MeshBrowser

A desktop browser for decentralized mesh networks. Browse websites over Reticulum using the rweb:// protocol - no internet required.

What is MeshBrowser?

MeshBrowser lets you browse web content over mesh networks like Reticulum. It works like a regular web browser, but instead of connecting to the internet, it uses decentralized mesh networking protocols.

Key Features:

• Familiar browser interface with address bar and navigation
• Native rweb:// protocol support for Reticulum mesh networking
• Automatic server discovery on your network
• Full support for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and images
• No configuration needed - just install and browse

Prerequisites

You'll need to install the following software before running MeshBrowser:

1. Python (3.12 or higher)

Download and install Python from python.org

2. Reticulum Network Stack

Install via pip:

pip install rns

3. Node.js

Download and install a recent version of Node.js from nodejs.org

Installation

1. Clone or download this repository

2. Install Node.js dependencies:

   npm install

That's it! You're ready to run MeshBrowser.

Running MeshBrowser

Start the application:

npm start

The browser window will open automatically. The Python backend starts in the background and connects to the Reticulum network.

Using MeshBrowser

Browsing rweb:// URLs

Enter a Reticulum address in the address bar:

rweb://abc123def456789.../index.html

The format is: rweb://[32-character-hash]/path/to/file

Navigation

• Go button - Navigate to the entered URL
• Back/Forward - Standard browser navigation
• Status bar - Shows network connectivity and request status

Finding Content

To browse content on the Reticulum network, you'll need:

• RServer addresses - Reticulum servers hosting web content
• Network connectivity - Active Reticulum network interface

Check the Reticulum documentation for setting up network interfaces and discovering servers.

Want to host your own content? Check out RServer - a web server for Reticulum.

Troubleshooting

"Failed to start Reticulum backend"

• Verify Python 3.12+ is installed
• Verify RNS is installed: pip show rns
• Check that no other process is using the Reticulum configuration

"Cannot connect to backend"

• Ensure the Python backend started successfully (check console output)
• Wait a few seconds after launch for the backend to initialize

Pages don't load

• Verify your Reticulum network interface is configured and active
• Check that the destination hash is correct (32 hex characters)
• Ensure you have network connectivity to the destination

Development

To work on MeshBrowser development:

1. Read CLAUDE.md for architecture and development context
2. The codebase uses Electron (frontend) + Python (backend)
3. Make changes and test with npm start

More Information

• Reticulum: reticulum.network
• RNS Documentation: markqvist.github.io/Reticulum
• RServer: github.com/guyroyse/rserver