Part of our Emergency Communications and Preparedness guide.
Most of the digital modes on this blog, FT8, DMR, Winlink, move small amounts of data slowly and reliably over long distances. AREDN, the Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network, does the opposite: it moves large amounts of data quickly over relatively short distances, using repurposed Wi-Fi hardware running on ham bands instead of the usual 2.4 and 5 GHz consumer channels. The result is something genuinely different from anything else in the hobby, a real, functioning computer network that needs no internet connection or cellular infrastructure at all.
What AREDN actually is
AREDN is open source firmware that replaces the stock software on certain commercial Wi-Fi routers and access points, reconfiguring them to operate on amateur radio bands, typically channels in the 2.4 GHz, 3.4 GHz, and 5.8 GHz amateur allocations, plus 900 MHz on some older hardware. The 2.4 and 5.8 GHz channels overlap the spectrum consumer Wi-Fi uses, but running there under amateur rules, at amateur power levels and on channels outside the consumer set, requires a license. Once flashed, these devices automatically discover each other and mesh together, meaning data can hop from node to node to reach a destination even without a direct line of sight between the two endpoints. The network essentially builds its own internet-like backbone, entirely independent of any commercial infrastructure.
The hardware involved
AREDN runs on a specific, actively maintained list of supported devices, mostly Ubiquiti and MikroTik hardware originally designed for commercial Wi-Fi networking, plus some GL.iNet routers for indoor nodes. These are not expensive as ham gear goes, often well under $100 per node, and installation is typically as simple as downloading the correct firmware image for your exact device model and flashing it through the device’s existing web interface. A basic setup can be a single node connected to a directional or omnidirectional antenna on a roof or mast, talking to one or two neighboring nodes within line of sight.
What you can actually do with it
- Voice over IP calls between stations on the mesh, using standard VoIP phones or software configured for the network.
- Video streaming, useful for EmComm applications like remote camera feeds during an incident.
- File sharing and messaging across the network, similar in spirit to a local intranet.
- Winlink and other services can ride on top of an AREDN backbone, giving served agencies a genuinely fast data path where a traditional HF Winlink connection would be painfully slow by comparison.
Where AREDN fits in an EmComm plan
This is genuinely one of the more exciting pieces of modern EmComm infrastructure, because it delivers something none of the other services on this blog can: real internet-style bandwidth without any dependence on commercial internet or cell networks at all. A properly built mesh network across a city or county can carry data traffic for served agencies during exactly the kind of outage where traditional infrastructure has failed. The tradeoff is range: unlike HF, which can cover hundreds of miles on a good day, AREDN nodes are line of sight and generally limited to a handful of miles per hop unless you are running high, well-placed antennas, so building real coverage takes planning and multiple linked nodes rather than a single station.
Because AREDN runs under amateur rules, a few things carry over that surprise people coming from regular networking. Every node identifies itself with its owner’s call sign automatically, traffic cannot be encrypted, and the network is not a way to give the general public internet access or carry business traffic. Most mesh groups also keep services on the network itself, rather than routing general web browsing through it, which keeps the bandwidth free for the things the mesh is actually there to support.
Getting started
The AREDN project’s own documentation is thorough and a good starting point, but the fastest way in is usually finding a local mesh group. Many metro areas already have an active AREDN network with existing nodes you can connect to rather than building an isolated network from scratch, and joining an established mesh gets you learning from people who have already solved the placement and configuration problems you would otherwise be solving alone. A single indoor node and a cheap directional antenna aimed at the nearest existing node is a completely reasonable, low-cost way to get your first taste of it.
Curious how AREDN compares to Meshtastic and APRS? See Meshtastic vs. AREDN vs. APRS.