Updated documentation

README.md

@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ following resources.
 
 ## Where can Reticulum be used?
 Over practically any medium that can support at least a half-duplex channel
-with 500 bits per second throughput, and an MTU of 500 bytes. Data radios,
+with greater throughput than 5 bits per second, and an MTU of 500 bytes. Data radios,
 modems, LoRa radios, serial lines, AX.25 TNCs, amateur radio digital modes,
 WiFi and Ethernet devices, free-space optical links, and similar systems are
 all examples of the types of physical devices Reticulum can use.
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ functionality and performance on low-bandwidth mediums. The goal is to
 provide a dynamic performance envelope from 250 bits per second, to 1 gigabit
 per second on normal hardware.
 
-Currently, the usable performance envelope is approximately 500 bits per second
+Currently, the usable performance envelope is approximately 150 bits per second
 to 20 megabits per second, with physical mediums faster than that not being
 saturated. Performance beyond the current level is intended for future
 upgrades, but not highly prioritised at this point in time.

RNS/Reticulum.py

@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class Reticulum:
     MTU            = 500
     """
     The MTU that Reticulum adheres to, and will expect other peers to
-    adhere to. By default, the MTU is 507 bytes. In custom RNS network
+    adhere to. By default, the MTU is 500 bytes. In custom RNS network
     implementations, it is possible to change this value, but doing so will
     completely break compatibility with all other RNS networks. An identical
     MTU is a prerequisite for peers to communicate in the same network.
@@ -106,17 +106,19 @@ class Reticulum:
     it will eventually be dropped.
 
     This value will be applied by default to all created interfaces,
-    but it can be configured individually on a per-interface basis.
+    but it can be configured individually on a per-interface basis. In
+    general, the global default setting should not be changed, and any
+    alterations should be made on a per-interface basis instead.
     """
 
-    MINIMUM_BITRATE = 500
+    MINIMUM_BITRATE = 5
+    """
+    Minimum bitrate required across a medium for Reticulum to be able
+    to successfully establish links. Currently 5 bits per second.
+    """
 
-    # TODO: To reach the 300bps level without unreasonably impacting
-    # performance on faster links, we need a mechanism for setting
-    # this value more intelligently. One option could be inferring it
-    # from interface speed, but a better general approach would most
-    # probably be to let Reticulum somehow continously build a map of
-    # per-hop latencies and use this map for the timeout calculation. 
+    # TODO: Let Reticulum somehow continously build a map of per-hop
+    # latencies and use this map for global timeout calculation.
     DEFAULT_PER_HOP_TIMEOUT = 4
 
     # Length of truncated hashes in bits.

docs/manual/_sources/understanding.rst.txt

@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ guide the design of Reticulum:
     it can be easily modified and replicated by anyone interested in doing so.
 * **Very low bandwidth requirements**
     Reticulum should be able to function reliably over links with a transmission capacity as low
-    as *500 bits per second*.
+    as *5 bits per second*.
 * **Encryption by default**
     Reticulum must use strong encryption by default for all communication.
 * **Initiator Anonymity**
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ or less any medium that allows you to send and receive data, which satisfies som
 minimum requirements.
 
 The communication channel must support at least half-duplex operation, and provide an average
-throughput of around 500 bits per second, and supports a physical layer MTU of 500 bytes. The
+throughput of 5 bits per second or greater, and supports a physical layer MTU of 500 bytes. The
 Reticulum stack should be able to run on more or less any hardware that can provide a Python 3.x 
 runtime environment.
 

docs/manual/_sources/whatis.rst.txt

@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ What does Reticulum Offer?
 Where can Reticulum be Used?
 ============================
 Over practically any medium that can support at least a half-duplex channel
-with 500 bits per second throughput, and an MTU of 500 bytes. Data radios,
+with greater throughput than 5 bits per second, and an MTU of 500 bytes. Data radios,
 modems, LoRa radios, serial lines, AX.25 TNCs, amateur radio digital modes,
 ad-hoc WiFi, free-space optical links and similar systems are all examples
 of the types of interfaces Reticulum was designed for.

docs/manual/genindex.html

@@ -510,6 +510,8 @@
 </li>
     </ul></td>
     <td style="width: 33%; vertical-align: top;"><ul>
+        <li><a href="reference.html#RNS.Reticulum.MINIMUM_BITRATE">MINIMUM_BITRATE (RNS.Reticulum attribute)</a>
+</li>
         <li><a href="reference.html#RNS.MessageBase.MSGTYPE">MSGTYPE (RNS.MessageBase attribute)</a>
 </li>
         <li><a href="reference.html#RNS.Reticulum.MTU">MTU (RNS.Reticulum attribute)</a>

docs/manual/reference.html

@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ other programs to use on demand.</p>
 <dt class="sig sig-object py" id="RNS.Reticulum.MTU">
 <span class="sig-name descname"><span class="pre">MTU</span></span><em class="property"><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">=</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="pre">500</span></em><a class="headerlink" href="#RNS.Reticulum.MTU" title="Permalink to this definition">#</a></dt>
 <dd><p>The MTU that Reticulum adheres to, and will expect other peers to
-adhere to. By default, the MTU is 507 bytes. In custom RNS network
+adhere to. By default, the MTU is 500 bytes. In custom RNS network
 implementations, it is possible to change this value, but doing so will
 completely break compatibility with all other RNS networks. An identical
 MTU is a prerequisite for peers to communicate in the same network.</p>
@@ -275,7 +275,16 @@ links don’t overwhelm the capacity of smaller networks on slower
 mediums. If an announce remains queued for an extended amount of time,
 it will eventually be dropped.</p>
 <p>This value will be applied by default to all created interfaces,
-but it can be configured individually on a per-interface basis.</p>
+but it can be configured individually on a per-interface basis. In
+general, the global default setting should not be changed, and any
+alterations should be made on a per-interface basis instead.</p>
+</dd></dl>
+
+<dl class="py attribute">
+<dt class="sig sig-object py" id="RNS.Reticulum.MINIMUM_BITRATE">
+<span class="sig-name descname"><span class="pre">MINIMUM_BITRATE</span></span><em class="property"><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">=</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="pre">5</span></em><a class="headerlink" href="#RNS.Reticulum.MINIMUM_BITRATE" title="Permalink to this definition">#</a></dt>
+<dd><p>Minimum bitrate required across a medium for Reticulum to be able
+to successfully establish links. Currently 5 bits per second.</p>
 </dd></dl>
 
 <dl class="py method">
@@ -1901,6 +1910,7 @@ will announce it.</p>
 <li><a class="reference internal" href="#RNS.Reticulum"><code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Reticulum</span></code></a><ul>
 <li><a class="reference internal" href="#RNS.Reticulum.MTU"><code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">MTU</span></code></a></li>
 <li><a class="reference internal" href="#RNS.Reticulum.ANNOUNCE_CAP"><code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">ANNOUNCE_CAP</span></code></a></li>
+<li><a class="reference internal" href="#RNS.Reticulum.MINIMUM_BITRATE"><code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">MINIMUM_BITRATE</span></code></a></li>
 <li><a class="reference internal" href="#RNS.Reticulum.get_instance"><code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">get_instance()</span></code></a></li>
 <li><a class="reference internal" href="#RNS.Reticulum.should_use_implicit_proof"><code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">should_use_implicit_proof()</span></code></a></li>
 <li><a class="reference internal" href="#RNS.Reticulum.transport_enabled"><code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">transport_enabled()</span></code></a></li>

docs/manual/understanding.html

@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ it can be easily modified and replicated by anyone interested in doing so.</p>
 </li>
 <li><dl class="simple">
 <dt><strong>Very low bandwidth requirements</strong></dt><dd><p>Reticulum should be able to function reliably over links with a transmission capacity as low
-as <em>500 bits per second</em>.</p>
+as <em>5 bits per second</em>.</p>
 </dd>
 </dl>
 </li>
@@ -831,7 +831,7 @@ note that Reticulum is designed to be usable on more or less any computing devic
 or less any medium that allows you to send and receive data, which satisfies some very low
 minimum requirements.</p>
 <p>The communication channel must support at least half-duplex operation, and provide an average
-throughput of around 500 bits per second, and supports a physical layer MTU of 500 bytes. The
+throughput of 5 bits per second or greater, and supports a physical layer MTU of 500 bytes. The
 Reticulum stack should be able to run on more or less any hardware that can provide a Python 3.x
 runtime environment.</p>
 <p>That being said, this reference setup has been outlined to provide a common platform for anyone

docs/manual/whatis.html

@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ considered complete and stable at the moment, but could change if absolutely war
 <section id="where-can-reticulum-be-used">
 <h2>Where can Reticulum be Used?<a class="headerlink" href="#where-can-reticulum-be-used" title="Permalink to this heading">#</a></h2>
 <p>Over practically any medium that can support at least a half-duplex channel
-with 500 bits per second throughput, and an MTU of 500 bytes. Data radios,
+with greater throughput than 5 bits per second, and an MTU of 500 bytes. Data radios,
 modems, LoRa radios, serial lines, AX.25 TNCs, amateur radio digital modes,
 ad-hoc WiFi, free-space optical links and similar systems are all examples
 of the types of interfaces Reticulum was designed for.</p>

docs/source/understanding.rst

@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ guide the design of Reticulum:
     it can be easily modified and replicated by anyone interested in doing so.
 * **Very low bandwidth requirements**
     Reticulum should be able to function reliably over links with a transmission capacity as low
-    as *500 bits per second*.
+    as *5 bits per second*.
 * **Encryption by default**
     Reticulum must use strong encryption by default for all communication.
 * **Initiator Anonymity**
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ or less any medium that allows you to send and receive data, which satisfies som
 minimum requirements.
 
 The communication channel must support at least half-duplex operation, and provide an average
-throughput of around 500 bits per second, and supports a physical layer MTU of 500 bytes. The
+throughput of 5 bits per second or greater, and supports a physical layer MTU of 500 bytes. The
 Reticulum stack should be able to run on more or less any hardware that can provide a Python 3.x 
 runtime environment.
 

docs/source/whatis.rst

@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ What does Reticulum Offer?
 Where can Reticulum be Used?
 ============================
 Over practically any medium that can support at least a half-duplex channel
-with 500 bits per second throughput, and an MTU of 500 bytes. Data radios,
+with greater throughput than 5 bits per second, and an MTU of 500 bytes. Data radios,
 modems, LoRa radios, serial lines, AX.25 TNCs, amateur radio digital modes,
 ad-hoc WiFi, free-space optical links and similar systems are all examples
 of the types of interfaces Reticulum was designed for.