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@ -10,56 +10,73 @@ You can use these examples to learn how to write your own programs.
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Minimal
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=======
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This example can be found at `<https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum/blob/master/Examples/Minimal.py>`_.
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The *Minimal* example demonstrates the bare-minimum setup required to connect to
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a Reticulum network from your program. In about five lines of code, you will
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have the Reticulum Network Stack initialised, and ready to pass traffic in your
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program.
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.. literalinclude:: ../../Examples/Minimal.py
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This example can also be found at `<https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum/blob/master/Examples/Minimal.py>`_.
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.. _example-announce:
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Announce
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========
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This example can be found at `<https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum/blob/master/Examples/Announce.py>`_.
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The *Announce* example builds upon the previous example by exploring how to
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announce a destination on the network, and how to let your program receive
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notifications about announces from relevant destinations.
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.. literalinclude:: ../../Examples/Announce.py
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This example can also be found at `<https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum/blob/master/Examples/Announce.py>`_.
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.. _example-broadcast:
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Broadcast
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=========
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This example can be found at `<https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum/blob/master/Examples/Broadcast.py>`_.
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The *Broadcast* example explores how to transmit plaintext broadcast messages
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over the network.
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.. literalinclude:: ../../Examples/Broadcast.py
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This example can also be found at `<https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum/blob/master/Examples/Broadcast.py>`_.
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.. _example-echo:
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Echo
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====
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This example can be found at `<https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum/blob/master/Examples/Echo.py>`_.
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The *Echo* example demonstrates communication between two destinations using
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the Packet interface.
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.. literalinclude:: ../../Examples/Echo.py
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This example can also be found at `<https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum/blob/master/Examples/Echo.py>`_.
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.. _example-link:
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Link
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====
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This example can be found at `<https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum/blob/master/Examples/Link.py>`_.
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The *Link* example explores establishing an encrypted link to a remote
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destination, and passing traffic back and forth over the link.
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.. literalinclude:: ../../Examples/Link.py
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This example can also be found at `<https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum/blob/master/Examples/Link.py>`_.
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.. _example-filetransfer:
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Filetransfer
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============
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This example can be found at `<https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum/blob/master/Examples/Filetransfer.py>`_.
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The *Filetransfer* example implements a basic file-server program that
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allow clients to connect and download files. The program uses the Resource
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interface to efficiently pass files of any size over a Reticulum :ref:`Link<api-link>`.
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interface to efficiently pass files of any size over a Reticulum :ref:`Link<api-link>`.
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.. literalinclude:: ../../Examples/Filetransfer.py
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This example can also be found at `<https://github.com/markqvist/Reticulum/blob/master/Examples/Filetransfer.py>`_.
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@ -10,13 +10,16 @@ develop networked applications using Reticulum.
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This document is not an exhaustive source of information on Reticulum, at least not yet. Currently,
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the best place to go for such information is the Python reference implementation of Reticulum, along
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with the API reference.
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with the code examples and API reference. It is however an essential resource to understanding the
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general principles of Reticulum, how to apply them when creating your own networks or software.
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After reading this document, you should be well-equipped to understand how a Reticulum network
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operates, what it can achieve, and how you can use it yourself. If you want to help out with the
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development, this is also the place to start, since it will also provide a pretty clear overview of the
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development, this is also the place to start, since it will provide a pretty clear overview of the
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sentiments and the philosophy behind Reticulum.
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.. _understanding-motivation:
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Motivation
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==========
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@ -26,23 +29,25 @@ belief that it is highly desirable to create a cheap and reliable way to set up
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communication network that can securely allow exchange of information between people and
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machines, with no central point of authority, control, censorship or barrier to entry.
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Almost all of the various networking stacks in wide use today share a common limitation, namely
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that they require large amounts of coordination and trust to work. You can’t just plug in a bunch of
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ethernet cables to the same switch, or turn on a number of WiFi radios, and expect such a setup to
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provide a reliable platform for communication.
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This need for coordination and trust inevitably leads to an environment of control, where it's very
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easy for infrastructure operators or governments to control or alter traffic.
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Almost all of the various networking systems in use today share a common limitation, namely that they
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require large amounts of coordination and trust to work, and to join the networks you need approval
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of gatekeepers in control. This need for coordination and trust inevitably leads to an environment of
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central control, where it's very easy for infrastructure operators or governments to control or alter
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traffic, and censor or persecute unwanted actors.
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Reticulum aims to require as little coordination and trust as possible. In fact, the only
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“coordination” required is to know how to get connected to a Reticulum network. Since Reticulum
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is medium agnostic, this could be whatever is best suited to the situation. In some cases, this might
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be 1200 baud packet radio links over VHF frequencies, in other cases it might be a microwave
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network using off-the-shelf radios. At the time of release of this document, the recommended setup
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is using cheap LoRa radio modules with an open source firmware (see the chapter *Reference System
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Setup* ), connected to a small computer like a Raspberry Pi. As an example, the default reference
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setup provides a channel capacity of 5.4 Kbps, and a usable direct node-to-node range of around 15
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kilometers (indefinitely extendable by using multiple hops).
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“coordination” required is to know the characteristics of physical medium carrying Reticulum traffic.
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Since Reticulum is completely medium agnostic, this could be whatever is best suited to the situation.
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In some cases, this might be 1200 baud packet radio links over VHF frequencies, in other cases it might
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be a microwave network using off-the-shelf radios. At the time of release of this document, the
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recommended setup for development and testing is using LoRa radio modules with an open source firmware
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(see the section :ref:`Reference System Setup<understanding-referencesystem>`), connected to a small
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computer like a Raspberry Pi. As an example, the default reference setup provides a channel capacity
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of 5.4 Kbps, and a usable direct node-to-node range of around 15 kilometers (indefinitely extendable
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by using multiple hops).
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.. _understanding-goals:
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Goals
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=====
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@ -52,32 +57,33 @@ guide the design of Reticulum:
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* **Fully useable as open source software stack**
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Reticulum must be implemented, and be able to run using only open source software. This is
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critical to ensuring availability, security and transparency of the system.
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Reticulum must be implemented with, and be able to run using only open source software. This is
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critical to ensuring the availability, security and transparency of the system.
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* **Hardware layer agnosticism**
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Reticulum shall be fully hardware agnostic, and should be useable over a wide range
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Reticulum shall be fully hardware agnostic, and shall be useable over a wide range
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physical networking layers, such as data radios, serial lines, modems, handheld transceivers,
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wired ethernet, wifi, or anything else that can carry a digital data stream. Hardware made for
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dedicated Reticulum use shall be as cheap as possible and use off-the-shelf components, so
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it can be easily replicated.
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* **Very low bandwidth requirements**
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Reticulum should be able to function reliably over links with a data capacity as low as *1,*
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*bps*.
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Reticulum should be able to function reliably over links with a transmission capacity as low
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as *1,000 bps*.
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* **Encryption by default**
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Reticulum must use encryption by default where possible and applicable.
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* **Unlicensed use**
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Reticulum shall be functional over physical communication mediums that do not require any
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form of license to use. Reticulum must be designed in a way, so it is usable over ISM radio
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frequency bands, and can provide functional long distance links in such conditions.
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frequency bands, and can provide functional long distance links in such conditions, for example
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by connecting a modem to a PMR or CB radio, or by using LoRa or WiFi modules.
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* **Supplied software**
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Apart from the core networking stack and API, that allows any developer to build
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Apart from the core networking stack and API, that allows a developer to build
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applications with Reticulum, a basic communication suite using Reticulum must be
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implemented and released at the same time as Reticulum itself. This shall serve both as a
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functional communication suite, and as an example and learning resource to others wishing
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to build applications with Reticulum.
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* **Ease of use**
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The reference implementation of Reticulum is written in Python, to make it very easy to use
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and understand. Any programmer with only basic experience should be able to use
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The reference implementation of Reticulum is written in Python, to make it easy to use
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and understand. A programmer with only basic experience should be able to use
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Reticulum in their own applications.
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* **Low cost**
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It shall be as cheap as possible to deploy a communication system based on Reticulum. This
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@ -85,30 +91,42 @@ guide the design of Reticulum:
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own. The cost of setting up a functioning node should be less than $100 even if all parts
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needs to be purchased.
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.. _understanding-basicfunctionality:
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Introduction & Basic Functionality
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==================================
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Reticulum is a networking stack suited for high-latency, low-bandwidth links. Reticulum is at it’s
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core *message oriented* , but can provide connection oriented sessions. It is suited for both local
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point-to-point or point-to-multipoint scenarios where alle nodes are within range of each other, as
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well as scenarios where packets need to be transported over multiple hops to reach the recipient.
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core a *message oriented* system. It is suited for both local point-to-point or point-to-multipoint
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scenarios where alle nodes are within range of each other, as well as scenarios where packets need
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to be transported over multiple hops to reach the recipient.
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Reticulum does away with the idea of addresses and ports known from IP, TCP and UDP. Instead
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Reticulum uses the singular concept of *destinations*. Any application using Reticulum as it’s
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networking stack will need to create one or more destinations to receive data, and know the
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destinations it needs to send data to.
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Reticulum encrypts all data by default using public-key cryptography. Any message sent to a
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destination is encrypted with that destinations public key. Reticulum also offers symmetric key
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encryption for group-oriented communications, as well as unencrypted packets for broadcast
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purposes, or situations where you need the communication to be in plain text. The multi-hop
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transport, coordination, verification and reliability layers are fully autonomous and based on public
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key cryptography.
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All destinations in Reticulum are represented internally as 10 bytes, derived from truncating a full
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SHA-256 hash of identifying characteristics of the destination. To users, the destination addresses
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will be displayed as 10 bytes in hexadecimal representation, as in the following example: ``<80e29bf7cccaf31431b3>``.
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By default Reticulum encrypts all data using public-key cryptography. Any message sent to a
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destination is encrypted with that destinations public key. Reticulum can also set up an encrypted
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channel to a destination with *Perfect Forward Secrecy* and *Initiator Anonymity* using a elliptic
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curve cryptography and ephemeral keys derived from a Diffie Hellman exchange on Curve25519. In
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Reticulum terminology, this is called a *Link*.
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Reticulum also offers symmetric key encryption for group-oriented communications, as well as
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unencrypted packets for broadcast purposes, or situations where you need the communication to be in
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plain text. The multi-hop transport, coordination, verification and reliability layers are fully
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autonomous and based on public key cryptography.
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Reticulum can connect to a variety of interfaces such as radio modems, data radios and serial ports,
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and offers the possibility to easily tunnel Reticulum traffic over IP links such as the Internet or
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private IP networks.
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.. _understanding-destinations:
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Destinations
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------------
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@ -127,57 +145,80 @@ destinations. Reticulum uses three different basic destination types, and one sp
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can by many.
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* **Plain**
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A *plain* destination type is unencrypted, and suited for traffic that should be broadcast to a
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number of users, or should be readable by anyone.
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number of users, or should be readable by anyone. Traffic to a *plain* destination is not encrypted.
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* **Link**
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A *link* is a special destination type, that serves as an abstract channel between two *single*
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destinations, directly connected or over multiple hops. The *link* also offers reliability and
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more efficient encryption, and as such is useful even when nodes are directly connected.
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A *link* is a special destination type, that serves as an abstract channel to a *single*
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destination, directly connected or over multiple hops. The *link* also offers reliability and
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more efficient encryption, forward secrecy, initiator anonymity, and as such can be useful even
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when a node is directly reachable.
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.. _understanding-destinationnaming:
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Destination Naming
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Destinations are created and named in an easy to understand dotted notation of *aspects* , and
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represented on the network as a hash of this value. The hash is a SHA-256 truncated to 80 bits. The
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top level aspect should always be the a unique identifier for the application using the destination.
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top level aspect should always be a unique identifier for the application using the destination.
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The next levels of aspects can be defined in any way by the creator of the application. For example,
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a destination for a messaging application could be made up of the application name and a username,
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and look like this:
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a destination for a environmental monitoring application could be made up of the application name, a
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device type and measurement type, like this:
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.. code-block::
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.. code-block:: text
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name: simplemessenger.someuser hash: 2a7ddfab5213f916dea
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app name : environmentlogger
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aspects : remotesensor, temperature
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full name : environmentlogger.remotesensor.temperature
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hash : fa7ddfab5213f916dea
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For the *single* destination, Reticulum will automatically append the associated public key as a
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destination aspect before hashing. This is done to ensure only the correct destination is reached,
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since anyone can listen to any destination name. Appending the public key ensures that a given
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packet is only directed at the destination that holds the corresponding private key to decrypt the
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packet. It is important to understand that anyone can use the destination name
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*simplemessenger.myusername* , but each person that does so will still have a different destination
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hash, because their public keys will differ. In actual use of *single* destination naming, it is advisable
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not to use any uniquely identifying features in aspect naming, though. In the simple messenger
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example, when using *single* destinations, we would instead use a destination naming scheme such
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as *simplemessenger.user* where appending the public key expands the destination into a uniquely
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identifying one.
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packet.
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To recap, the destination types should be used in the following situations:
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**Take note!** There is a very important concept to understand here:
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* Anyone can use the destination name ``environmentlogger.remotesensor.temperature``
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* Each destination that does so will still have a unique destination hash, and thus be uniquely
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addressable, because their public keys will differ.
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In actual use of *single* destination naming, it is advisable not to use any uniquely identifying
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features in aspect naming. Aspect names should be general terms describing what kind of destination
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is represented. The uniquely identifying aspect is always acheived by the appending the public key,
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which expands the destination into a uniquely identifyable one.
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Any destination on a Reticulum network can be addressed and reached simply by knowning its
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destination hash (and public key, but if the public key is not known, it can be requested from the
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network simply by knowing the destination hash). The use of app names and aspects makes it easy to
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structure Reticulum programs and makes it possible to filter what information and data your program
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receives.
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To recap, the different destination types should be used in the following situations:
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* **Single**
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When private communication between two endpoints is needed. Supports routing.
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When private communication between two endpoints is needed. Supports multiple hops.
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* **Group**
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When private communication between two or more endpoints is needed. More efficient in
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data usage than *single* destinations. Supports routing indirectly, but must first be established
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through a *single* destination.
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data usage than *single* destinations. Supports multiple hops indirectly, but must first be
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established through a *single* destination.
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* **Plain**
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When plain-text communication is desirable, for example when broadcasting information.
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To communicate with a *single* destination, you need to know it’s public key. Any method for
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obtaining the public key is valid, but Reticulum includes a simple mechanism for making other
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nodes aware of your destinations public key, called the *announce*.
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nodes aware of your destinations public key, called the *announce*. It is also possible to request
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an unknown public key from the network, as all participating nodes serve as a distributed ledger
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of public keys.
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Note that this information could be shared and verified in many other ways, and that it is therefore
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not required to use the announce functionality, although it is by far the easiest, and should probably
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be used if you are not confident in how to verify public keys and signatures manually.
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Note that public key information can be shared and verified in many other ways than using the
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built-in methodology, and that it is therefore not required to use the announce/request functionality.
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It is by far the easiest though, and should definitely be used if there is not a good reason for
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doing it differently.
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.. _understanding-keyannouncements:
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Public Key Announcements
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------------------------
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@ -204,8 +245,11 @@ will be implicit in almost all cases. If a destination name is not entirely impl
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included in the application specific data part that will allow the receiver to infer the naming.
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It is important to note that announcements will be forwarded throughout the network according to a
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certain pattern. This will be detailed later. Seeing how *single* destinations are always tied to a
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private/public key pair leads us to the next topic.
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certain pattern. This will be detailed later.
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Seeing how *single* destinations are always tied to a private/public key pair leads us to the next topic.
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.. _understanding-identities:
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Identities
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----------
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@ -227,51 +271,65 @@ application. Destinations created will then be linked to this identity to allow
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reach the user. In such a case it is of great importance to store the user’s identity securely and
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privately.
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.. _understanding-gettingfurther:
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Getting Further
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---------------
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The above functions and principles form the core of Reticulum, and would suffice to create
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functional networked applications in local clusters, for example over radio links where all interested
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nodes can hear each other. But to be truly useful, we need a way to go further. In the next chapter,
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two concepts that allow this will be introduced, *paths* and *resources*.
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nodes can directly hear each other. But to be truly useful, we need a way to direct traffic over multiple
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hops in the network. In the next sections, two concepts that allow this will be introduced, *paths* and
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*links*.
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.. _understanding-transport:
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Reticulum Transport
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===================
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I have purposefully avoided the term routing until now, and will continue to do so, because the
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current methods of routing used in IP based networks are fundamentally incompatible for the link
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types that Reticulum was designed to handle. These routing methodologies assume trust at the
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physical layer. Since Reticulum is designed to run over open radio spectrum, no such trust exists.
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Furthermore, existing routing protocols like BGP or OSPF carry too much overhead to be
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practically useable over bandwidth-limited, high-latency links.
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The term routing has been purposefully avoided until now. The current methods of routing used in IP-based
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networks are fundamentally incompatible with the physical link types that Reticulum was designed to handle.
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These routing methodologies assume trust at the physical layer, and often needs a lot more bandwidth than
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Reticulum can assume is available.
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Since Reticulum is designed to run over open radio spectrum, no such trust exists, and bandwidth is often
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very limited. Existing routing protocols like BGP or OSPF carry too much overhead to be practically
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useable over bandwidth-limited, high-latency links.
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To overcome such challenges, Reticulum’s *Transport* system uses public-key cryptography to
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implement the concept of *paths* that allow discovery of how to get information to a certain
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destination, and *resources* that help alleviate congestion and make reliable communication more
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efficient and less bandwidth-hungry.
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destination, and *resources* that help make reliable data transfer more efficient.
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||||
|
||||
Threading a Path
|
||||
----------------
|
||||
.. _understanding-paths:
|
||||
|
||||
Reaching the Destination
|
||||
------------------------
|
||||
|
||||
In networks with changing topology and trustless connectivity, nodes need a way to establish
|
||||
*verified connectivity* with each other. To do this, the following process is employed:
|
||||
*verified connectivity* with each other. Since the network is assumed to be trustless, Reticulum
|
||||
must provide a way to guarantee that the peer you are communicating with is actually who you
|
||||
expect. To do this, the following process is employed:
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
* First, the node that wishes to establish connectivity will send out a special packet, that
|
||||
* | First, the node that wishes to establish connectivity will send out a special packet, that
|
||||
traverses the network and locates the desired destination. Along the way, the nodes that
|
||||
forward the packet will take note of this *link request*.
|
||||
* Second, if the destination accepts the *link request* , it will send back a packet that proves the
|
||||
|
||||
* | Second, if the destination accepts the *link request* , it will send back a packet that proves the
|
||||
authenticity of it’s identity (and the receipt of the link request) to the initiating node. All
|
||||
nodes that initially forwarded the packet will also be able to verify this proof, and thus
|
||||
accept the validity of the *link* throughout the network.
|
||||
* When the validity of the *link* has been accepted by forwarding nodes, these nodes will
|
||||
|
||||
* | When the validity of the *link* has been accepted by forwarding nodes, these nodes will
|
||||
remember the *link* , and it can subsequently be used by referring to a hash representing it.
|
||||
* As a part of the *link request* , a Diffie-Hellman key exchange takes place, that sets up an
|
||||
|
||||
* | As a part of the *link request* , a Diffie-Hellman key exchange takes place, that sets up an
|
||||
efficient symmetrically encrypted tunnel between the two nodes, using elliptic curve
|
||||
cryptography. As such, this mode of communication is preferred, even for situations when
|
||||
nodes can directly communicate, when the amount of data to be exchanged numbers in the
|
||||
tens of packets.
|
||||
* When a *link* has been set up, it automatically provides message receipt functionality, so the
|
||||
|
||||
* | When a *link* has been set up, it automatically provides message receipt functionality, so the
|
||||
sending node can obtain verified confirmation that the information reached the intended
|
||||
recipient.
|
||||
|
||||
@ -280,37 +338,44 @@ recap what purposes this serves. We first ensure that the node answering our req
|
||||
one we want to communicate with, and not a malicious actor pretending to be so. At the same time
|
||||
we establish an efficient encrypted channel. The setup of this is relatively cheap in terms of
|
||||
bandwidth, so it can be used just for a short exchange, and then recreated as needed, which will also
|
||||
rotate encryption keys, but the link can also be kept alive for longer periods of time, if this is
|
||||
more suitable to the application. The amount of bandwidth used on keeping a link open is practically
|
||||
negligible. The procedure also inserts the *link id* , a hash calculated from the link request packet,
|
||||
into the memory of forwarding nodes, which means that the communicating nodes can thereafter reach each
|
||||
other simply by referring to this *link id*.
|
||||
|
||||
rotate encryption keys (keys can also be rotated over an existing path), but the link can also be kept
|
||||
alive for longer periods of time, if this is more suitable to the application. The amount of bandwidth
|
||||
used on keeping a link open is practically negligible. The procedure also inserts the *link id* , a hash
|
||||
calculated from the link request packet, into the memory of forwarding nodes, which means that the
|
||||
communicating nodes can thereafter reach each other simply by referring to this *link id*.
|
||||
|
||||
**Step 1, pathfinding**
|
||||
Step 1: Pathfinding
|
||||
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||||
|
||||
The pathfinding method builds on the *announce* functionality discussed earlier. When an announce
|
||||
is sent out by a node, it will be forwarded by any node receiving it, but according to some specific
|
||||
rules:
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
* If this announce has already been received before, ignore it.
|
||||
* Record into a table which node the announce was received from, and how many times in
|
||||
* | If this announce has already been received before, ignore it.
|
||||
|
||||
* | Record into a table which node the announce was received from, and how many times in
|
||||
total it has been retransmitted to get here.
|
||||
* If the announce has been retransmitted *m+1* times, it will not be forwarded. By default, *m* is
|
||||
|
||||
* | If the announce has been retransmitted *m+1* times, it will not be forwarded. By default, *m* is
|
||||
set to 18.
|
||||
* The announce will be assigned a delay *d* = *ch* seconds, where *c* is a decay constant, by
|
||||
|
||||
* | The announce will be assigned a delay *d* = c\ :sup:`h` seconds, where *c* is a decay constant, by
|
||||
default 2, and *h* is the amount of times this packet has already been forwarded.
|
||||
* The packet will be given a priority *p = 1/d*.
|
||||
* If at least *d* seconds has passed since the announce was received, and no other packets with a
|
||||
|
||||
* | The packet will be given a priority *p = 1/d*.
|
||||
|
||||
* | If at least *d* seconds has passed since the announce was received, and no other packets with a
|
||||
priority higher than *p* are waiting in the queue (see Packet Prioritisation), and the channel is
|
||||
not utilized by other traffic, the announce will be forwarded.
|
||||
* If no other nodes are heard retransmitting the announce with a greater hop count than when
|
||||
|
||||
* | If no other nodes are heard retransmitting the announce with a greater hop count than when
|
||||
it left this node, transmitting it will be retried *r* times. By default, *r* is set to 2. Retries follow
|
||||
same rules as above, with the exception that it must wait for at least *d = ch+1 + t* seconds, ie.,
|
||||
same rules as above, with the exception that it must wait for at least *d* = c\ :sup:`h+1` + t seconds, ie.,
|
||||
the amount of time it would take the next node to retransmit the packet. By default, *t* is set to
|
||||
10.
|
||||
* If a newer announce from the same destination arrives, while an identical one is already in
|
||||
|
||||
* | If a newer announce from the same destination arrives, while an identical one is already in
|
||||
the queue, the newest announce is discarded. If the newest announce contains different
|
||||
application specific data, it will replace the old announce, but will use *d* and *p* of the old
|
||||
announce.
|
||||
@ -319,17 +384,16 @@ Once an announce has reached a node in the network, any other node in direct con
|
||||
node will be able to reach the destination the announce originated from, simply by sending a packet
|
||||
addressed to that destination. Any node with knowledge of the announce will be able to direct the
|
||||
packet towards the destination by looking up the next node with the shortest amount of hops to the
|
||||
destination. The specifics of this process is detailed in *Path Calculation*.
|
||||
destination.
|
||||
|
||||
According to these rules and default constants, an announce will propagate throughout the network
|
||||
in a predictable way. In an example network utilising the default constants, and with an average link
|
||||
|
||||
distance of *Lavg =* 15 kilometers, an announce will be able to propagate outwards to a radius of 180
|
||||
kilometers in 34 minutes, and a *maximum announce radius* of 270 kilometers in approximately 3
|
||||
days. Methods for overcoming the distance limitation of *m * Lavg* will be introduced later in this
|
||||
chapter.
|
||||
days.
|
||||
|
||||
**Step 2, link establishment**
|
||||
Step 2: Link Establishment
|
||||
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||||
|
||||
After seeing how the conditions for finding a path through the network are created, we will now
|
||||
explore how two nodes can establish reliable communications over multiple hops. The *link* in
|
||||
@ -338,25 +402,30 @@ as an abstract channel, that can be open for any amount of time, and can span an
|
||||
of hops, where information will be exchanged between two nodes.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
* When a node in the network wants to establish verified connectivity with another node, it
|
||||
* | When a node in the network wants to establish verified connectivity with another node, it
|
||||
will create a *link request* packet, and broadcast it.
|
||||
* The *link request* packet contains the destination hash *Hd* , and an asymmetrically encrypted
|
||||
|
||||
* | The *link request* packet contains the destination hash *Hd* , and an asymmetrically encrypted
|
||||
part containing the following data: The source hash *Hs* , a symmetric key *Lk* , a truncated
|
||||
hash of a random number *Hr* , and a signature *S* of the plaintext values of *Hd* , *Hs* , *Lk* and *Hr*.
|
||||
* The broadcasted packet will be directed through the network according to the rules laid out
|
||||
|
||||
* | The broadcasted packet will be directed through the network according to the rules laid out
|
||||
previously.
|
||||
* Any node that forwards the link request will store a *link id* in it’s *link table* , along with the
|
||||
|
||||
* | Any node that forwards the link request will store a *link id* in it’s *link table* , along with the
|
||||
amount of hops the packet had taken when received. The link id is a hash of the entire link
|
||||
request packet. If the path is not *proven* within some set amount of time, the entry will be
|
||||
dropped from the table again.
|
||||
* When the destination receives the link request packet, it will decide whether to accept the
|
||||
|
||||
* | When the destination receives the link request packet, it will decide whether to accept the
|
||||
request. If it is accepted, it will create a special packet called a *proof*. A *proof* is a simple
|
||||
construct, consisting of a truncated hash of the message that needs to be proven, and a
|
||||
signature (made by the destination’s private key) of this hash. This *proof* effectively verifies
|
||||
that the intended recipient got the packet, and also serves to verify the discovered path
|
||||
through the network. Since the *proof* hash matches the *path id* in the intermediary nodes’
|
||||
*path tables* , the intermediary nodes can forward the proof all the way back to the source.
|
||||
* When the source receives the *proof* , it will know unequivocally that a verified path has been
|
||||
|
||||
* | When the source receives the *proof* , it will know unequivocally that a verified path has been
|
||||
established to the destination, and that information can now be exchanged reliably and
|
||||
securely.
|
||||
|
||||
@ -372,17 +441,12 @@ of Reticulum, such a retransmission does not need to travel the entire length of
|
||||
If a packet is lost on the 8th hop of a 12 hop path, it can be fetched from the last hop that received it
|
||||
reliably.
|
||||
|
||||
Crossing Continents
|
||||
-------------------
|
||||
.. _understanding-resources:
|
||||
|
||||
When a packet needs to travel farther than local network topology knowledge stretches, a system of
|
||||
geographical or topological hinting is used to direct the packet towards a network segment with
|
||||
direct knowledge of the intended destination. This functionality is currently left out of the protocol
|
||||
for simplicity of testing other parts, but will be activated in a future release. For more information
|
||||
on when, refer to the roadmap on the website.
|
||||
Resources
|
||||
---------
|
||||
|
||||
Resourceful Memory
|
||||
------------------
|
||||
TODO: Write
|
||||
|
||||
In traditional networks, large amounts of data is rapidly exchanged with very low latency. Links of
|
||||
several thousand kilometers will often only have round-trip latency in the tens of milliseconds, and
|
||||
@ -415,6 +479,8 @@ certain destination, and as such the network as a whole operates as a distribute
|
||||
For more details on how the caching works and is used, see the reference implementation source
|
||||
code.
|
||||
|
||||
.. _understanding-referencesystem:
|
||||
|
||||
Reference System Setup
|
||||
======================
|
||||
|
||||
@ -450,10 +516,9 @@ into the future. The current Reference System Setup is as follows:
|
||||
* **Channel Access Device**
|
||||
A data radio consisting of a LoRa radio module, and a microcontroller with open source
|
||||
firmware, that can connect to host devices via USB. It operates in either the 430, 868 or 900
|
||||
MHz frequency bands. More details on the exact parts and how to get/make one can be
|
||||
found on the website.
|
||||
MHz frequency bands. More details can be found on the `RNode Page <https://unsigned.io/rnode>`_.
|
||||
* **Host device**
|
||||
Any computer device running Linux and Python. A Raspberry Pi with Raspbian is
|
||||
Any computer device running Linux and Python. A Raspberry Pi with a Debian based OS is
|
||||
recommended.
|
||||
* **Software stack**
|
||||
The current Reference Implementation Release of Reticulum, running on a Debian based
|
||||
@ -461,11 +526,13 @@ into the future. The current Reference System Setup is as follows:
|
||||
|
||||
It is very important to note, that the reference channel access device **does not** use the LoRaWAN
|
||||
standard, but uses a custom MAC layer on top of the plain LoRa modulation! As such, you will
|
||||
need a plain LoRa radio module connected to an MCU with the correct Reticulum firmware. Full
|
||||
details on how to get or make such a device is available on the website.
|
||||
need a plain LoRa radio module connected to an MCU with the correct firmware. Full details on how to
|
||||
get or make such a device is available on the `RNode Page <https://unsigned.io/rnode>`_.
|
||||
|
||||
With the current reference setup, it should be possible to get on a Reticulum network for around 70$
|
||||
even if you have none of the hardware already.
|
||||
With the current reference setup, it should be possible to get on a Reticulum network for around 100$
|
||||
even if you have none of the hardware already, and need to purchase everything.
|
||||
|
||||
.. _understanding-protocolspecifics:
|
||||
|
||||
Protocol Specifics
|
||||
==================
|
||||
@ -474,30 +541,114 @@ This chapter will detail protocol specific information that is essential to the
|
||||
Reticulum, but non critical in understanding how the protocol works on a general level. It should be
|
||||
treated more as a reference than as essential reading.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Node Types
|
||||
----------
|
||||
|
||||
Currently Reticulum defines two node types, the *Station* and the *Peer*. A node is a *station* if it fixed
|
||||
in one place, and if it is intended to be kept online at all times. Otherwise the node is a *peer*. This
|
||||
distinction is made by the user configuring the node, and is used to determine what nodes on the
|
||||
in one place, and if it is intended to be kept online most of the time. Otherwise the node is a *peer*.
|
||||
This distinction is made by the user configuring the node, and is used to determine what nodes on the
|
||||
network will help forward traffic, and what nodes rely on other nodes for connectivity.
|
||||
|
||||
If a node is a *Peer* it should be given the configuration directive ``enable_transport = No``.
|
||||
|
||||
If it is a *Station*, it should be given the configuration directive ``enable_transport = Yes``.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Packet Prioritisation
|
||||
---------------------
|
||||
|
||||
*The packet prioritisation algorithms are subject to rapid change at the moment, and for now, they
|
||||
are not documented here. See the reference implementation for more info on how this functionality
|
||||
works.*
|
||||
Currently, Reticulum is completely priority-agnostic regarding general traffic. All traffic is handled
|
||||
on a first-come, first-serve basis. Announce re-transmission are handled according to the re-transmission
|
||||
times and priorities described earlier in this chapter.
|
||||
|
||||
Path Calculation
|
||||
----------------
|
||||
It is possible that a prioritisation engine could be added to Reticulum in the future, but in
|
||||
the light of Reticulums goal of equal access, doing so would need to be the subject of careful
|
||||
investigation of the consequences first.
|
||||
|
||||
*The path calculation algorithms are subject to rapid change at the moment, and for now, they are
|
||||
not documented here. See the reference implementation for more info on how this functionality
|
||||
works.*
|
||||
|
||||
Binary Packet Format
|
||||
--------------------
|
||||
|
||||
*The binary packet format is subject to rapid change at the moment, and for now, it is not
|
||||
documented here. See the reference implementation for the specific details on this topic.*
|
||||
.. code-block:: text
|
||||
|
||||
== Reticulum Wire Format ======
|
||||
|
||||
A Reticulum packet is composed of the following fields:
|
||||
|
||||
[HEADER 2 bytes] [ADDRESSES 10/20 bytes] [CONTEXT 1 byte] [DATA 0-477 bytes]
|
||||
|
||||
* The HEADER field is 2 bytes long.
|
||||
* Byte 1: [Header Type], [Propagation Type], [Destination Type] and [Packet Type]
|
||||
* Byte 2: Number of hops
|
||||
|
||||
* The ADDRESSES field contains either 1 or 2 addresses.
|
||||
* Each address is 10 bytes long.
|
||||
* The Header Type flag in the HEADER field determines
|
||||
whether the ADDRESSES field contains 1 or 2 addresses.
|
||||
* Addresses are Reticulum hashes truncated to 10 bytes.
|
||||
|
||||
* The CONTEXT field is 1 byte.
|
||||
* It is used by Reticulum to determine packet context.
|
||||
|
||||
* The DATA field is between 0 and 477 bytes.
|
||||
* It contains the packets data payload.
|
||||
|
||||
Header Types
|
||||
-----------------
|
||||
type 1 00 Two byte header, one 10 byte address field
|
||||
type 2 01 Two byte header, two 10 byte address fields
|
||||
type 3 10 Reserved
|
||||
type 4 11 Reserved
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Propagation Types
|
||||
-----------------
|
||||
broadcast 00
|
||||
transport 01
|
||||
reserved 10
|
||||
reserved 11
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Destination Types
|
||||
-----------------
|
||||
single 00
|
||||
group 01
|
||||
plain 10
|
||||
link 11
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Packet Types
|
||||
-----------------
|
||||
data 00
|
||||
announce 01
|
||||
link request 10
|
||||
proof 11
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
+- Packet Example -+
|
||||
|
||||
HEADER FIELD ADDRESSES FIELD CONTEXT FIELD DATA FIELD
|
||||
_______|_______ ________________|________________ ________|______ __|_
|
||||
| | | | | | | |
|
||||
01010000 00000100 [ADDR1, 10 bytes] [ADDR2, 10 bytes] [CONTEXT, 1 byte] [DATA]
|
||||
| | | | |
|
||||
| | | | +-- Hops = 4
|
||||
| | | +------- Packet Type = DATA
|
||||
| | +--------- Destination Type = SINGLE
|
||||
| +----------- Propagation Type = TRANSPORT
|
||||
+------------- Header Type = HEADER_2 (two byte header, two address fields)
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
+- Packet Example -+
|
||||
|
||||
HEADER FIELD ADDRESSES FIELD CONTEXT FIELD DATA FIELD
|
||||
_______|_______ _______|_______ ________|______ __|_
|
||||
| | | | | | | |
|
||||
00000000 00000111 [ADDR1, 10 bytes] [CONTEXT, 1 byte] [DATA]
|
||||
| | | | |
|
||||
| | | | +-- Hops = 7
|
||||
| | | +------- Packet Type = DATA
|
||||
| | +--------- Destination Type = SINGLE
|
||||
| +----------- Propagation Type = BROADCAST
|
||||
+------------- Header Type = HEADER_1 (two byte header, one address field)
|
@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ What does Reticulum Offer?
|
||||
|
||||
* Asymmetric RSA encryption and signatures as basis for all communication
|
||||
|
||||
* Perfect Forward Secrecy on links with ephemereal Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman keys (on the SECP256R1 curve)
|
||||
* Perfect Forward Secrecy on links with ephemereal Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman keys (on Curve25519)
|
||||
|
||||
* Reticulum uses the Fernet specification for encryption on links and to group destinations
|
||||
|
||||
|
File diff suppressed because it is too large
Load Diff
@ -87,21 +87,19 @@ using it, or to participate in the development of Reticulum itself.</p>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l2"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#introduction-basic-functionality">Introduction & Basic Functionality</a><ul>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#destinations">Destinations</a></li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#public-key-announcements">Public Key Announcements</a></li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#identities">Identities</a></li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#understanding-identities">Identities</a></li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#getting-further">Getting Further</a></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l2"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#reticulum-transport">Reticulum Transport</a><ul>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#threading-a-path">Threading a Path</a></li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#crossing-continents">Crossing Continents</a></li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#resourceful-memory">Resourceful Memory</a></li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#reaching-the-destination">Reaching the Destination</a></li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#resources">Resources</a></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l2"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#reference-system-setup">Reference System Setup</a></li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l2"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#protocol-specifics">Protocol Specifics</a><ul>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#node-types">Node Types</a></li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#packet-prioritisation">Packet Prioritisation</a></li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#path-calculation">Path Calculation</a></li>
|
||||
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="understanding.html#binary-packet-format">Binary Packet Format</a></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
|
Binary file not shown.
@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ from a the <em>send()</em> method of a <a class="reference internal" href="#api-
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<dl class="py attribute">
|
||||
<dt class="sig sig-object py" id="RNS.Link.CURVE">
|
||||
<span class="sig-name descname"><span class="pre">CURVE</span></span><em class="property"> <span class="pre">=</span> <span class="pre"><cryptography.hazmat.primitives.asymmetric.ec.SECP256R1</span> <span class="pre">object></span></em><a class="headerlink" href="#RNS.Link.CURVE" title="Permalink to this definition">¶</a></dt>
|
||||
<span class="sig-name descname"><span class="pre">CURVE</span></span><em class="property"> <span class="pre">=</span> <span class="pre">'Curve25519'</span></em><a class="headerlink" href="#RNS.Link.CURVE" title="Permalink to this definition">¶</a></dt>
|
||||
<dd><p>The curve used for Elliptic Curve DH key exchanges</p>
|
||||
</dd></dl>
|
||||
|
||||
|
File diff suppressed because one or more lines are too long
@ -45,47 +45,48 @@ links. It should give you an overview of how the stack works, and an understandi
|
||||
develop networked applications using Reticulum.</p>
|
||||
<p>This document is not an exhaustive source of information on Reticulum, at least not yet. Currently,
|
||||
the best place to go for such information is the Python reference implementation of Reticulum, along
|
||||
with the API reference.</p>
|
||||
with the code examples and API reference. It is however an essential resource to understanding the
|
||||
general principles of Reticulum, how to apply them when creating your own networks or software.</p>
|
||||
<p>After reading this document, you should be well-equipped to understand how a Reticulum network
|
||||
operates, what it can achieve, and how you can use it yourself. If you want to help out with the
|
||||
development, this is also the place to start, since it will also provide a pretty clear overview of the
|
||||
development, this is also the place to start, since it will provide a pretty clear overview of the
|
||||
sentiments and the philosophy behind Reticulum.</p>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="motivation">
|
||||
<h2>Motivation<a class="headerlink" href="#motivation" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
|
||||
<span id="understanding-motivation"></span><h2>Motivation<a class="headerlink" href="#motivation" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
|
||||
<p>The primary motivation for designing and implementing Reticulum has been the current lack of
|
||||
reliable, functional and secure minimal-infrastructure modes of digital communication. It is my
|
||||
belief that it is highly desirable to create a cheap and reliable way to set up a wide-range digital
|
||||
communication network that can securely allow exchange of information between people and
|
||||
machines, with no central point of authority, control, censorship or barrier to entry.</p>
|
||||
<p>Almost all of the various networking stacks in wide use today share a common limitation, namely
|
||||
that they require large amounts of coordination and trust to work. You can’t just plug in a bunch of
|
||||
ethernet cables to the same switch, or turn on a number of WiFi radios, and expect such a setup to
|
||||
provide a reliable platform for communication.</p>
|
||||
<p>This need for coordination and trust inevitably leads to an environment of control, where it’s very
|
||||
easy for infrastructure operators or governments to control or alter traffic.</p>
|
||||
<p>Almost all of the various networking systems in use today share a common limitation, namely that they
|
||||
require large amounts of coordination and trust to work, and to join the networks you need approval
|
||||
of gatekeepers in control. This need for coordination and trust inevitably leads to an environment of
|
||||
central control, where it’s very easy for infrastructure operators or governments to control or alter
|
||||
traffic, and censor or persecute unwanted actors.</p>
|
||||
<p>Reticulum aims to require as little coordination and trust as possible. In fact, the only
|
||||
“coordination” required is to know how to get connected to a Reticulum network. Since Reticulum
|
||||
is medium agnostic, this could be whatever is best suited to the situation. In some cases, this might
|
||||
be 1200 baud packet radio links over VHF frequencies, in other cases it might be a microwave
|
||||
network using off-the-shelf radios. At the time of release of this document, the recommended setup
|
||||
is using cheap LoRa radio modules with an open source firmware (see the chapter <em>Reference System
|
||||
Setup</em> ), connected to a small computer like a Raspberry Pi. As an example, the default reference
|
||||
setup provides a channel capacity of 5.4 Kbps, and a usable direct node-to-node range of around 15
|
||||
kilometers (indefinitely extendable by using multiple hops).</p>
|
||||
“coordination” required is to know the characteristics of physical medium carrying Reticulum traffic.</p>
|
||||
<p>Since Reticulum is completely medium agnostic, this could be whatever is best suited to the situation.
|
||||
In some cases, this might be 1200 baud packet radio links over VHF frequencies, in other cases it might
|
||||
be a microwave network using off-the-shelf radios. At the time of release of this document, the
|
||||
recommended setup for development and testing is using LoRa radio modules with an open source firmware
|
||||
(see the section <a class="reference internal" href="#understanding-referencesystem"><span class="std std-ref">Reference System Setup</span></a>), connected to a small
|
||||
computer like a Raspberry Pi. As an example, the default reference setup provides a channel capacity
|
||||
of 5.4 Kbps, and a usable direct node-to-node range of around 15 kilometers (indefinitely extendable
|
||||
by using multiple hops).</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="goals">
|
||||
<h2>Goals<a class="headerlink" href="#goals" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
|
||||
<span id="understanding-goals"></span><h2>Goals<a class="headerlink" href="#goals" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
|
||||
<p>To be as widely usable and easy to implement as possible, the following goals have been used to
|
||||
guide the design of Reticulum:</p>
|
||||
<ul class="simple">
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt><strong>Fully useable as open source software stack</strong></dt><dd><p>Reticulum must be implemented, and be able to run using only open source software. This is
|
||||
critical to ensuring availability, security and transparency of the system.</p>
|
||||
<dt><strong>Fully useable as open source software stack</strong></dt><dd><p>Reticulum must be implemented with, and be able to run using only open source software. This is
|
||||
critical to ensuring the availability, security and transparency of the system.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt><strong>Hardware layer agnosticism</strong></dt><dd><p>Reticulum shall be fully hardware agnostic, and should be useable over a wide range
|
||||
<dt><strong>Hardware layer agnosticism</strong></dt><dd><p>Reticulum shall be fully hardware agnostic, and shall be useable over a wide range
|
||||
physical networking layers, such as data radios, serial lines, modems, handheld transceivers,
|
||||
wired ethernet, wifi, or anything else that can carry a digital data stream. Hardware made for
|
||||
dedicated Reticulum use shall be as cheap as possible and use off-the-shelf components, so
|
||||
@ -94,8 +95,8 @@ it can be easily replicated.</p>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt><strong>Very low bandwidth requirements</strong></dt><dd><p>Reticulum should be able to function reliably over links with a data capacity as low as <em>1,</em>
|
||||
<em>bps</em>.</p>
|
||||
<dt><strong>Very low bandwidth requirements</strong></dt><dd><p>Reticulum should be able to function reliably over links with a transmission capacity as low
|
||||
as <em>1,000 bps</em>.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
@ -107,12 +108,13 @@ it can be easily replicated.</p>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt><strong>Unlicensed use</strong></dt><dd><p>Reticulum shall be functional over physical communication mediums that do not require any
|
||||
form of license to use. Reticulum must be designed in a way, so it is usable over ISM radio
|
||||
frequency bands, and can provide functional long distance links in such conditions.</p>
|
||||
frequency bands, and can provide functional long distance links in such conditions, for example
|
||||
by connecting a modem to a PMR or CB radio, or by using LoRa or WiFi modules.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt><strong>Supplied software</strong></dt><dd><p>Apart from the core networking stack and API, that allows any developer to build
|
||||
<dt><strong>Supplied software</strong></dt><dd><p>Apart from the core networking stack and API, that allows a developer to build
|
||||
applications with Reticulum, a basic communication suite using Reticulum must be
|
||||
implemented and released at the same time as Reticulum itself. This shall serve both as a
|
||||
functional communication suite, and as an example and learning resource to others wishing
|
||||
@ -121,8 +123,8 @@ to build applications with Reticulum.</p>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt><strong>Ease of use</strong></dt><dd><p>The reference implementation of Reticulum is written in Python, to make it very easy to use
|
||||
and understand. Any programmer with only basic experience should be able to use
|
||||
<dt><strong>Ease of use</strong></dt><dd><p>The reference implementation of Reticulum is written in Python, to make it easy to use
|
||||
and understand. A programmer with only basic experience should be able to use
|
||||
Reticulum in their own applications.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
@ -138,26 +140,32 @@ needs to be purchased.</p>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="introduction-basic-functionality">
|
||||
<h2>Introduction & Basic Functionality<a class="headerlink" href="#introduction-basic-functionality" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
|
||||
<span id="understanding-basicfunctionality"></span><h2>Introduction & Basic Functionality<a class="headerlink" href="#introduction-basic-functionality" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
|
||||
<p>Reticulum is a networking stack suited for high-latency, low-bandwidth links. Reticulum is at it’s
|
||||
core <em>message oriented</em> , but can provide connection oriented sessions. It is suited for both local
|
||||
point-to-point or point-to-multipoint scenarios where alle nodes are within range of each other, as
|
||||
well as scenarios where packets need to be transported over multiple hops to reach the recipient.</p>
|
||||
core a <em>message oriented</em> system. It is suited for both local point-to-point or point-to-multipoint
|
||||
scenarios where alle nodes are within range of each other, as well as scenarios where packets need
|
||||
to be transported over multiple hops to reach the recipient.</p>
|
||||
<p>Reticulum does away with the idea of addresses and ports known from IP, TCP and UDP. Instead
|
||||
Reticulum uses the singular concept of <em>destinations</em>. Any application using Reticulum as it’s
|
||||
networking stack will need to create one or more destinations to receive data, and know the
|
||||
destinations it needs to send data to.</p>
|
||||
<p>Reticulum encrypts all data by default using public-key cryptography. Any message sent to a
|
||||
destination is encrypted with that destinations public key. Reticulum also offers symmetric key
|
||||
encryption for group-oriented communications, as well as unencrypted packets for broadcast
|
||||
purposes, or situations where you need the communication to be in plain text. The multi-hop
|
||||
transport, coordination, verification and reliability layers are fully autonomous and based on public
|
||||
key cryptography.</p>
|
||||
<p>All destinations in Reticulum are represented internally as 10 bytes, derived from truncating a full
|
||||
SHA-256 hash of identifying characteristics of the destination. To users, the destination addresses
|
||||
will be displayed as 10 bytes in hexadecimal representation, as in the following example: <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre"><80e29bf7cccaf31431b3></span></code>.</p>
|
||||
<p>By default Reticulum encrypts all data using public-key cryptography. Any message sent to a
|
||||
destination is encrypted with that destinations public key. Reticulum can also set up an encrypted
|
||||
channel to a destination with <em>Perfect Forward Secrecy</em> and <em>Initiator Anonymity</em> using a elliptic
|
||||
curve cryptography and ephemeral keys derived from a Diffie Hellman exchange on Curve25519. In
|
||||
Reticulum terminology, this is called a <em>Link</em>.</p>
|
||||
<p>Reticulum also offers symmetric key encryption for group-oriented communications, as well as
|
||||
unencrypted packets for broadcast purposes, or situations where you need the communication to be in
|
||||
plain text. The multi-hop transport, coordination, verification and reliability layers are fully
|
||||
autonomous and based on public key cryptography.</p>
|
||||
<p>Reticulum can connect to a variety of interfaces such as radio modems, data radios and serial ports,
|
||||
and offers the possibility to easily tunnel Reticulum traffic over IP links such as the Internet or
|
||||
private IP networks.</p>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="destinations">
|
||||
<h3>Destinations<a class="headerlink" href="#destinations" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<span id="understanding-destinations"></span><h3>Destinations<a class="headerlink" href="#destinations" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<p>To receive and send data with the Reticulum stack, an application needs to create one or more
|
||||
destinations. Reticulum uses three different basic destination types, and one special:</p>
|
||||
<ul class="simple">
|
||||
@ -178,51 +186,65 @@ can by many.</p>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt><strong>Plain</strong></dt><dd><p>A <em>plain</em> destination type is unencrypted, and suited for traffic that should be broadcast to a
|
||||
number of users, or should be readable by anyone.</p>
|
||||
number of users, or should be readable by anyone. Traffic to a <em>plain</em> destination is not encrypted.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt><strong>Link</strong></dt><dd><p>A <em>link</em> is a special destination type, that serves as an abstract channel between two <em>single</em>
|
||||
destinations, directly connected or over multiple hops. The <em>link</em> also offers reliability and
|
||||
more efficient encryption, and as such is useful even when nodes are directly connected.</p>
|
||||
<dt><strong>Link</strong></dt><dd><p>A <em>link</em> is a special destination type, that serves as an abstract channel to a <em>single</em>
|
||||
destination, directly connected or over multiple hops. The <em>link</em> also offers reliability and
|
||||
more efficient encryption, forward secrecy, initiator anonymity, and as such can be useful even
|
||||
when a node is directly reachable.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="destination-naming">
|
||||
<h4>Destination Naming<a class="headerlink" href="#destination-naming" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h4>
|
||||
<span id="understanding-destinationnaming"></span><h4>Destination Naming<a class="headerlink" href="#destination-naming" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h4>
|
||||
<p>Destinations are created and named in an easy to understand dotted notation of <em>aspects</em> , and
|
||||
represented on the network as a hash of this value. The hash is a SHA-256 truncated to 80 bits. The
|
||||
top level aspect should always be the a unique identifier for the application using the destination.
|
||||
top level aspect should always be a unique identifier for the application using the destination.
|
||||
The next levels of aspects can be defined in any way by the creator of the application. For example,
|
||||
a destination for a messaging application could be made up of the application name and a username,
|
||||
and look like this:</p>
|
||||
<div class="highlight-default notranslate"><div class="highlight"><pre><span></span><span class="n">name</span><span class="p">:</span> <span class="n">simplemessenger</span><span class="o">.</span><span class="n">someuser</span> <span class="nb">hash</span><span class="p">:</span> <span class="mi">2</span><span class="n">a7ddfab5213f916dea</span>
|
||||
a destination for a environmental monitoring application could be made up of the application name, a
|
||||
device type and measurement type, like this:</p>
|
||||
<div class="highlight-text notranslate"><div class="highlight"><pre><span></span>app name : environmentlogger
|
||||
aspects : remotesensor, temperature
|
||||
|
||||
full name : environmentlogger.remotesensor.temperature
|
||||
hash : fa7ddfab5213f916dea
|
||||
</pre></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<p>For the <em>single</em> destination, Reticulum will automatically append the associated public key as a
|
||||
destination aspect before hashing. This is done to ensure only the correct destination is reached,
|
||||
since anyone can listen to any destination name. Appending the public key ensures that a given
|
||||
packet is only directed at the destination that holds the corresponding private key to decrypt the
|
||||
packet. It is important to understand that anyone can use the destination name
|
||||
<em>simplemessenger.myusername</em> , but each person that does so will still have a different destination
|
||||
hash, because their public keys will differ. In actual use of <em>single</em> destination naming, it is advisable
|
||||
not to use any uniquely identifying features in aspect naming, though. In the simple messenger
|
||||
example, when using <em>single</em> destinations, we would instead use a destination naming scheme such
|
||||
as <em>simplemessenger.user</em> where appending the public key expands the destination into a uniquely
|
||||
identifying one.</p>
|
||||
<p>To recap, the destination types should be used in the following situations:</p>
|
||||
packet.</p>
|
||||
<p><strong>Take note!</strong> There is a very important concept to understand here:</p>
|
||||
<ul class="simple">
|
||||
<li><p>Anyone can use the destination name <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">environmentlogger.remotesensor.temperature</span></code></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p>Each destination that does so will still have a unique destination hash, and thus be uniquely
|
||||
addressable, because their public keys will differ.</p></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<p>In actual use of <em>single</em> destination naming, it is advisable not to use any uniquely identifying
|
||||
features in aspect naming. Aspect names should be general terms describing what kind of destination
|
||||
is represented. The uniquely identifying aspect is always acheived by the appending the public key,
|
||||
which expands the destination into a uniquely identifyable one.</p>
|
||||
<p>Any destination on a Reticulum network can be addressed and reached simply by knowning its
|
||||
destination hash (and public key, but if the public key is not known, it can be requested from the
|
||||
network simply by knowing the destination hash). The use of app names and aspects makes it easy to
|
||||
structure Reticulum programs and makes it possible to filter what information and data your program
|
||||
receives.</p>
|
||||
<p>To recap, the different destination types should be used in the following situations:</p>
|
||||
<ul class="simple">
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt><strong>Single</strong></dt><dd><p>When private communication between two endpoints is needed. Supports routing.</p>
|
||||
<dt><strong>Single</strong></dt><dd><p>When private communication between two endpoints is needed. Supports multiple hops.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt><strong>Group</strong></dt><dd><p>When private communication between two or more endpoints is needed. More efficient in
|
||||
data usage than <em>single</em> destinations. Supports routing indirectly, but must first be established
|
||||
through a <em>single</em> destination.</p>
|
||||
data usage than <em>single</em> destinations. Supports multiple hops indirectly, but must first be
|
||||
established through a <em>single</em> destination.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
@ -234,14 +256,17 @@ through a <em>single</em> destination.</p>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<p>To communicate with a <em>single</em> destination, you need to know it’s public key. Any method for
|
||||
obtaining the public key is valid, but Reticulum includes a simple mechanism for making other
|
||||
nodes aware of your destinations public key, called the <em>announce</em>.</p>
|
||||
<p>Note that this information could be shared and verified in many other ways, and that it is therefore
|
||||
not required to use the announce functionality, although it is by far the easiest, and should probably
|
||||
be used if you are not confident in how to verify public keys and signatures manually.</p>
|
||||
nodes aware of your destinations public key, called the <em>announce</em>. It is also possible to request
|
||||
an unknown public key from the network, as all participating nodes serve as a distributed ledger
|
||||
of public keys.</p>
|
||||
<p>Note that public key information can be shared and verified in many other ways than using the
|
||||
built-in methodology, and that it is therefore not required to use the announce/request functionality.
|
||||
It is by far the easiest though, and should definitely be used if there is not a good reason for
|
||||
doing it differently.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="public-key-announcements">
|
||||
<h3>Public Key Announcements<a class="headerlink" href="#public-key-announcements" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<span id="understanding-keyannouncements"></span><h3>Public Key Announcements<a class="headerlink" href="#public-key-announcements" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<p>An <em>announce</em> will send a special packet over any configured interfaces, containing all needed
|
||||
information about the destination hash and public key, and can also contain some additional,
|
||||
application specific data. The entire packet is signed by the sender to ensure authenticity. It is not
|
||||
@ -262,11 +287,11 @@ the aspect names of the destination. These are intentionally left out to save ba
|
||||
will be implicit in almost all cases. If a destination name is not entirely implicit, information can be
|
||||
included in the application specific data part that will allow the receiver to infer the naming.</p>
|
||||
<p>It is important to note that announcements will be forwarded throughout the network according to a
|
||||
certain pattern. This will be detailed later. Seeing how <em>single</em> destinations are always tied to a
|
||||
private/public key pair leads us to the next topic.</p>
|
||||
certain pattern. This will be detailed later.</p>
|
||||
<p>Seeing how <em>single</em> destinations are always tied to a private/public key pair leads us to the next topic.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="identities">
|
||||
<h3>Identities<a class="headerlink" href="#identities" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="understanding-identities">
|
||||
<span id="identities"></span><h3>Identities<a class="headerlink" href="#understanding-identities" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<p>In Reticulum, an <em>identity</em> does not necessarily represent a personal identity, but is an abstraction that
|
||||
can represent any kind of <em>verified entity</em>. This could very well be a person, but it could also be the
|
||||
control interface of a machine, a program, robot, computer, sensor or something else entirely. In
|
||||
@ -283,173 +308,184 @@ reach the user. In such a case it is of great importance to store the user’s i
|
||||
privately.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="getting-further">
|
||||
<h3>Getting Further<a class="headerlink" href="#getting-further" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<span id="understanding-gettingfurther"></span><h3>Getting Further<a class="headerlink" href="#getting-further" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<p>The above functions and principles form the core of Reticulum, and would suffice to create
|
||||
functional networked applications in local clusters, for example over radio links where all interested
|
||||
nodes can hear each other. But to be truly useful, we need a way to go further. In the next chapter,
|
||||
two concepts that allow this will be introduced, <em>paths</em> and <em>resources</em>.</p>
|
||||
nodes can directly hear each other. But to be truly useful, we need a way to direct traffic over multiple
|
||||
hops in the network. In the next sections, two concepts that allow this will be introduced, <em>paths</em> and
|
||||
<em>links</em>.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="reticulum-transport">
|
||||
<h2>Reticulum Transport<a class="headerlink" href="#reticulum-transport" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
|
||||
<p>I have purposefully avoided the term routing until now, and will continue to do so, because the
|
||||
current methods of routing used in IP based networks are fundamentally incompatible for the link
|
||||
types that Reticulum was designed to handle. These routing methodologies assume trust at the
|
||||
physical layer. Since Reticulum is designed to run over open radio spectrum, no such trust exists.
|
||||
Furthermore, existing routing protocols like BGP or OSPF carry too much overhead to be
|
||||
practically useable over bandwidth-limited, high-latency links.</p>
|
||||
<span id="understanding-transport"></span><h2>Reticulum Transport<a class="headerlink" href="#reticulum-transport" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
|
||||
<p>The term routing has been purposefully avoided until now. The current methods of routing used in IP-based
|
||||
networks are fundamentally incompatible with the physical link types that Reticulum was designed to handle.
|
||||
These routing methodologies assume trust at the physical layer, and often needs a lot more bandwidth than
|
||||
Reticulum can assume is available.</p>
|
||||
<p>Since Reticulum is designed to run over open radio spectrum, no such trust exists, and bandwidth is often
|
||||
very limited. Existing routing protocols like BGP or OSPF carry too much overhead to be practically
|
||||
useable over bandwidth-limited, high-latency links.</p>
|
||||
<p>To overcome such challenges, Reticulum’s <em>Transport</em> system uses public-key cryptography to
|
||||
implement the concept of <em>paths</em> that allow discovery of how to get information to a certain
|
||||
destination, and <em>resources</em> that help alleviate congestion and make reliable communication more
|
||||
efficient and less bandwidth-hungry.</p>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="threading-a-path">
|
||||
<h3>Threading a Path<a class="headerlink" href="#threading-a-path" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
destination, and <em>resources</em> that help make reliable data transfer more efficient.</p>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="reaching-the-destination">
|
||||
<span id="understanding-paths"></span><h3>Reaching the Destination<a class="headerlink" href="#reaching-the-destination" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<p>In networks with changing topology and trustless connectivity, nodes need a way to establish
|
||||
<em>verified connectivity</em> with each other. To do this, the following process is employed:</p>
|
||||
<ul class="simple">
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>First, the node that wishes to establish connectivity will send out a special packet, that</dt><dd><p>traverses the network and locates the desired destination. Along the way, the nodes that
|
||||
forward the packet will take note of this <em>link request</em>.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<em>verified connectivity</em> with each other. Since the network is assumed to be trustless, Reticulum
|
||||
must provide a way to guarantee that the peer you are communicating with is actually who you
|
||||
expect. To do this, the following process is employed:</p>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">First, the node that wishes to establish connectivity will send out a special packet, that
|
||||
traverses the network and locates the desired destination. Along the way, the nodes that
|
||||
forward the packet will take note of this <em>link request</em>.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>Second, if the destination accepts the <em>link request</em> , it will send back a packet that proves the</dt><dd><p>authenticity of it’s identity (and the receipt of the link request) to the initiating node. All
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">Second, if the destination accepts the <em>link request</em> , it will send back a packet that proves the
|
||||
authenticity of it’s identity (and the receipt of the link request) to the initiating node. All
|
||||
nodes that initially forwarded the packet will also be able to verify this proof, and thus
|
||||
accept the validity of the <em>link</em> throughout the network.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
accept the validity of the <em>link</em> throughout the network.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>When the validity of the <em>link</em> has been accepted by forwarding nodes, these nodes will</dt><dd><p>remember the <em>link</em> , and it can subsequently be used by referring to a hash representing it.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">When the validity of the <em>link</em> has been accepted by forwarding nodes, these nodes will
|
||||
remember the <em>link</em> , and it can subsequently be used by referring to a hash representing it.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>As a part of the <em>link request</em> , a Diffie-Hellman key exchange takes place, that sets up an</dt><dd><p>efficient symmetrically encrypted tunnel between the two nodes, using elliptic curve
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">As a part of the <em>link request</em> , a Diffie-Hellman key exchange takes place, that sets up an
|
||||
efficient symmetrically encrypted tunnel between the two nodes, using elliptic curve
|
||||
cryptography. As such, this mode of communication is preferred, even for situations when
|
||||
nodes can directly communicate, when the amount of data to be exchanged numbers in the
|
||||
tens of packets.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
tens of packets.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>When a <em>link</em> has been set up, it automatically provides message receipt functionality, so the</dt><dd><p>sending node can obtain verified confirmation that the information reached the intended
|
||||
recipient.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">When a <em>link</em> has been set up, it automatically provides message receipt functionality, so the
|
||||
sending node can obtain verified confirmation that the information reached the intended
|
||||
recipient.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<p>In a moment, we will discuss the specifics of how this methodology is implemented, but let’s first
|
||||
recap what purposes this serves. We first ensure that the node answering our request is actually the
|
||||
one we want to communicate with, and not a malicious actor pretending to be so. At the same time
|
||||
we establish an efficient encrypted channel. The setup of this is relatively cheap in terms of
|
||||
bandwidth, so it can be used just for a short exchange, and then recreated as needed, which will also</p>
|
||||
<p>rotate encryption keys (keys can also be rotated over an existing path), but the link can also be kept
|
||||
alive for longer periods of time, if this is more suitable to the application. The amount of bandwidth
|
||||
used on keeping a link open is practically negligible. The procedure also inserts the <em>link id</em> , a hash
|
||||
calculated from the link request packet, into the memory of forwarding nodes, which means that the
|
||||
communicating nodes can thereafter reach each other simply by referring to this <em>link id</em>.</p>
|
||||
<p><strong>Step 1, pathfinding</strong></p>
|
||||
bandwidth, so it can be used just for a short exchange, and then recreated as needed, which will also
|
||||
rotate encryption keys, but the link can also be kept alive for longer periods of time, if this is
|
||||
more suitable to the application. The amount of bandwidth used on keeping a link open is practically
|
||||
negligible. The procedure also inserts the <em>link id</em> , a hash calculated from the link request packet,
|
||||
into the memory of forwarding nodes, which means that the communicating nodes can thereafter reach each
|
||||
other simply by referring to this <em>link id</em>.</p>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="step-1-pathfinding">
|
||||
<h4>Step 1: Pathfinding<a class="headerlink" href="#step-1-pathfinding" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h4>
|
||||
<p>The pathfinding method builds on the <em>announce</em> functionality discussed earlier. When an announce
|
||||
is sent out by a node, it will be forwarded by any node receiving it, but according to some specific
|
||||
rules:</p>
|
||||
<ul class="simple">
|
||||
<li><p>If this announce has already been received before, ignore it.</p></li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>Record into a table which node the announce was received from, and how many times in</dt><dd><p>total it has been retransmitted to get here.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">If this announce has already been received before, ignore it.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>If the announce has been retransmitted <em>m+1</em> times, it will not be forwarded. By default, <em>m</em> is</dt><dd><p>set to 18.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">Record into a table which node the announce was received from, and how many times in
|
||||
total it has been retransmitted to get here.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>The announce will be assigned a delay <em>d</em> = <em>ch</em> seconds, where <em>c</em> is a decay constant, by</dt><dd><p>default 2, and <em>h</em> is the amount of times this packet has already been forwarded.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">If the announce has been retransmitted <em>m+1</em> times, it will not be forwarded. By default, <em>m</em> is
|
||||
set to 18.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><p>The packet will be given a priority <em>p = 1/d</em>.</p></li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>If at least <em>d</em> seconds has passed since the announce was received, and no other packets with a</dt><dd><p>priority higher than <em>p</em> are waiting in the queue (see Packet Prioritisation), and the channel is
|
||||
not utilized by other traffic, the announce will be forwarded.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">The announce will be assigned a delay <em>d</em> = c<sup>h</sup> seconds, where <em>c</em> is a decay constant, by
|
||||
default 2, and <em>h</em> is the amount of times this packet has already been forwarded.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>If no other nodes are heard retransmitting the announce with a greater hop count than when</dt><dd><p>it left this node, transmitting it will be retried <em>r</em> times. By default, <em>r</em> is set to 2. Retries follow
|
||||
same rules as above, with the exception that it must wait for at least <em>d = ch+1 + t</em> seconds, ie.,
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">The packet will be given a priority <em>p = 1/d</em>.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">If at least <em>d</em> seconds has passed since the announce was received, and no other packets with a
|
||||
priority higher than <em>p</em> are waiting in the queue (see Packet Prioritisation), and the channel is
|
||||
not utilized by other traffic, the announce will be forwarded.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">If no other nodes are heard retransmitting the announce with a greater hop count than when
|
||||
it left this node, transmitting it will be retried <em>r</em> times. By default, <em>r</em> is set to 2. Retries follow
|
||||
same rules as above, with the exception that it must wait for at least <em>d</em> = c<sup>h+1</sup> + t seconds, ie.,
|
||||
the amount of time it would take the next node to retransmit the packet. By default, <em>t</em> is set to
|
||||
10.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
10.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>If a newer announce from the same destination arrives, while an identical one is already in</dt><dd><p>the queue, the newest announce is discarded. If the newest announce contains different
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">If a newer announce from the same destination arrives, while an identical one is already in
|
||||
the queue, the newest announce is discarded. If the newest announce contains different
|
||||
application specific data, it will replace the old announce, but will use <em>d</em> and <em>p</em> of the old
|
||||
announce.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
announce.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<p>Once an announce has reached a node in the network, any other node in direct contact with that
|
||||
node will be able to reach the destination the announce originated from, simply by sending a packet
|
||||
addressed to that destination. Any node with knowledge of the announce will be able to direct the
|
||||
packet towards the destination by looking up the next node with the shortest amount of hops to the
|
||||
destination. The specifics of this process is detailed in <em>Path Calculation</em>.</p>
|
||||
destination.</p>
|
||||
<p>According to these rules and default constants, an announce will propagate throughout the network
|
||||
in a predictable way. In an example network utilising the default constants, and with an average link</p>
|
||||
<p>distance of <em>Lavg =</em> 15 kilometers, an announce will be able to propagate outwards to a radius of 180
|
||||
in a predictable way. In an example network utilising the default constants, and with an average link
|
||||
distance of <em>Lavg =</em> 15 kilometers, an announce will be able to propagate outwards to a radius of 180
|
||||
kilometers in 34 minutes, and a <em>maximum announce radius</em> of 270 kilometers in approximately 3
|
||||
days. Methods for overcoming the distance limitation of <em>m * Lavg</em> will be introduced later in this
|
||||
chapter.</p>
|
||||
<p><strong>Step 2, link establishment</strong></p>
|
||||
days.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="step-2-link-establishment">
|
||||
<h4>Step 2: Link Establishment<a class="headerlink" href="#step-2-link-establishment" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h4>
|
||||
<p>After seeing how the conditions for finding a path through the network are created, we will now
|
||||
explore how two nodes can establish reliable communications over multiple hops. The <em>link</em> in
|
||||
Reticulum terminology should not be viewed as a direct node-to-node link on the physical layer, but
|
||||
as an abstract channel, that can be open for any amount of time, and can span an arbitrary number
|
||||
of hops, where information will be exchanged between two nodes.</p>
|
||||
<ul class="simple">
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>When a node in the network wants to establish verified connectivity with another node, it</dt><dd><p>will create a <em>link request</em> packet, and broadcast it.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">When a node in the network wants to establish verified connectivity with another node, it
|
||||
will create a <em>link request</em> packet, and broadcast it.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>The <em>link request</em> packet contains the destination hash <em>Hd</em> , and an asymmetrically encrypted</dt><dd><p>part containing the following data: The source hash <em>Hs</em> , a symmetric key <em>Lk</em> , a truncated
|
||||
hash of a random number <em>Hr</em> , and a signature <em>S</em> of the plaintext values of <em>Hd</em> , <em>Hs</em> , <em>Lk</em> and <em>Hr</em>.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">The <em>link request</em> packet contains the destination hash <em>Hd</em> , and an asymmetrically encrypted
|
||||
part containing the following data: The source hash <em>Hs</em> , a symmetric key <em>Lk</em> , a truncated
|
||||
hash of a random number <em>Hr</em> , and a signature <em>S</em> of the plaintext values of <em>Hd</em> , <em>Hs</em> , <em>Lk</em> and <em>Hr</em>.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>The broadcasted packet will be directed through the network according to the rules laid out</dt><dd><p>previously.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">The broadcasted packet will be directed through the network according to the rules laid out
|
||||
previously.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>Any node that forwards the link request will store a <em>link id</em> in it’s <em>link table</em> , along with the</dt><dd><p>amount of hops the packet had taken when received. The link id is a hash of the entire link
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">Any node that forwards the link request will store a <em>link id</em> in it’s <em>link table</em> , along with the
|
||||
amount of hops the packet had taken when received. The link id is a hash of the entire link
|
||||
request packet. If the path is not <em>proven</em> within some set amount of time, the entry will be
|
||||
dropped from the table again.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
dropped from the table again.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>When the destination receives the link request packet, it will decide whether to accept the</dt><dd><p>request. If it is accepted, it will create a special packet called a <em>proof</em>. A <em>proof</em> is a simple
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">When the destination receives the link request packet, it will decide whether to accept the
|
||||
request. If it is accepted, it will create a special packet called a <em>proof</em>. A <em>proof</em> is a simple
|
||||
construct, consisting of a truncated hash of the message that needs to be proven, and a
|
||||
signature (made by the destination’s private key) of this hash. This <em>proof</em> effectively verifies
|
||||
that the intended recipient got the packet, and also serves to verify the discovered path
|
||||
through the network. Since the <em>proof</em> hash matches the <em>path id</em> in the intermediary nodes’
|
||||
<em>path tables</em> , the intermediary nodes can forward the proof all the way back to the source.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<em>path tables</em> , the intermediary nodes can forward the proof all the way back to the source.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt>When the source receives the <em>proof</em> , it will know unequivocally that a verified path has been</dt><dd><p>established to the destination, and that information can now be exchanged reliably and
|
||||
securely.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
<li><div class="line-block">
|
||||
<div class="line">When the source receives the <em>proof</em> , it will know unequivocally that a verified path has been
|
||||
established to the destination, and that information can now be exchanged reliably and
|
||||
securely.</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<p>It’s important to note that this methodology ensures that the source of the request does not need to
|
||||
@ -463,16 +499,10 @@ of Reticulum, such a retransmission does not need to travel the entire length of
|
||||
If a packet is lost on the 8th hop of a 12 hop path, it can be fetched from the last hop that received it
|
||||
reliably.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="crossing-continents">
|
||||
<h3>Crossing Continents<a class="headerlink" href="#crossing-continents" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<p>When a packet needs to travel farther than local network topology knowledge stretches, a system of
|
||||
geographical or topological hinting is used to direct the packet towards a network segment with
|
||||
direct knowledge of the intended destination. This functionality is currently left out of the protocol
|
||||
for simplicity of testing other parts, but will be activated in a future release. For more information
|
||||
on when, refer to the roadmap on the website.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="resourceful-memory">
|
||||
<h3>Resourceful Memory<a class="headerlink" href="#resourceful-memory" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="resources">
|
||||
<span id="understanding-resources"></span><h3>Resources<a class="headerlink" href="#resources" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<p>TODO: Write</p>
|
||||
<p>In traditional networks, large amounts of data is rapidly exchanged with very low latency. Links of
|
||||
several thousand kilometers will often only have round-trip latency in the tens of milliseconds, and
|
||||
as such, traditional protocols are often designed to not store any transmitted data at intermediary
|
||||
@ -501,7 +531,7 @@ code.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="reference-system-setup">
|
||||
<h2>Reference System Setup<a class="headerlink" href="#reference-system-setup" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
|
||||
<span id="understanding-referencesystem"></span><h2>Reference System Setup<a class="headerlink" href="#reference-system-setup" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
|
||||
<p>This section will detail the recommended <em>Reference System Setup</em> for Reticulum. It is important to
|
||||
note that Reticulum is designed to be usable over more or less any medium that allows you to send
|
||||
and receive data in a digital form, and satisfies some very low minimum requirements. The
|
||||
@ -541,13 +571,12 @@ into the future. The current Reference System Setup is as follows:</p>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt><strong>Channel Access Device</strong></dt><dd><p>A data radio consisting of a LoRa radio module, and a microcontroller with open source
|
||||
firmware, that can connect to host devices via USB. It operates in either the 430, 868 or 900
|
||||
MHz frequency bands. More details on the exact parts and how to get/make one can be
|
||||
found on the website.</p>
|
||||
MHz frequency bands. More details can be found on the <a class="reference external" href="https://unsigned.io/rnode">RNode Page</a>.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><dl class="simple">
|
||||
<dt><strong>Host device</strong></dt><dd><p>Any computer device running Linux and Python. A Raspberry Pi with Raspbian is
|
||||
<dt><strong>Host device</strong></dt><dd><p>Any computer device running Linux and Python. A Raspberry Pi with a Debian based OS is
|
||||
recommended.</p>
|
||||
</dd>
|
||||
</dl>
|
||||
@ -561,39 +590,118 @@ operating system.</p>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<p>It is very important to note, that the reference channel access device <strong>does not</strong> use the LoRaWAN
|
||||
standard, but uses a custom MAC layer on top of the plain LoRa modulation! As such, you will
|
||||
need a plain LoRa radio module connected to an MCU with the correct Reticulum firmware. Full
|
||||
details on how to get or make such a device is available on the website.</p>
|
||||
<p>With the current reference setup, it should be possible to get on a Reticulum network for around 70$
|
||||
even if you have none of the hardware already.</p>
|
||||
need a plain LoRa radio module connected to an MCU with the correct firmware. Full details on how to
|
||||
get or make such a device is available on the <a class="reference external" href="https://unsigned.io/rnode">RNode Page</a>.</p>
|
||||
<p>With the current reference setup, it should be possible to get on a Reticulum network for around 100$
|
||||
even if you have none of the hardware already, and need to purchase everything.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="protocol-specifics">
|
||||
<h2>Protocol Specifics<a class="headerlink" href="#protocol-specifics" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
|
||||
<span id="understanding-protocolspecifics"></span><h2>Protocol Specifics<a class="headerlink" href="#protocol-specifics" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
|
||||
<p>This chapter will detail protocol specific information that is essential to the implementation of
|
||||
Reticulum, but non critical in understanding how the protocol works on a general level. It should be
|
||||
treated more as a reference than as essential reading.</p>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="node-types">
|
||||
<h3>Node Types<a class="headerlink" href="#node-types" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<p>Currently Reticulum defines two node types, the <em>Station</em> and the <em>Peer</em>. A node is a <em>station</em> if it fixed
|
||||
in one place, and if it is intended to be kept online at all times. Otherwise the node is a <em>peer</em>. This
|
||||
distinction is made by the user configuring the node, and is used to determine what nodes on the
|
||||
in one place, and if it is intended to be kept online most of the time. Otherwise the node is a <em>peer</em>.
|
||||
This distinction is made by the user configuring the node, and is used to determine what nodes on the
|
||||
network will help forward traffic, and what nodes rely on other nodes for connectivity.</p>
|
||||
<p>If a node is a <em>Peer</em> it should be given the configuration directive <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">enable_transport</span> <span class="pre">=</span> <span class="pre">No</span></code>.</p>
|
||||
<p>If it is a <em>Station</em>, it should be given the configuration directive <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">enable_transport</span> <span class="pre">=</span> <span class="pre">Yes</span></code>.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="packet-prioritisation">
|
||||
<h3>Packet Prioritisation<a class="headerlink" href="#packet-prioritisation" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<p><em>The packet prioritisation algorithms are subject to rapid change at the moment, and for now, they
|
||||
are not documented here. See the reference implementation for more info on how this functionality
|
||||
works.</em></p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="path-calculation">
|
||||
<h3>Path Calculation<a class="headerlink" href="#path-calculation" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<p><em>The path calculation algorithms are subject to rapid change at the moment, and for now, they are
|
||||
not documented here. See the reference implementation for more info on how this functionality
|
||||
works.</em></p>
|
||||
<p>Currently, Reticulum is completely priority-agnostic regarding general traffic. All traffic is handled
|
||||
on a first-come, first-serve basis. Announce re-transmission are handled according to the re-transmission
|
||||
times and priorities described earlier in this chapter.</p>
|
||||
<p>It is possible that a prioritisation engine could be added to Reticulum in the future, but in
|
||||
the light of Reticulums goal of equal access, doing so would need to be the subject of careful
|
||||
investigation of the consequences first.</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="section" id="binary-packet-format">
|
||||
<h3>Binary Packet Format<a class="headerlink" href="#binary-packet-format" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
|
||||
<p><em>The binary packet format is subject to rapid change at the moment, and for now, it is not
|
||||
documented here. See the reference implementation for the specific details on this topic.</em></p>
|
||||
<div class="highlight-text notranslate"><div class="highlight"><pre><span></span>== Reticulum Wire Format ======
|
||||
|
||||
A Reticulum packet is composed of the following fields:
|
||||
|
||||
[HEADER 2 bytes] [ADDRESSES 10/20 bytes] [CONTEXT 1 byte] [DATA 0-477 bytes]
|
||||
|
||||
* The HEADER field is 2 bytes long.
|
||||
* Byte 1: [Header Type], [Propagation Type], [Destination Type] and [Packet Type]
|
||||
* Byte 2: Number of hops
|
||||
|
||||
* The ADDRESSES field contains either 1 or 2 addresses.
|
||||
* Each address is 10 bytes long.
|
||||
* The Header Type flag in the HEADER field determines
|
||||
whether the ADDRESSES field contains 1 or 2 addresses.
|
||||
* Addresses are Reticulum hashes truncated to 10 bytes.
|
||||
|
||||
* The CONTEXT field is 1 byte.
|
||||
* It is used by Reticulum to determine packet context.
|
||||
|
||||
* The DATA field is between 0 and 477 bytes.
|
||||
* It contains the packets data payload.
|
||||
|
||||
Header Types
|
||||
-----------------
|
||||
type 1 00 Two byte header, one 10 byte address field
|
||||
type 2 01 Two byte header, two 10 byte address fields
|
||||
type 3 10 Reserved
|
||||
type 4 11 Reserved
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Propagation Types
|
||||
-----------------
|
||||
broadcast 00
|
||||
transport 01
|
||||
reserved 10
|
||||
reserved 11
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Destination Types
|
||||
-----------------
|
||||
single 00
|
||||
group 01
|
||||
plain 10
|
||||
link 11
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Packet Types
|
||||
-----------------
|
||||
data 00
|
||||
announce 01
|
||||
link request 10
|
||||
proof 11
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
+- Packet Example -+
|
||||
|
||||
HEADER FIELD ADDRESSES FIELD CONTEXT FIELD DATA FIELD
|
||||
_______|_______ ________________|________________ ________|______ __|_
|
||||
| | | | | | | |
|
||||
01010000 00000100 [ADDR1, 10 bytes] [ADDR2, 10 bytes] [CONTEXT, 1 byte] [DATA]
|
||||
| | | | |
|
||||
| | | | +-- Hops = 4
|
||||
| | | +------- Packet Type = DATA
|
||||
| | +--------- Destination Type = SINGLE
|
||||
| +----------- Propagation Type = TRANSPORT
|
||||
+------------- Header Type = HEADER_2 (two byte header, two address fields)
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
+- Packet Example -+
|
||||
|
||||
HEADER FIELD ADDRESSES FIELD CONTEXT FIELD DATA FIELD
|
||||
_______|_______ _______|_______ ________|______ __|_
|
||||
| | | | | | | |
|
||||
00000000 00000111 [ADDR1, 10 bytes] [CONTEXT, 1 byte] [DATA]
|
||||
| | | | |
|
||||
| | | | +-- Hops = 7
|
||||
| | | +------- Packet Type = DATA
|
||||
| | +--------- Destination Type = SINGLE
|
||||
| +----------- Propagation Type = BROADCAST
|
||||
+------------- Header Type = HEADER_1 (two byte header, one address field)
|
||||
</pre></div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
@ -616,21 +724,23 @@ documented here. See the reference implementation for the specific details on th
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#public-key-announcements">Public Key Announcements</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#identities">Identities</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#understanding-identities">Identities</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#getting-further">Getting Further</a></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#reticulum-transport">Reticulum Transport</a><ul>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#threading-a-path">Threading a Path</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#crossing-continents">Crossing Continents</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#resourceful-memory">Resourceful Memory</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#reaching-the-destination">Reaching the Destination</a><ul>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#step-1-pathfinding">Step 1: Pathfinding</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#step-2-link-establishment">Step 2: Link Establishment</a></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#resources">Resources</a></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#reference-system-setup">Reference System Setup</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#protocol-specifics">Protocol Specifics</a><ul>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#node-types">Node Types</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#packet-prioritisation">Packet Prioritisation</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#path-calculation">Path Calculation</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#binary-packet-format">Binary Packet Format</a></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
</li>
|
||||
|
@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
|
||||
<li><p>Coordination-less globally unique adressing and identification</p></li>
|
||||
<li><p>Fully self-configuring multi-hop routing</p></li>
|
||||
<li><p>Asymmetric RSA encryption and signatures as basis for all communication</p></li>
|
||||
<li><p>Perfect Forward Secrecy on links with ephemereal Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman keys (on the SECP256R1 curve)</p></li>
|
||||
<li><p>Perfect Forward Secrecy on links with ephemereal Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman keys (on Curve25519)</p></li>
|
||||
<li><p>Reticulum uses the Fernet specification for encryption on links and to group destinations</p>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><p>AES-128 in CBC mode with PKCS7 padding</p></li>
|
||||
|
Loading…
Reference in New Issue
Block a user