OpenWrt
PirateBox will potentially run on most OpenWrt compatible routers with USB storage. Check out this tutorial and be sure to visit the forum for support and more info.

OpenWrt with Mesh
Thanks to lead PirateBox developer Matthias Strubel PirateBox can now be configured to create wireless mesh networks using Alexandre Dulaunoy’s Forban. This feature is still in testing – for more info, check out this forum post.

Raspberry Pi
PirateBox can be configured to run on single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi. See this tutorial and search the forum for more info.

PirateBox Live
Check out Cale Black’s Linux PirateBoxLive and Windows PirateBoxLive for tutorials outlining how to run PirateBox directly from a USB flash drive. These packages are based on Matthias Strubel’s amazing PirateBox installation scripts.

Android
PirateBox can also be run on Android. Check out the Fun2Code tutorial and this xda-developers discussion thread.

PirateBox Logo/Sticker
You can download a svg version of the PirateBox logo here (thanks Kent Seaton) or a .png file from here. And/or you can order PirateBox stickers from zazzle.

PirateBox Forum
Please post your questions, discoveries, ideas, and solutions in the PirateBox Forum.

Share (and chat!) Freely Inspired by pirate radio and the free culture movements, PirateBox utilizes Free, Libre and Open Source software (FLOSS) to create mobile wireless communications and file sharing networks where users can anonymously chat and share images, video, audio, documents, and other digital content.

Private and Secure PirateBox is designed to be private and secure. No logins are required and no user data is logged. Users remain completely anonymous – the system is purposely not connected to the Internet in order to subvert tracking and preserve user privacy.

Easy to Use Using the PirateBox is easy. Simply turn it on and transform any space into a free communication and file sharing network. Users within range of the device can join the PirateBox open wireless network from any wifi-enabled device and begin chatting and sharing files immediately. See the short video demonstration below for more details.

DIY PirateBox was created by David Darts and is registered under the GNU GPLv3. This license grants the right to freely copy, distribute, and transform creative works according to the principles of copyleft.

FAQ

How does it work?
Simply turn PirateBox on to transform any space into a temporary communication and wireless file sharing network. When users join the PirateBox wireless network and open a web browser, they are automatically redirected to the PirateBox welcome page. Users can then immediately begin chatting and/or uploading or downloading files.

PirateBox runs on multiple devices, including wireless routers, single-board computers, laptops, and mobile phones.

Can I make my own PirateBox?
Absolutely! The PirateBox is registered under the GNU GPLv3. You can run it on an existing device or can be built as a stand-alone device for as little as US$35. For detailed instructions, visit the PirateBox DIY page.

Where can I read more about the PirateBox?
Visit the PirateBox Press page for a listing of and links to more than 175 stories about the PirateBox.

Where can I find more photos of the PirateBox?
Check out the PirateBox Gallery.

Where can I find more videos of the PirateBox?
Check out these PirateBox Videos.

Why did you build the PirateBox?
The PirateBox solves a technical/social problem by providing people in the same physical space with an easy way to anonymously communicate and exchange files. This obviously has larger cultural and political implications thus the PirateBox also serves as an artistic provocation. See this ars technica article and this New Scientist article for more info.

Why did you call it the PirateBox?
The PirateBox is inspired by the free culture and pirate radio movements. The name is a playful remixing of the title of the world’s most resilient bittorrent site, The Pirate Bay.

Does the PirateBox promote stealing?
No. The PirateBox is designed to facilitate communication and sharing between friends and local community members.

What are you currently sharing on your PirateBox?
I’ve seeded my box with a variety of songs, books, and videos. At the moment, my PirateBox includes a collection of stories by Cory Doctorow, Abbie Hoffman’s Steal this Book, DJ Danger Mouse’s The Grey Album, Girl Talk’s Feed the Animals, a collection of songs by Jonathan Coulton and some animations by Nina Paley.

Who helped you build the PirateBox?
My friend Aaron Williamson from the Software Freedom Law Center provided some much needed technical advice. Matthias Strubel is the lead developer and has been very active in continuing to expand and improve the PirateBox project. Special props also to Christiane Ruetten who originally ported PirateBox to OpenWrt.

Do you know of any other projects similar to PirateBox?
Yes, check out Aram Bartholl’s fantastic Dead Drops. Also visit Jason Griffey’s PirateBox fork LibraryBox.

Where can I discuss the PirateBox?
Post a comment below and/or visit the PirateBox Forum.

Stuff You’ll Need

• TP-Link MR3020 (Newegg) or TP-Link TL-WR703N (DX) (eBay)
• USB Flash Drive (formatted FAT32 with a single partition)
• Ethernet cable
• 5V/USB Battery (optional)

Pre-Installation

The following tutorial was created on a Mac running OSX 10.8. However, these instructions will also work for Linux or Windows (requires PuTTY).

1. First download a custom copy of OpenWrt for the MR3020 (modified by Matthias Strubel to include all needed kernel-modules). See this thread on the forum for more info. For the WR703N, download this OpenWrt firmware

2. Set the toggle switch located beside the LAN/WAN port to WISP mode

3. Turn off your laptop’s wireless (in OSX, click on the wifi icon and select “Turn Wi-Fi Off”)

4. Connect the router via ethernet cable to your computer and open a web browser to http://192.168.0.254 (for the MR3020) or http://192.168.1.1 (for the WR703N)

5. Enter the default username & password (admin & admin)

6. Navigate to System Tools > Firmware Upgrade and select the OpenWRT firmware

(Note: The WR703N firmware text is in Chinese. To flash OpenWrt from the web interface, select the last menu item on the left, and then the third submenu item. More info in this Village Telco post).

7. After the upgrade completes, the system will restart

8. Telnet to the device:

telnet 192.168.1.1

9. Use the passwd command to set your login password – this will enable SSH:

passwd

10. Edit the network file with vi (vi cheat sheet):

NOTE: The following instructions assume your gateway router’s (home router’s) IP address is 192.168.2.1. If your gateway router differs from this, you will need to modify your network file accordingly. Keep in mind that your OpenWrt (PirateBox) router should not have the same address as your gateway router though it will need to be on the same subnet in order to access and download files from the Internet.

vi /etc/config/network

The modified file should look like this:

config interface 'loopback'                                                               
        option ifname 'lo'                                                                
        option proto 'static'                                                             
        option ipaddr '127.0.0.1'                                                         
        option netmask '255.0.0.0'                                                        

config interface 'lan'                                                                    
        option ifname 'eth0'                                                              
        option type 'bridge'                                                              
        option proto 'static'                                                             
        option ipaddr '192.168.2.111'                                                       
        option netmask '255.255.255.0'                                                    
        option gateway '192.168.2.1'                                                     
        list dns '192.168.2.1'                                                           
        list dns '8.8.8.8'

11. Remove the power from the router.

12. Turn ON your laptop’s wireless (for OSX, click on the wifi icon and select “Turn Wi-Fi On”)

13. Connect the MR3020 (or WR703N) to your gateway router (e.g. your home network router) with an ethernet cable and plug the power back in. Wait a couple of minutes until the router boots up. With your computer connected to your home network, try sshing into the router (Note: use the “ipaddr” you assigned in step 9):

ssh root@192.168.2.111

14. Ping google to ensure your firewall settings are correct:

ping google.com

15. Add USB support to OpenWrt by installing and enabling the following packages (Note: this step is not required if you used the customized OpenWrt image from step 1):

opkg update
opkg install kmod-usb-uhci
insmod usbcore ## may return: file exists
insmod uhci
opkg install kmod-usb-ohci ## may return: up to date.
insmod usb-ohci

Install PirateBox

Next you’ll need to install PirateBox on the router.

1. Connect your USB drive (formatted to FAT32 with only one partition) to the USB port.

2. Install the mkPirateBox package by issuing the following commands.

cd /tmp
opkg update && opkg install http://piratebox.aod-rpg.de/piratebox_0.6.3_all.ipk

3. Optional: Install the Kareha Image Board:

/opt/piratebox/bin/timesave.sh /opt/piratebox/conf/piratebox.conf install
/opt/piratebox/bin/install_piratebox.sh
/opt/piratebox/conf/piratebox.conf imageboard

Afterwards, edit the Kareha image board config file to change the admin username and password (ADMIN_PASS and SECRET):

vi /opt/piratebox/www/board/config.pl

4. Once the install is completed, unplug the ethernet cable and disconnect the power for at least 10 seconds.

5. Restart the device and join the “PirateBox – Share Freely” network. Open any web page and you should be redirected to the PirateBox menu.

6. Begin sharing files and chatting!

Upgrading

To upgrade from an earlier version of PirateBox, check out this tutorial on the PirateBox forum.

Recovery

For the TL-WR703N, use these instructions from the OpenWrt wiki to enter failsafe mode. See also Matthias Strubel’s video demo.

More info about building a serial port (useful for recovering a “bricked” router) for the TL-WR703N on TheVillageTelco wiki.

PirateBox Forum

Please post your questions, discoveries, ideas, and solutions in the PirateBox Forum.