These are the three browser-native layers that let us extend Beacon without asking users to learn a new platform - plus the hardware layer communities can optionally deploy.
Best for: Festivals, conferences, campuses, anywhere people share local Wi‑Fi.
When two phones are on the same network, they can often connect directly - peer to peer - even if the wider internet is unreliable. Beacon uses standard WebRTC for proximity alert fan-out.
You: Open the link. Beacon: Reaches nearby devices, including people who aren't on your contact list.
No LoRa hardware required.
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Best for: Lake communities, rural places, anywhere cell towers die but local infrastructure can stay up.
When database and cell service are unreachable, a Lighthouse at the shore can:
When uplink returns, alerts sync back to the cloud. Same app. Same UX. Infrastructure does the heavy lifting.
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Best for: Place-scoped communities who broadcast over shared LoRa channels.
Meshtastic and similar mesh hardware often use channels that are readable by anyone listening. Beacon's plan: encrypt alert content in the browser before it ever hits the radio, using keys tied to Place membership.
On the air: noise to strangers. In the app: readable to people who joined your lake association or neighborhood.
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Power users can link a pocket Meshtastic device to Beacon from the browser (Bluetooth or USB). Alerts then fan out over internet and LoRa at the same time when linked.
This is for enthusiasts and field operators - not a requirement for every member.
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| Scenario | Primary path |
|---|---|
| Normal day | Cloud + push to contacts/places |
| Crowded venue, flaky internet | WebRTC to nearby phones |
| Pocket radio linked | Cloud + LoRa concurrent |
| Storm, no cell, Lighthouse deployed | Local PWA → Lighthouse → LoRa mesh |
| Place-scoped sensitive alert | Web Crypto → then any transport |
We're not betting on one technology winning. We're betting on layers - and on keeping the front door as simple as a webpage.