Lightning Mesh

built reference verified 723b308 (2026-09-19)

Join Lightning Mesh

Lightning Mesh is a network made of ordinary routers that talk to each other directly, with no company in the middle. It keeps working when the internet doesn't. Pick how you're joining:

I want to… Start here Time
I just got a pre-flashed router Unbox a pre-flashed router 10 min
Use the mesh from my phone or laptop Connect to the Wi-Fi 10 min
Flash my own hardware Choose a router and flash OpenWrt 1–2 h
Share an app or device on the mesh Publish a service 10 min
Help build it Contribute

The path for a new house (pre-flashed box)

  1. Unbox: power, optional WAN, join the client Wi-Fi.
  2. First hour: http://hello.mesh, optional identity.
  3. How it works: client Wi-Fi vs backhaul, addresses, directory.
  4. Administer: names, internet sharing, SSH, Lightning Admin.
  5. Share a service: .mesh names on the house network.
  6. Add another router: second box, or flash your own.

The path for a new person

  1. Connect to the Wi-Fi: join the open network.
  2. Say hello: confirm the connection and open http://hello.mesh when you want the front desk.
  3. Create your identity: an IdentiKey you hold, and its recovery phrase.
  4. Sign in to mesh apps: approve apps with your identity.
  5. Find services: open what people have shared.
  6. Take your identity with you: restore it anywhere; nothing locks you in.

Stuck? Troubleshooting.

What works today

Each page carries a status. It describes what's deployed, not what's planned.

Status Meaning
built Works on the live mesh today
partial Works, with a stated gap
coming soon Designed or in progress, not usable yet
Built Not yet
Open Wi-Fi, immediate internet when available, offline hello.mesh portal Seamless roaming between routers (being field-tested)
IdentiKey with a 24-word recovery phrase Deleting your identity from a mesh
Signing in to mesh apps Claiming your own .mesh name from hello.mesh
.mesh services, published by operators and apps App cards inside hello.mesh (mini-apps)
Adding routers, automatic internet sharing A membership gate for who may add routers

Reading this guide as an agent

  • Reading order and one-line summaries: `llms.txt`.
  • Every page starts with YAML frontmatter:
    • id, path, status
    • requires and next_step, which link pages by id
    • verified_against, the commit the steps were checked against
  • Every step has the same three parts:
    • Do: the action or command
    • Expect: the observable result
    • If not: the diagnosis
  • Treat status: coming-soon pages as design, not as working features.

The human site is https://lightning.worldtree.network/. To rebuild it, run cd docs-web && bun run build. To publish, docs-web/scripts/publish.sh.

Next: Unbox a pre-flashed router →