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What is Mycelium Network?
Mycelium is an IPv6 overlay network that creates secure, encrypted connections between your devices anywhere in the world.
Think of it as your own private internet layer – but without the complexity of VPNs, port forwarding, or NAT traversal.
How It Works
Mycelium creates a peer-to-peer mesh network where:
- 🌐 Each device gets its own unique IPv6 address
- 🔐 All traffic is automatically encrypted end-to-end
- 🚀 Smart routing finds the fastest path between devices
- 🔄 The network adapts automatically as devices join or leave
No central servers. No configuration complexity. Just secure connectivity.
Why Use Mycelium?
🌍 Global Connectivity
Connect devices across the world as if they were on the same local network:
- Home server to laptop while traveling
- Multiple offices without complicated VPN setups
- IoT devices across different locations
- Development environments and remote services
🔒 Secure by Default
- End-to-end encryption – Traffic is encrypted between devices
- No trust required – No central authority can intercept
- Automatic security – No manual key exchange needed
- Private by design – Only you control your network
🚀 Smart & Fast
- Automatic routing – Finds optimal paths
- NAT traversal – Works behind firewalls
- Resilient – Routes around failures
- Low overhead – Minimal performance impact
📱 Cross-Platform & Easy to Use
Easy-to-use apps for most platforms:
- iOS – App Store
- Android – Google Play
- macOS – App Store
- Windows – Desktop app
- Linux – Command-line (for advanced users)
Common Use Cases
Remote Access
Access your home server or services from anywhere without opening ports or configuring complex VPNs.
# At home: Run Mycelium on your server
# Address: 5c4:c176:bf44:b2ab:5e7e:f6a:b7e2:11ca
# Traveling: Access your server via its Mycelium address
ssh user@5c4:c176:bf44:b2ab:5e7e:f6a:b7e2:11ca
Private Networks
Create secure connections between multiple locations:
- Link office networks
- Connect distributed teams
- Secure IoT deployments
- Private cloud infrastructure
Development & Testing
Build distributed applications with real-world networking:
- Test across geographic locations
- Develop P2P applications
- Simulate network topologies
- Remote debugging
Mycelium Cloud Access
Connect to services deployed via Mycelium Cloud:
- Access deployed workloads
- Manage your infrastructure
- Use decentralized services
- Build on the platform
Key Features
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Zero Configuration | Works out of the box |
| IPv6 Native | Future-proof addressing |
| P2P Mesh | No single point of failure |
| Automatic Encryption | Secure without complexity |
| NAT Traversal | Works behind firewalls |
| Smart Routing | Optimal path selection |
| Low Latency | Direct connections when possible |
| Cross-Platform | Run anywhere |
How Is It Different?
vs Traditional VPNs
- ✅ No central server – Peer-to-peer mesh
- ✅ Automatic routing – No manual configuration
- ✅ Lower latency – Direct connections
- ✅ Simpler setup – Just run and connect
vs Other Overlay Networks
- ✅ IPv6 native – Not limited to IPv4 address space
- ✅ Production ready – Used in Mycelium infrastructure
- ✅ Active development – Continuous improvements
- ✅ Open source – Transparent and auditable
Architecture Overview
┌──────────────┐ Encrypted Tunnel ┌──────────────┐
│ Device A │◄────────────────────────────►│ Device B │
│ Mycelium IP │ Over Internet │ Mycelium IP │
└──────────────┘ └──────────────┘
│ │
└────────────── Mesh Network ────────────────┘
(via Public Peers)
How it works:
- Devices run the Mycelium daemon
- Connect to public or private peers
- Build encrypted tunnels automatically
- Route traffic efficiently
Want to understand the architecture in depth? Read the Architecture Guide to learn about Mycelium's cryptographic design, why it's more secure than TLS/HTTPS, and how its multi-path routing provides real-world resilience.
Getting Started
Ready to try Mycelium? It's simple:
- Install Mycelium – Download the app for your device.
- Quick Start – Connect in under 5 minutes.
Resources
- Source Code – github.com/threefoldtech/mycelium