The Serval Project Wiki

This wiki provides resources for developers and users of The Serval Project. If you have any suggestions for content to be included in the Wiki, please contact wikiadmin [at] servalproject.org.

We were hoping that we had fixed the issue with spamming, but unfortunately the spammers simply up the ante - so we have had to once more stop users from doing their own user registrations. Please let us know if you wish to register for the wiki by contacting us at wikiadmin [at] servalproject.org. If your account has been deleted by accident during the cleanup of the spamming accounts, just contact us at wikiadmin [at] servalproject.org to let us know. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

• How to report a bug – we appreciate you taking the trouble, please read this to make your effort count
• Contact the Serval Project – how to reach a real person
• Current activity – projects, grants and initiatives – units of work in progress and completed
• Technology roadmap – what we have built, are building, would like to build, and will not build
• Publications and reports – publications, external reports and internal white-papers
• Development – hardware, software, UI, testing, documentation… how the Serval Project builds things
• Wiki editing policy – how to contribute to this Wiki

Serval Mesh is an Android app that provides voice calls, text messaging and file sharing between mobile phones using WiFi, without the need for a SIM or any other infrastructure like mobile cell towers, WiFi hotspots or Internet access.

• Serval Mesh – download and install, user documentation, versions, reporting bugs
• Instructions for developing Serval Mesh – information for developers
• Supported Devices – supported Android phones and devices

The main technologies offered by Serval Mesh (app for Android) are:

• Mesh Datagram Protocol (MDP) – routed packet delivery protocol for Ad Hoc Wi-Fi mesh networks
• Voice over Mesh Protocol (VoMP) – voice call protocol for multi-hop mesh telephony
• Rhizome - resilient file distribution system for mesh networks
• MeshMS - text messaging

Serval Maps is an Android app that uses Serval Mesh to provide collaborative, infrastructure-independent, geographical mapping.

The Serval Mesh Extender is a hardware device that helps other devices to join and participate in a Serval Mesh network. The objectives are:

• allow devices that do not support Ad Hoc WiFi mode to join the Mesh network;
• minimise power consumption for devices;
• support alternative radio interfaces to offer better range and/or throughput than WiFi;
• provide a platform for future Serval Project initiatives, such as the commoditisation of many classes of medical monitoring devices.

The following is a list of past and planned trial deployments and related activities.

• Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary Demonstrator July 2010
• Nigeria InterNews Trial Jan 2011
• KiwiEx 2012 with NZ Red Cross Feb/March 2012
• KiwiEx 2013 with NZ Red Cross, New America OTI/Commotion and NLnet Foundation Feb/March 2013