Yggdrasil peers are unreachable, Meshtastic-equipped LoRa nodes can still:

• Transmit emergency alerts to nearby community members
• Accept and relay votes as small encrypted data packets
• Verify identity through challenge-response over radio
• Relay messages between disconnected network segments

Comparison of Mesh Technologies

Technology	Bandwidth	Range	Encryption	Power	Cost	Best For
Yggdrasil	High (internet-speed)	Global (via internet peers)	Curve25519 + XSalsa20	Moderate (device power)	Free (software)	Primary communication, voting, data
CJDNS	High	Global (via internet peers)	Curve25519	Moderate	Free	Alternative overlay network
LoRa/Meshtastic	Very low (text only)	2-15 km	AES-256	Very low (battery)	$20-50/node	Emergency fallback, alerts, votes
WiFi Mesh	Medium-high	50-100m per hop	WPA3	Moderate	$30-100/node	Local area, community hubs
HF Radio	Very low	Global (skywave)	None standard	High	$200-1000	Absolute last resort, global reach

Disaster Resilience

Mesh networks have proven critical during disasters when centralised infrastructure fails:

Case Studies

Event	Mesh Solution	Outcome
Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico (2017)	goTenna mesh devices provided peer-to-peer communication	Communication restored for emergency responders when cell towers were destroyed
Hong Kong protests (2019)	Bridgefy mesh app enabled peer-to-peer messaging	Protesters communicated despite government internet restrictions
Ukraine conflict (2022)	Starlink + local mesh networks maintained connectivity	Critical communication persisted through infrastructure destruction
Turkey-Syria earthquake (2023)	Amateur radio mesh networks coordinated rescue	Communication when all commercial infrastructure was destroyed
Australian bushfires (2019-2020)	Amateur radio networks provided backup communication	Community coordination when power and cell towers were down

Why This Matters for Australia

Australia is particularly vulnerable to infrastructure failure:

• Geographic scale: Vast distances between population centres; remote communities depend on limited infrastructure
• Natural disasters: Bushfires, floods, and cyclones regularly destroy communication infrastructure
• Centralised telco market: Three major carriers control nearly all mobile infrastructure
• Single points of failure: Undersea cables connecting Australia to the global internet are few and geographically concentrated

OMXUS mesh networking ensures that democratic participation and community emergency response continue even when commercial infrastructure fails.

Censorship Resistance

Mesh networks are inherently resistant to censorship because there is no central point of control:

Censorship Method	Traditional Network	Mesh Network
Court order to ISP	ISP blocks content; users disconnected	No ISP to receive order; traffic routes around blocks
DNS blocking	Domain names resolve to blocked IPs	Mesh uses cryptographic addresses, not DNS
Deep packet inspection	Government examines traffic at chokepoints	All traffic encrypted end-to-end; no chokepoints
Internet shutdown	Government orders ISPs to disconnect	Mesh continues operating on local connections; LoRa provides radio fallback
Cell tower shutdown	All mobile communication ceases	Mesh devices communicate directly; LoRa operates independently

The "Whitlam Test"

The Whitlam Dismissal 1975 demonstrated that centralised systems enable unilateral action against the democratic will. OMXUS mesh networking is designed to pass what might be called the "Whitlam Test": Can any single authority shut this system down?

For a mesh network:

• There is no central server to seize
• There is no ISP to order disconnected
• There is no kill switch to flip
• Traffic routes around any blocked node
• LoRa radio operates independently of all internet infrastructure
• The system degrades gracefully rather than failing catastrophically

OMXUS Mesh Architecture

OMXUS implements a layered communication architecture:

+----------------------------------+
|  OMXUS Applications              |
|  (Voting, Identity, Emergency    |
|   Response, Governance)          |
+----------------------------------+
              |
+----------------------------------+
|  Layer 1: Yggdrasil              |
|  (Primary - encrypted IPv6       |
|   overlay, full bandwidth)       |
+----------------------------------+
              |
+----------------------------------+
|  Layer 2: WiFi Mesh              |
|  (Local - community hubs,        |
|   neighbourhood networks)        |
+----------------------------------+
              |
+----------------------------------+
|  Layer 3: LoRa / Meshtastic      |
|  (Fallback - text, alerts,       |
|   votes, identity verification)  |
+----------------------------------+
              |
+----------------------------------+
|  Layer 4: HF Radio               |
|  (Last resort - global reach,    |
|   community-operated stations)   |
+----------------------------------+
              |
+----------------------------------+
|  Layer 5: Sneakernet             |
|  (Physical - USB, QR codes,      |
|   printed material, hand carry)  |
+----------------------------------+

Each layer activates when the layer above it is unavailable. The system is designed so that critical functions (voting, emergency alerts, identity verification) work on every layer, including the lowest-bandwidth options.

Community Mesh Networks

Existing community mesh networks demonstrate the viability of this approach at scale:

Network	Location	Scale	Years Active	Key Achievement
guifi.net	Catalonia, Spain	35,000+ nodes	2004-present	Largest community network globally; legally recognised as telecommunications operator
Freifunk	Germany	47,000+ nodes	2003-present	Decentralised community across hundreds of German cities
NYC Mesh	New York City	1,000+ nodes	2014-present	Community broadband alternative; proved critical during outages
Sarantaporo.gr	Rural Greece	100+ nodes	2010-present	Connected a rural community with no commercial internet service
Althea	Various	Growing	2017-present	Blockchain-incentivised mesh; nodes earn for relaying

Technical Details

Routing Protocols

Protocol	Type	Used By	How It Works
AODV	Reactive (on-demand)	Mobile ad-hoc networks	Discovers routes only when needed; low overhead
OLSR	Proactive (table-driven)	guifi.net	Maintains routing tables continuously; faster forwarding
Batman-adv	Layer 2 mesh	Freifunk	Operates at Ethernet level; transparent to IP
Yggdrasil	DHT-based spanning tree	OMXUS	Builds spanning tree; routes via source routing
Reticulum	Cryptographic routing	Nomad Network	Designed for unreliable links; works on any transport

OMXUS Node Types

Node Type	Hardware	Function	Cost
Personal node	Smartphone with Yggdrasil app	Basic participation: voting, messaging, identity	$0 (existing device)
Community hub	Raspberry Pi + WiFi AP + LoRa	Local mesh access point; bridges Yggdrasil and LoRa	~$100
LoRa relay	Meshtastic device (solar-powered)	Extends LoRa coverage; emergency fallback	~$50
Backbone node	Server with Yggdrasil + multiple uplinks	High-bandwidth relay; IPFS storage; RGB anchoring	~$500
HF station	Amateur radio station	Last-resort global communication	~$1,000+

Why This Matters for OMXUS

Cannot Be "Whitlam'd"

A mesh network cannot be shut down by any single authority because there is no single authority to shut it down. This is the foundational requirement for sovereign digital infrastructure.

60-Second Emergency Response

The Emergency Response system requires reliable communication that does not depend on commercial infrastructure:

• Alerts must reach nearby responders instantly -- even if cell towers are down
• Mesh ensures message delivery through multiple redundant paths
• LoRa fallback provides radio-based alerting when all digital infrastructure fails
• Each additional community member strengthens the emergency communication network

Universal Participation

Direct Democracy requires that everyone can participate in governance:

• No geographic discrimination -- mesh extends to underserved areas
• No economic barrier to access -- community-built infrastructure
• No corporate gatekeeper -- no ISP can block participation
• Network grows stronger as more people join

Challenges

Bandwidth

Mesh networks typically have lower bandwidth than centralised infrastructure:

• Each hop adds latency
• Shared medium limits throughput
• Video streaming is challenging over pure mesh
• OMXUS mitigation: Critical data (votes, alerts, identity) is kept small. High-bandwidth content (video, large files) uses Yggdrasil's internet-connected mode.

Density

Networks need sufficient node density to function:

• Rural areas may have coverage gaps between nodes
• LoRa bridges longer distances (up to 15 km) but at very low bandwidth
• OMXUS mitigation: Emergency response creates density motivation. Solar-powered LoRa relays are cheap ($50) and can be placed on rooftops to extend coverage.

Adoption

The chicken-and-egg problem: networks need users to be useful; users need networks to join.

• OMXUS mitigation: Emergency response provides immediate personal value (your safety). Community governance provides ongoing civic value. Economic incentives (contract system) reward node operators. Social incentives (community membership) create belonging.

See Also

• Technical Architecture
• Emergency Response
• Direct Democracy
• Decentralized Identifiers
• Whitlam Dismissal 1975
• Main Page