An Investigation of Decentralized Networks Based Upon Wireless Mobile Technologies

The Internet is a highly centralized and hierarchical structure that leaves users with a number of potential barriers to connectivity. As wireless networking becomes more common and mobile devices grow in popularity, a variety of decentralized networks have emerged to break down or create alternatives for connectivity barriers. These mesh-like networking options work either as extensions of traditional Internet infrastructure or simply as inward-facing user networks. This paper will explore the various impediments that these networks seek to circumvent; namely, economic barriers to connectivity, unintentionally destroyed infrastructure, intentionally blocked infrastructure, and government surveillance. After a careful analysis of the goals these networks aim to achieve, it is clear that networks that attempt to solve problems caused by centralization often succeed, while users seeking other functionalities are often disappointed.