this post was submitted on 30 Jan 2025
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We all know Signal, Matrix, Telegram, SimpleX, etc... But if you can't access the internet you can't communicate. Pretty logic. But would it be possible, at least theoretically, to create an app that permits to message people even if the internet goes down?

It might be a dumb question I really have no idea to be honest.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Briar (Android Only) - Uses Bluetooth, Wifi, or Internet via Tor to communicate. You can theretically create a large mesh group with enough users. Think of protests where the government shuts down the internet. Downside is, bluetooth range is 10 meters πŸ˜“.


Also: You can send encrypted text over SMS using Secure Space Encryptor (SSE) (known as Paranoia Text Encryption on iOS). It's an Open Source app that can encrypt text.

  1. Type text
  2. Copy the Ciphertext
  3. Send and tell the recipient to use SSE fo decrypt.

You both have to share a password/passphrase over a secure channel, then use that to encrypt and decrypt.

Or PGP (there are mobile apps), but they aren't quantum resistant. If someone intercept and stores them, it could be decrypted later. So I recomment Symmetric Encryption like AES 256 (so use SSE for better security, since they use AES 256)


You can also encrypt a radio:

Rattlegram is an app on iOS/Android that alllows converting text to audio and play it over your phone’s speaker.

As mentioned before, SSE.

  1. Use SSE to encrypt text
  2. Copy-Paste the Ciphertext to Rattlegram
  3. Sent it over the radio
  4. On the other end, use Raddlegram to turn the audio back to the ciphertext
  5. Use SSE to decrypt.

Voila! Off-Grid Encrypted communications.

Warning: Encryption over Ham Radio bands is illegal in many countries πŸ˜‰ (but fuck the law lol, who cares)

There's also Meshtastic, but it has much shorter range, but, in the USA at least, they aren't "Ham Radio" so they (supposedly) can be encrypted legally.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

This one works, if you don't mind a little diy and texting only: https://circuitmess.com/products/chatter-lora-communication-device

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

scratch telegram off that list, but Session messenger there instead.

Telegram isn't private, one guy has the master key to the whole thing

[–] [email protected] 29 points 6 hours ago

The first thing that comes to mind is Meshtastic: https://meshtastic.org/

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (1 children)

wouldn't a cheap walkie-talkie be more practical in that situation?

i remember using this app some time ago ☞ https://f-droid.org/packages/org.jsl.wfwt/

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

wouldn’t a cheap walkie-talkie be more practical in that situation?

That's not secure or encrypted

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 hour ago

You can encrypt a radio.

Rattlegram is an app on iOS/Android that alllows converting text to audio and play it over your phone's speaker

Secure Space Encryptor (SSE) (known as Paranoia Text Encryption on iOS) is an Open Source app that can encrypt text.

  1. Use SSE to encrypt text
  2. Copy-Paste the Ciphertext to Rattlegram
  3. Sent it over the radio
  4. On the other end, use Raddlegram to turn the audio back to the ciphertext
  5. Use SSE to decrypt.

Voila! Off-Grid Encrypted communications.

Warning: Encryption over radio is illegal in many countries πŸ˜‰ (but fuck the law lol, who cares)

[–] [email protected] 17 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I mean this is a terrible answer, but DS pictochat fits that

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 hours ago

No joke, I was talking about this recently. I feel like niche groups (me included) are just going full-circle back to the DS days

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

Besides the already mentioned Briar, there's Berty, can't speak to its quality since I never used it, but I always found the project neat in and of itself

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 hours ago

Isn't this what airdrop was?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 hours ago

yes, a lot of people were using those kinds of apps during the free hong kong protests, they go from device-to-device with no internet in between.

No idea what the app is called, but apps like those exist

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

There used to be one years ago that used WiFi radios or Bluetooth or whatever so you could chat to people near you... I totally forget what it was called though.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 hours ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Bridgefy was used more during protests since it's available on both iOS and Android, while Briar is Android only.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Bridgefy seems to require an online account to use. Brair requires zero obline accounts, and even allows sharing the apk to nearby devices without internet.

Edit: Yea, just checked... Bridgefy requires an internet connection the first time you launch it. Not good...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I don't thiiiiink that's it, but like I said, I don't remember the name, so it might be πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

Briar is the one that was mentioned a lot when the protests were happening in Hong Kong, if that helps πŸ‘

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Taiwan? 🀨

You mean Hong Kong?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Yes, sorry. I woke up in the middle of the night, but apparently my brain didn't...

I'll correct it now πŸ‘

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 hours ago