Not Too Long Didn't Read

If you have been conscious for the past few decades, then you may already know about multiple big network hacks and telecom network disruptions that have appeared in the news. Real news not fake media.

A global network disruption in the U.S. can be caused by large-scale software failures, major cyberattacks, or widespread physical infrastructure damage from natural disasters. These events have already occurred, and may occur again. With the known focus on global hacking by nation states, and some nation states even censoring their own people, it is likely to happen again. No need to live in fear, and good reasons to be prepared.

Cell phones are our primary communication devices and those are likely what we will carry with us if we have to move quickly, or if we get caught out of our home when a disruption occurs. In a worst case scenario, it will be important that we should all be able to communicate and coordinate with other people.

It is smart to have some backup options in place in advance of a potential “Network Disruption Event.” On that day, the cell phone stops connecting to the cell towers, so your voice communication and texts go dead.

Or maybe you might just find yourself out of network and still want to chat with your group with no Internet and no cell service. You can learn to do that too if you read on.

In general, my family prefers the convenience of SMS/RCS for organizing our family parties, saying happy birthday, etc.. However, SMS/RCS will not be available in an emergency that involves disruption to common carrier cellular networks.

It may also be noteworthy that SMS/RCS is heavily targeted by unsolicited spam and is not considered secure communication by any modern security standard. So never say anything in a text you would not want the bad actors to know, or the media, or your neighbor, etc.

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Helpful tip. Keep in mind that in an emergency when the phone voice cellular network is jammed, you can often still get a text out even when a phone call will not connect.

Helpful tip. It is also good to know that newer cell phones since the iPhone 14 and newer Android phones have built-in satellite connectivity for emergency texting. However, these features may still depend on centralized infrastructure and may not work following disruptions caused by natural disaster, cyberattacks or corporate/government intervention, intentional or otherwise. So having backup methods in place is a good idea.

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The best practice is to have multiple forms of communication already in place in advance of an emergency. These mentioned here should work without a working cellular network, but most will still require Internet. I believe the Internet will likely survive even a “network apocalypse,” because the Internet is mostly decentralized, and could be restored with other connected radios. The cellular networks have already been infiltrated, and are more vulnerable to interference.

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Okay, let’s get into it…

Why me? I have worked as an Information Technology professional since 1992, and have been researching tech and security for well over thirty years. I do not know everything, but I know a lot. I also do not usually misrepresent anything as I do not care to sell anything. I have no motive for that. Just to share what I know. Judge what I have to say on the merits, research it for yourself, then you can take it, or leave it…

I recommend two communication backups for any family: Signal and Discord. Plus a couple of other options for that really bad day when even the Internet is crashed and we are looking for a Walking Dead level of disaster preparedness.

1) Signal.

https://signal.org/
If you want security, this is the app you should be using. It is securely encrypted end-to-end so nobody can spy on you. it is the only app I feel confident using to send a password or an account number, because it is highly encrypted and I can also later choose to delete the message, assuming the recipient cooperates. They even have disappearing chats that auto delete after a period of time.

Signal holds chat groups together, so you don’t see people randomly splitting off like with SMS/RCS. Once connected, it also blocks man in the middle attacks, so you can know that the person you think you are talking to, is actually the person you are talking to.

The downside to Signal is you CANNOT activate Signal without a working phone, so cannot set it up later after the working phone network may be crashed. They do this to ensure that Signal is primarily linked to a device that YOU control. Though after setup, you get a Signal ID, and you can hide your phone number.

If you are really cautious, and don’t like the idea of using your main cell number to set up Signal, you can set it up on a burner phone, or a VoIP number like Google Voice, then let that burner number get lost later and the app will still work with the Signal ID. It does make it more difficult when you get a new device if you wish to keep your history, but it can be done.

So I recommend you set up Signal now. Then do what you want. Use it. Ignore it. Mute it. Whatever. Even uninstall it. Maybe keep a copy of the installer on your phones hard drive though so you know you can turn things back on if you need them later on that theoretical Network Disruption Day.

2) Discord.

https://discord.com/
It is easy to use. Easy to set up groups. Will work in any environment when you have a working connection to the Internet. It is NOT encrypted, but it is easy to use and distributed, so not as vulnerable to a single source trying to cut it off.

After you set it up, you can similarly use it, ignore it, mute it, whatever. It is actually one of the easiest app to fine tune how you get notifications, or mute them entirely. Discord can be set up later so long as you have the installer and can receive the invitation through a working Internet connection. So you don’t have to set that up now, but you should know how, just in case it is needed. Up to you.

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NO INTERNET? NO PROBLEM. JUST GO LOCAL.

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3) Mesh Networking Chat apps. For now, I am currently testing Briar and so far it seems fine.

https://briarproject.org/
Works with no network and no centralized servers. Has a range of up to maybe 30 meters give or take. Uses local wireless connections over Bluetooth, WiFi or Tor. End-to-End encrypted. No network required. Limited range. Very private. I am using it with my wife to send sweet nothings.

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GEEK BOUNDARY CROSSING ALERT

If you are not a geek, or live with a geek, you might wish to stop reading here… Lest your eyes glaze over and your ears start ringing…

Otherwise, read on…

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4) Meshtastic – True Off Grid Communications

I will also be keen to one day soon test devices with longer ranges, such as those based on LoRaWan technologies. Line of sight, but they work with hops to other LoRa radio nodes. Range record is I think 331km. More typical is 20-25km, or roughly 15 miles. NOT Encrypted usually, but could be. LoRa nodes are totally independent of centralized networks like cellular, or distributed networks like the WWW Internet.

What is LoRaWan? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LoRa
You can pair a LoRaWan radio with your existing phone using BlueTooth and then use the Meshtastic App to compose messages…

What is Meshtastic? https://meshtastic.org/docs/introduction/
Free. Open Source. Apple. Android. Web.

Here is a plain language overview that includes a DIY build example for $10.
Meshtastic for Dummies AND Heltec V3 Setup for $10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igWP0O_VuUo

E.g. To create the LoRaWan radio network, you can DIY build your own, or get something off the shelf.

Remember you can also purchase a LoRaWan device that already comes with a case and antennae.
E.g. RAKwireless WisMesh Pocket v2 All-in-one Meshtastic Handheld 915 Mhz Radio with LoRa Antenna & GPS https://store.rokland.com/products/wismesh-pocket?variant=42350721728595

5) Finally, to survive and thrive during a network disruption, get some radios.

GMRS: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Mobile_Radio_Service

Cheaper models: Midland GXT3000 GMRS Walkie Talkie
https://midlandusa.com/products/gxt3000-gmrs-two-way-radio-bundle-gxt3000vp4

Better: TIDRadio TD-H3 5W 8-Band HAM / GMRS Radio
https://tidradio.com/products/tidradio-td-h3-ham-gmrs-unlocked-8-band-walkie-talkie?variant=43594557653071

Also Better: Yaesu FT 65 VHF/UHF Handheld Radio
https://www.yaesu.com/product-detail.aspx?Model=FT-65R&CatName=VHF/UHF%20Handhelds

Have the radios stashed with some extra batteries and ways to charge them. If you really want to do it right, get some solar panels and solar batteries and learn how to use them. It does not have to be huge to keep your devices charged.

Why bother? In such a case as a full on network disruption event, which would accompany a cyberattack, a major natural disaster, or a societal upheaval, then near distance radio communications will be important to coordinate with the people you really care about.

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That does it for my recommendations, but what about other apps? Let’s go through some of the more common alternatives, and I’ll pitch in my two cents.

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WhatsApp?
Its encrypted too, right? WhatsApp using opensource encryption code from the Signal app. I will not use it as it is owned and controlled by Russian oligarchs who are known associates of Vladmir Putin. Fact. Check it out. If you are cool with that, okay. For me. NEVER.

Telegram?
Big in Europe. Corporate for profit. Privacy highly debateable in spite of their claims. For me. No. Probably Never because they misrepresent their security claims.

WeChat?
Big in China. If you have Chinese friends, then this might be for you. For me. No.

Slack?
Too expensive to be practically useful. Corporate controlled if not on a private server. No better than Discord in practical terms, but harder to implement. If I had to use it for work. Otherwise, No.

Google Chat?
We all got on board with Hangouts before, and this is its successor. I would use Google Chat again if everyone got into it, but not for network disruptions. Google is unpredictable and might change it again. So, for me. No.

SnapChat?
Corporate controlled with zero privacy, and infact anti-privacy since they scrape your data and sell it. Fun as a toy, but not a serious communication tool. For me, only for fun. Otherwise, No.

Facebook Messenger?
Good for connecting with friends, but also corporate controlled with zero privacy. For me, only to connect with friends and family. Otherwise, No.

What about uncommon alternatives?

Threema, Viber, Dust, Wire, Wickr Me, Element, Session, etc, etc, etc. Some of these are great, and may one day crack mainstream consciousness. However, for now, these are so uncommon that only dedicated geeks will even know about them, so I will not include them in this article.