Your own little internet.
RanchNet links the homes on your ranch with one passkey sign-in, and it keeps working when the internet goes down. Shared files, encrypted chat and your own apps are on the way.
The picture shows the Brazos shared-files window with the status Internet down. Listed files are Garden plan.pdf, Well pump manual.pdf, Thanksgiving photos, Recipes, Calving records.xlsx and Router backup.
Built for the bad days.
Most clouds stop when the line to town does. RanchNet keeps the homes on your ranch talking to each other over a network of their own.
When the internet goes down
Sign-in, HTTPS and DNS keep running between the homes on the ranch. Nothing waits on a server somewhere else.
When the power goes out
RanchNet runs on a Mac mini that idles at a few watts, so a small battery and a solar panel keep it going. It starts itself back up when the power returns.
When homes are miles apart
Point-to-point Wi‑Fi links homes that are miles apart. LoRa radio and USB stick sync are coming.
Five parts, one ranch.
Each part of RanchNet is named for a Texas river. Sabine is ready today, and the rest are on the way.
- SabineIdentityAvailableOne passkey sign-in for everyone, recognized in every home.
- BrazosFilesPlannedShared folders that sync whenever a link is up.
- FrioChatPlannedEnd-to-end encrypted messages between homes.
- PecosAppsPlannedRun your own apps and services on the ranch.
- TrinityLinksPartly AvailableWi‑Fi and wired links between homes today. LoRa and USB stick are coming.
Planned for Frio
Messages that know the way.
Frio will send every message over whatever link reaches, and tell you how it’s getting there.
- Text will cross miles of pasture over LoRa in seconds.
- Photos will wait for Wi‑Fi instead of clogging the radio.
- Homes out of range will get theirs on the next USB stick trip.
- End-to-end encrypted, with no server in the middle.
The picture shows a conversation titled Everyone on the ranch. Ruth asks if someone can print the garden plan at North Place. A reply says North Place is on battery, and a later message is queued for the next USB stick to The Creek.
Built in Rust. One command to start.
Install it on the computer that stays home, then invite each person with a one-time link. They open it and make a passkey, with no password to remember.
Adding another computer? Run ranch pki request on it and ranch pki certify on this one. A guided setup is coming.
$ ./install.sh --service# Builds ranch and starts it at login$ ranch auth invite Ruth --admin# Prints a one-time link that creates Ruth’s account$ ranch status# Checks that every service is healthy