Grant: LibreRouterOS: Mesh-wide vision
Date: May 2022
Amount: $294,000
AlterMundi is an Argentine nonprofit that supplies the technology and know-how to implement community networks. Their LibreRouter project has been widely acclaimed and they are currently working on the next version. They feel that community networks will grow as never before in the near future and they plan to be prepared for that.
AlterMundi will, therefore, use this grant to improve the overall stability of the base software components and to release new tools to enable people to fix a larger number of issues on their own. They will also use the funds to improve the documentation (text and audiovisual tutorials), for each new piece of software developed.
Update
ARDC funded the Argentina-based Alter-Mundi project to work on the LibreRouterOS and LibreMesh initiatives, aiming to improve not only the code base but also the documentation and training materials, particularly in languages other than English. LibreMesh empowers communities to create highly distributed networks in areas with poor or no local connectivity, allowing them to build their own ‘last mile’ solutions.
Significant progress has been made within the technical community. Key conferences like BattleMesh have brought together leading developers in the field, while the National University of Córdoba incorporated the project into its curriculum, educating 56 students in the computer engineering program. A 30-minute presentation on mesh networking, now available online, further extends the project’s reach, benefiting those pursuing technical careers.
Impact has been profound, benefiting thousands of individuals across multiple continents. In Argentina, more than 20 community networks rely on LibreRouter/LibreMesh, directly serving over 13,500 people. This includes 25 devices placed in community spaces, accessible to over 500 individuals. The free and open nature of the technology has also spread globally, with its use expanding to communities in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
