Starting in Anisacate, Argentina, and culminating in Çatalköy, Cyprus, this journey was fuelled by a mission to make community networks more accessible and resilient. AlterMundi, with its extensive experience in projects like LibreMesh, has always focused on empowering communities through decentralised technology. However, challenges like network diagnostics and maintenance for non-technical users demanded innovative solutions.
At the heart of these efforts is Lime-App, a tool designed to simplify network deployment and troubleshooting. To extend its functionality, we developed Shared-State, a system for synchronising data across nodes. This enables users to visualise their networks, compare current conditions to a reference state, and identify issues more effectively. Additionally, it enables decentralised firmware upgrades and configuration distribution, allowing any node to initiate and coordinate these processes without relying on a central server.
From 2 to 14 May, Gio, Kon and I convened in Naples, Italy, for an intense 12-day hackathon. Between brainstorming sessions and coding marathons, we tested and refined these tools, preparing them for presentation at Battlemesh, a leading mesh networking event. Naples became a creative hub, where even windows turned into makeshift whiteboards, framed by Mount Vesuvius.
Battlemesh, held from 14 to 19 May, featured technical talks and workshops. I presented our work on Shared-State, Lime-App (mesh upgrade, mesh config and reference state) and LibrePollo. A standout moment was Gio’s talk on Access Point Micro Peering (#APuP), which enables access points to communicate between each other without further trickery.
Beyond the technical achievements, the trip was about connection, meeting brilliant minds, exchanging ideas and forming friendships. Collaborations extended to hotel hackathon sessions, where we resolved issues and celebrated Hiure’s first LibreMesh pull request.
This journey highlighted the importance of diverse perspectives and unique challenges faced by communities in developing regions and inspired solutions that bridge gaps between technology and humanity.
Javier Jorge's participation in 2024 was supported by the APC Member Engagement and Travel Fund (METF).
Images courtesy of the author.