Getting Started with Reticulum¶

What is Reticulum?¶

Reticulum is a cryptography-based networking stack built for reliable communication over high-latency, low-bandwidth, and unreliable links. That includes LoRa radio, packet radio, serial connections, TCP/IP, and more. It needs no central infrastructure, assigns no fixed addresses, and automatically figures out mesh-routed paths between nodes. Every identity and link is cryptographically verified end-to-end.

Reticulum is not tied to any single hardware or transport. You can run it over a LoRa radio, your home network, the internet, a serial cable, or all of the above at the same time. The stack handles routing across all of them automatically.

Choosing Your Interface¶

Before getting started, it helps to know how you plan to connect to the Reticulum network. The most common options are:

• RNode (LoRa radio): Best for off-grid, long-range, and infrastructure use. Requires a supported LoRa device and antenna.
• TCP over the internet: Great for testing or connecting to a wider network without any radio hardware. You connect to a remote Reticulum node over a standard internet connection.
• Local UDP: Useful for automatically linking devices on the same LAN without needing to know anyone's IP address.
• Serial or I2C: For embedded setups or connecting directly to another device over a physical link.

You can use more than one at a time. A common setup is an RNode for local off-grid communication plus a TCP link to a community node for wider reach.

Step 1: Install Reticulum¶

Reticulum is Python-based and runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. You need Python 3.7 or later.

Install Python¶

python3 --version

# Debian / Ubuntu
sudo apt install python3 python3-pip

# macOS (via Homebrew)
brew install python3

Install the Reticulum Package¶

pip install rns

This installs everything: the daemon (rnsd), the RNode flasher (rnodeconf), and all the command-line tools.

Verify the install:

rnsd --version

python3 -m venv reticulum-env
source reticulum-env/bin/activate   # Linux/macOS
reticulum-env\Scripts\activate      # Windows
pip install rns

Step 2: Connect an Interface¶

Pick the path that matches your setup. You can always add more interfaces later.

ls /dev/ttyUSB* /dev/ttyACM*

ls /dev/cu.*

sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USER

rnodeconf /dev/ttyUSB0 --autoinstall

rnodeconf /dev/ttyUSB0 --install-firmware --target <target-name>

rnodeconf /dev/ttyUSB0 --info

[[Reticulum Testnet Amsterdam]]
  type = TCPClientInterface
  interface_enabled = True
  target_host = amsterdam.connect.reticulum.network
  target_port = 4965

[[Local Node]]
  type = TCPClientInterface
  interface_enabled = True
  target_host = 192.168.1.100
  target_port = 4242

[[Local UDP]]
  type = UDPInterface
  interface_enabled = True
  listen_ip = 0.0.0.0
  listen_port = 4242
  forward_ip = 255.255.255.255
  forward_port = 4242

Step 3: Start the Daemon¶

rnsd

The first time it runs, Reticulum generates your cryptographic identity and writes a default config file. Your identity is your address on the network, so back up the config directory if you want to keep the same address long-term.

• Linux/macOS: ~/.reticulum/config
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Reticulum\config

To run it in the background:

rnsd --daemon

Verify Your Interfaces¶

rnstatus

Your interfaces should show as UP. If you are on TCP and the testnet is reachable you will see packet counts climbing within a few seconds. With an RNode, counts will climb if other nodes are within radio range on the same frequency.

rnid

Step 4: Install a Messaging App¶

Reticulum is a transport layer, so you need an application on top of it to actually communicate.

Nomad Network¶

Nomad Network is the main terminal-based platform for Reticulum. It provides direct messaging, a node board, and a distributed page and file system.

pip install nomadnet
nomadnet

It connects to your running rnsd daemon automatically.

Sideband¶

Sideband is a graphical messaging app for Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows. It is the better choice if you prefer a proper GUI or want to use your phone.

• Android: Google Play or direct APK

• Linux/macOS/Windows:

  pip install sbapp
  sbapp
  

Getting Help¶

1. Reticulum Community: Join the Reticulum Matrix room for community support
2. ChiMesh Discord: Join the Chicagoland Mesh Discord for local community support
3. Documentation: reticulum.network/manual
4. Source Code: github.com/markqvist/Reticulum
5. RNode Firmware Source: github.com/markqvist/RNode_Firmware

Legal and Compliance Considerations¶

• FCC Part 15: Unlicensed LoRa operation in the US is permitted under Part 15 within power and duty cycle limits
• Amateur Radio (Part 97): Licensed amateur operators can run higher power on additional frequencies, but must transmit identification and cannot use encryption for control signals
• Encryption: Reticulum encrypts all traffic by default. This is fine under Part 15. Under Part 97, check your regional rules on encrypted communications before operating
• RF Exposure: Keep a safe distance from high-gain directional antennas, especially at elevated power levels

Next Steps¶

Once Reticulum is running and you can see active interfaces in rnstatus:

• Check out Configure to set up radio parameters, tune interfaces, and explore advanced options
• Check out Mistakes to Avoid for common pitfalls and how to sidestep them
• Join the Reticulum Matrix room for community help and support
• Ask in the Reticulum channel on the ChiMesh Discord if you have questions or get stuck