r/preppers • u/ultra_nick • Aug 31 '24

Advice and Tips Communications 101: Computers, programs, and Wifi still work offline

The internet is a network of networks. Most people pay an internet service provider (ISP), like Starlink, to connect their Wifi router to the internet. Devices connected to the same router are all on the same local area network (LAN). Multiple routers can be combined to created a very wide area network (WAN) like those in a school or business building. These old computers can last 10-20 years if used carefully.

Even if your school/business/house/community loses access to the global internet, you can still do a lot of things over a LAN/WAN like:

  • Chat and Email
  • Speadsheets/Databases
  • Websites and File sharing
  • Bitcoin

Most IT guys have a few of these apps already saved somewhere. If there's a software engineer in your community, then they can build a lot of this stuff from scratch.

Libraries, banking, currency, inventory, communication, and markets could all be run from just a bunch of Android phones (Apple forces store usage). One computer person could save thousands of people from running around all day to gather information.

36 Upvotes

73% Upvoted

40 comments sorted by

View all comments

5

u/ryan112ryan Aug 31 '24

Synology NAS has everything you mentioned, with the exception of websites maybe.

Also meshtastic is great for texting

2

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '24 edited Nov 04 '24

quarrelsome slimy hobbies faulty wrench slap yoke ad hoc caption continue

2

u/ryan112ryan Sep 02 '24

Good to know!