Manual: `F0af`_`[Network Identities ↗`a8d24177d946de4f1f0a0fe1af9a1338:/page/blob.mu`g=reticulum|r=reticulum|ref=HEAD|path=docs/markdown/understanding.md|anchor=network-identities]`_`f

A `!network identity`! is a standard Reticulum `F0af`_`[identity`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Identity]`_`f that is used by one or more `F0af`_`[transport nodes`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Transport_node]`_`f to identify them as belonging to the same logical group of nodes (a logical network). It can be thought of as a cryptographic flag, similar to a charter that flies over a fleet of ships, signalling that it belongs to the same organization or community.`:cite-ref-1[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-1]`_`f]

>>Contents

• `F0af`_`[Current use`#current-use]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[Future use`#future-use]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[Configuration`#configuration]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[See also`#see-also]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[References`#references]`_`f

>>Current use

It is currently used in `F0af`_`[interface discovery`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Discovery]`_`f where it provides authenticity and trust boundaries, making it possible to only auto-connect to networks you have some level of trust in, effectively creating "whitelisted" zones of trusted infrastructure.

>>Future use

It is the foundation for several planned features, such as distributed name resolution, distributed `F0af`_`[blackhole`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Blackhole]`_`f management, inter-network federation and publishing of network capabilities, services and information endpoints. Adopting network identities now prepares your infrastructure for these upcoming features.

>>Configuration

Specify the path of the `F0af`_`[identity`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Identity]`_`f file to use as the network identity in `B100`F9d9network_identity`f`b of the RNS `F0af`_`[configuration`:/page/wiki.mu`path=RNS|anchor=configuration]`_`f file.

To create a new identity file, use `B100`F9d9`F0af`_`[rnid`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Rnid]`_`f`f`b (e.g. `B100`F9d9rnid --generate ~/.reticulum/storage/identities/my_network`f`b).

>>See also

• `F0af`_`[Identity`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Identity]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[Discovery`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Discovery]`_`f

>>References

`:cite-note-1`!1.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-1]`_`f `*Network Identities`*, Manual. `F0af`_`[`a8d24177d946de4f1f0a0fe1af9a1338:/page/blob.mu`g=reticulum|r=reticulum|ref=HEAD|path=docs/markdown/understanding.md|anchor=network-identities] ↗`_`f

>>Reticulum concepts

`F0af`_`[Announce`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Announce]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Blackhole`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Blackhole]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Buffer`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Buffer]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Channel`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Channel]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Destination`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Destination]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Discovery`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Discovery]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Identity`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Identity]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Instance`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Instance]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Interface`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Interface]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Interface Access Code`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Interface_Access_Code]`_`f (IFAC) • `F0af`_`[Link`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Link]`_`f • Network identity • `F0af`_`[Node`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Node]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Packet`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Packet]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Path`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Path]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Propagation node`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Propagation_node]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Resource`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Resource]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Stamp`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Stamp]`_`f • `F0af`_`[Transport node`:/page/wiki.mu`path=Transport_node]`_`f