Originally published on Cascadia Survivalist
Do you have a plan to communicate, to share information, and receive uncensored news if the government shuts down your access to the Internet and cellular networks?
Internet shutdowns are designed to block people from sharing information and communicating (and also push people into less secure forms of communication such as mobile phone and SMS, which are easier for authorities to intercept and monitor). There are not always good workarounds during complete shutdowns. During the strictest periods of the shutdown people resorted to using handwritten notes and couriers to get messages to their loved ones.
We don’t have sure-fire ways to circumvent all blockages, but through conversations with activists and peers, we have learned some methods and approaches for offline sharing and communication that may work for you, depending on the circumstances. Note that some of these options require internet to initially set up (e.g. to download apps, etc).
Some options…
File Sharing and Communication During an Internet Shutdown https://blog.witness.org/2020/02/file-sharing-communication-internet-shutdown/
These Mobile Apps Let You Communicate During Internet Shutdowns https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/344123
Get Internet Access When Your Government Shuts It Down (2011) https://www.pcworld.com/article/494423/get_internet_access_when_your_government_shuts_it_down.html
A guide to staying online if the internet or social media gets blocked in your country (2017) https://qz.com/africa/878823/a-guide-to-staying-online-if-the-internet-or-social-media-has-been-blocked-in-your-country/
Transferring files Between Two Devices without Internet (2016) https://www.engadget.com/2016-08-19-transferring-files-between-two-devices-without-internet.html
6 Apps To Chat And Text With No Internet Connection Via Mesh Network (2021) https://www.geckoandfly.com/22562/chat-without-internet-connection-mesh-network/
7 Best Offline Messaging Apps that Run without Internet (2019) https://beebom.com/best-offline-messaging-apps-run-without-internet/
Build Your Own Internet https://buildyourowninter.net/
How to Build Your Own Internet (PDF) https://www.internetsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Manual_Africa_ISA_How-to-build-your-own-internet-Part-1-draft-8-min.pdf
Files can also be sent via radio. Amateur (Ham) Radio operators do this frequently, sending and receiving e-mail with a system called WinLink (https://winlink.org/), and making peer-to-peer connections with computer/radio interface programs such as FLDigi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fldigi). Of course you will need your Ham Radio license to use these systems, but a license is not too difficult to get, and it will definitely improve your communications capability.
Of course, the government doesn’t have to shut down the Internet to keep YOU off line. In 2019, the American military base, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, sought protective orders from the Federal District Court in Tacoma, WA (https://pacer.uscourts.gov/) to restrict whistle-blowers from having access to Internet or cellular devices. The military’s concern? Information about illegal government surveillance might be shared with the news media or posted on-line! – If the government ordered your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and cellular provider to suspend your accounts, do you have a communications plan?
Consider how you would communicate under martial law. https://cascadiasurvivalist.blogspot.com/2022/04/dont-necessarily-trust-government-or.html or when a government imposes communications restrictions.
Not sure your device is something safe even if you cannot get to the “internet”. They still can communicate with it even if you think you have not cell or internet service. Those devices are not safe plain and simple and we should not look at them as anything but a spy for the other side.
John has along mustache.
You know its being monitored don’t you? Act accordingly.
Thanks for all the super information! These apps look interesting..Does anyone here have any experience with any of them? It looks like you would need to get a whole community on board to download a particular one before it goes south.
Good info Hammer !
If it gets really bad get a copy of “Codes Ciphers & other Cryptic & Clandestine Communications”. By Fred B. Wrixon. This is more of a history of Clandestine Commo but there are some good methods of how to go about it.
I have been able to implement some of these with my local group already. Briar is effective and easy to use once setup. You do need to share your briar ID before the balloon goes up though. So set it up now Briar can use the Internet, WiFi to WiFi or blue tooth to Bluetooth or as my group uses an off line network. You can also install it not only on phones but Chromebooks or even laptops if you use an android imulator like “bluestacks”
A very simple and basic off line network can be started with an old WiFi router. Add some good antennas and mesh routers and you can easily cover a mile or more.
As stated by another commenter, these are wireless devices so use causation. For a truly “secure” network you could run cat 5 cables and use old laptops to run a private LAN messenger. Someone should have to actually physical tap the wires to get data. Kind of a 21st century field phone setup. Advantage would be text, audio, video, and file sharing would all be possible with no Internet connection needed. Downside is Cat 5 can only run 100yrds or so. You have to add a new “switch” to relay the signal. Good option for you bug out campsite or close neighborhood.
Yes by all means when the govt shuts down the Interwebs, be sure to have your govt mandated liscense to use ham radios. And turn in your guns when the govt mandates that as well. And don’t forget to buy an electric car when the govt mandates that as well. Isn’t that part of why we are where we are now? WTF,over?
CIII
Back in the dark ages they used something called radio, using hertz waves, it still works and has millions of channels. To be sure the PTB can monitor anything other than two cans and a string, but radio can be incripted and coded.
It can also be triangulated and your location found, but you can move about.
The RF (radio) channels are all alocated for, code, AM, FM, TV and digital, for amature, commercial and government. Using code on a FM chanel or FM on a AM one is unusal and while it is still possible to receive or decode it just makes it harder for the PTB. Using directional microwave is very hard to detect.
Having modifyed or home made radioes would be helpful as well.
A old RF generator and linear amplifiers can make a fine general HZ transmitter as well as using an old analog wide band receiver. Check out ham fest and old suplus electronic test equpment. Get a copy of the Amature radio hand book. The FCC wont like it, but who cares?
I don’t trust cell communication, and I assume every thing on the internet is monitored and saved as well, to be used against you. Secure communication with land lines between neighbors and very careful radio communication is possible. I like carrier pigons and horse messengers, my self. The bottom line here is big brother is watching, and listening!
My family claims I am paranoid, I am just not sure I am paranoid enough! What say you?
Good Food for Thought(S)
Its time to get out and start burying your fiber optic cable are use, lazer, infrared with lenses to increase range. I was working on a power supply circuit using cat6 to connect multiple handset phones with a ringer button. All of these are full proof on security unless they know where your cable is buried. Their are some walkie talkies with 256AES encryption that are secure but this may change as computers get faster. Ham radio is good so is the cb radio but these can be eavesdropped on. Speaking in code is the only way to work around being listened too. The down side is radio can be triangulated. I was looking at some of the comments below, cat6 can be used up to 328feet reliable but, I have played around and run a lot further. The problem when go more than industry specs with copper wire is noise level interferes with the data packets.
On the digital ham radio modes using software such as fldigi, these are as far from plug n play as you can get. They are Not easy to implement and start up. There are a zillion settings in the software and any one of them will prevent the system from working. And the computer itself has its own quirks such as sound card, jack type, communications port, etc that all have to be sussed out. Point is, yeah it works but it’s damn painful to get it to work. Best get after it now while you can still contact someone experienced who can help you get it up and running.