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markqvist/Sideband

Sideband is an LXMF messaging and LXST voice client for Android, Linux, macOS and Windows that runs over Reticulum networks such as LoRa, packet radio, WiFi and I2P.

Open-source alternative to:WhatsAppSignal

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What is it?

Sideband lets people exchange encrypted messages, images, files and voice calls with each other or with other LXMF-compatible systems. Traffic travels over Reticulum, so it can use LoRa, packet radio, WiFi, I2P or any other interface Reticulum supports, and it does not depend on an Internet server or user accounts.

Beyond chat, Sideband offers peer-to-peer telemetry and location sharing, situational maps including locally stored offline maps, and remote command execution and telemetry querying. Audio messages use Codec2 and Opus encoding so they remain usable on low-bandwidth radio links. Messages can also be exchanged as encrypted QR codes or embedded in lxm:// links.

A plugin system lets developers add telemetry sources, command handlers and background services. Sideband is compatible with other LXMF clients such as MeshChatX and Nomad Network.

Key features

  • 01End-to-end encrypted messaging and voice calls over Reticulum
  • 02Image and file transfers across all supported transports
  • 03Audio messages encoded with Codec2 and Opus for radio links
  • 04Peer-to-peer telemetry and location sharing with offline maps
  • 05Plugin system for custom telemetry, commands and services
  • 06Paper QR-code messages and lxm:// link sharing

Use cases

  • Communicating off-grid over LoRa or packet radio without cell or Internet service
  • Sharing location and sensor telemetry among a group in the field
  • Extending a Reticulum network by running an Android device as a transport node
  • Building custom remote monitoring or command workflows with Python plugins

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install system dependencies on Debian 13+ or Ubuntu 24.04+

    sudo apt install python3-pip python3-pyaudio libopusfile0 codec2 xclip xsel
  2. 2

    Install the Sideband application with pip

    pip install sbapp --break-system-packages
  3. 3

    Reboot so the application appears in your menu, then run it

    sudo reboot
  4. 4

    Launch Sideband from the terminal

    sideband

Things to know

  • The source repository is no longer updated; development happens over Reticulum.
  • The license is CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, which is non-commercial and share-alike.
  • Voice calls and audio messages need extra system packages on Linux.

Topics

#reticulum#lxmf#mesh-networking#lora#encrypted-messaging#p2p#packet-radio#telemetry#android#lxst

FAQ

What is Sideband?
Sideband is an LXMF messaging and LXST voice client for Android, Linux, macOS and Windows that runs over Reticulum networks such as LoRa, packet radio, WiFi and I2P. Sideband lets people exchange encrypted messages, images, files and voice calls with each other or with other LXMF-compatible systems. Traffic travels over Reticulum, so it can use LoRa, packet radio, WiFi, I2P or any other interface Reticulum supports, and it does not depend on an Internet server or user accounts.
Is Sideband free to use? What license does it have?
Sideband is open source under the Other license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is Sideband still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to Sideband was on Oct 1, 2026.
What can I use Sideband for?
Communicating off-grid over LoRa or packet radio without cell or Internet service Sharing location and sensor telemetry among a group in the field Extending a Reticulum network by running an Android device as a transport node Building custom remote monitoring or command workflows with Python plugins
How do I install Sideband?
Install system dependencies on Debian 13+ or Ubuntu 24.04+: sudo apt install python3-pip python3-pyaudio libopusfile0 codec2 xclip xsel Install the Sideband application with pip: pip install sbapp --break-system-packages Reboot so the application appears in your menu, then run it: sudo reboot Launch Sideband from the terminal: sideband
Where can I get Sideband?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/markqvist/Sideband

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