# naxalnet

**naxalnet** is a program to create a wireless mesh network for
communicating with each other. It can be useful during an
[internet shutdown](#internet-shutdown), or to join
[online classes](#online-class-in-remote-areas) with a group
of laptops.
It uses [B.A.T.M.A.N. Advanced][batman-adv], an implementation
of the B.A.T.M.A.N. routing protocol to communicate with peers.
The name naxal comes from Naxalbari, a village in Darjeeling,
West Bengal.

WARNING:
This program uses an **unencrypted** network. This means
you do not get any more privacy or security than with an open wifi
network.

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Running this program in the world's largest partly free democracy
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**Disclaimer**:
In case you are either 1) a complete idiot; or 2) a member of the saffron
brigade; or 3) both, please be aware that this project is not affiliated
with any groups designated as "terrorist" groups in India.

Using the name naxal does not imply any form of connection
with anyone currently at risk of death in overcrowded prisons.

-->

## Requirements

- [systemd v248 or more][batman-systemd]
- Linux kernel with batman-adv module
- [iwd][]
- python3
- python-setuptools (for building)
- [python-dasbus][]
- wifi adapter with ad-hoc support
- two or more computers, or laptops with wifi adapter, called nodes
- systemd-resolved (optional, for DNS)
- batctl (optional, for debugging)

## Installing

### Arch Linux

Install [naxalnet][aur] (or [naxalnet-git][aur-devel] for the
development version) from the AUR with your favourite helper:

```sh
yay -S naxalnet
```

Optionally, [setup systemd-resolved][arch-resolved] for DNS if any
of the nodes have internet access.

### Manually

Clone the repo and cd into it.

```sh
git clone https://git.disroot.org/pranav/naxalnet.git
cd naxalnet
```

Or, if you have an [IPFS client][ipfs] running, try:

```sh
git clone http://k51qzi5uqu5dlye74be0n9iihwk6sm54vexo7bf7pdr4w811y6mmrcp25djozv.ipns.localhost:8080/naxalnet.git
```

Run `sudo make install` to install naxalnet.
After installing, reload systemd so that you can enable `naxalnet.service`
without rebooting:

```sh
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
```

## How to use

You need more than one computer running for the connection to work.

### Start naxalnet

To start naxalnet, do the command on all the nodes:

```sh
sudo systemctl start naxalnet.service
```

To test if it works, run `ip -c addr` to find out your address.
Note the `inet` address of `bridge0`. If there isn't one, try again
after a few seconds. If the address starts with 169.254, it has
got a link-local address. Otherwise, it has got an IP address
from DHCP.

### Getting internet access

Connect an ethernet cable to any of the peers and
[start naxalnet][startnx]. If it was already started, you should
renew the DHCP connection of all peers. To do this, type
`sudo networkctl renew bridge0` on all peers.

### Tethering via WiFi AP

If there are two adapters in a peer, naxalnet will start a
wifi ap (also called wifi hotspot) on one of them.

Connect two wifi adapters on a device and [start naxalnet][startnx].
Now an ap will be created on one of the adapters.
Type `naxalnet --print-wifi` to get the WiFi SSID and password.

If you had set up internet access on one of the peers, internet
can be accessed from the AP.

### Running at boot

Starting the service will stop `NetworkManager.service` and
`wpa_supplicant.service` if it is running. If you start either of these
services after naxalnet was started, systemd will stop naxalnet.

To run naxalnet at boot, enable the service on all the nodes:

```sh
sudo systemctl enable naxalnet.service
```

Now naxalnet will configure a batman interface on every boot.
Disable the service to stop running at boot:

```sh
sudo systemctl disable naxalnet.service
```

### Stopping the service

```sh
# Stop the services
sudo systemctl stop naxalnet systemd-networkd systemd-resolved iwd
# Delete the virtual interfaces created by naxalnet
sudo networkctl delete bat0 bridge0
```

If your distribution uses NetworkManager, starting `naxalnet.service`
will have stopped it. Start NetworkManager again:

```sh
sudo systemctl start NetworkManager.service
```

## How it works

There are three modes commonly supported by wifi adapters -
`ap` (wifi hotspot), `station` (for joining wifi networks) and `ad-hoc`
(for decentralised networks). There are some other modes too,
like `p2p` (wifi direct), but we won't go into the details.

naxalnet uses two mode -- ad-hoc and ap, for connecting to the mesh.
naxalnet uses iwd to start an `ad-hoc` network and configures
systemd-networkd to setup a BATMAN Advanced network.
If there are two wifi adapters connected to the machine,
naxalnet starts an ad-hoc on one of them and an ap on the other.
You can use the ap for connecting mobile phones and other devices
to the mesh network.

Read the code to learn the details.
See [systemd-networkd](systemd-networkd) to see how systemd-networkd
configures the network.

## Use cases

### Online class in remote areas

naxalnet can be used to share connections in remote areas.
You need at least one device with internet access.

### Internet shutdown

You can communicate with neighbouring devices running naxalnet,
using services like [IPFS][], [Jami][], [Secure Scuttlebutt][ssb]
and others which can work on an intranet.
They need to be installed on your device _before_ your friendly
democratic government announces an [internet shutdown][], since you
cannot download and install them during a shutdown.
When a shutdown occurs, [enable naxalnet][enablenx]

## Uninstalling

If you installed naxalnet manually, use make uninstall to remove
naxalnet and its data files:

```sh
sudo make uninstall
```

This requires python pip to be installed.

## Contributing or reporting bugs

See [HACKING.md](HACKING.md)

## Similar projects

The following projects are similar to naxalnet, but are not designed
to be used in a machine with wifi adapter. If you live in
an area where the materials required for any of them are easily
available, consider using them instead of naxalnet.

- [LibreMesh][]: framework for OpenWrt-based firmwares
- [disaster.radio][]: solar-powered communications network

## License

naxalnet is [free/libre/swatantra][free-sw] and open source software;
you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU
General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation,
eitherversion 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

See [LICENSE](LICENSE) for the complete version of the license.

[batman-adv]: https://www.open-mesh.org/projects/batman-adv/wiki
[internet shutdown]: https://internetshutdowns.in
[ipfs]: https://ipfs.io "InterPlanetary File System"
[jami]: https://jami.net "Peer to peer video calls"
[ssb]: https://scuttlebutt.nz "Secure Scuttlebutt"
[python-dasbus]: https://github.com/rhinstaller/dasbus "A python D-Bus library"
[aur]: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/naxalnet
[aur-devel]: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/naxalnet-git
[arch-resolved]: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Systemd-resolved#DNS "systemd-resolved on ArchWiki"
[batman-systemd]: https://www.open-mesh.org/news/101 "systemd v248 brings support for batman advanced"
[libremesh]: https://libremesh.org
[disaster.radio]: https://disaster.radio
[startnx]: #start-naxalnet
[iwd]: https://iwd.wiki.kernel.org "wifi daemon"
[free-sw]: https://gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html "What is free software?"
[enablenx]: #running-at-boot