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1. Getting Started
What is nekotopis.ioWho would be interested in this platform?How do I request an account?How would you access the system?
Joining the community
Nekotopia is a private network for people who want to share servers, services, and old machines without exposing them to the open internet. Access options depend on what you need and what you expect. To fully leverage the platform, you will likely connect a s...
Creating Your Account
Getting Started Joining Nekotopia takes just a few minutes. Here's how to create your account and get connected to the Torus network. Step 1: Request an Account Visit nekotopia.io Click "Join the Torus" in the navigation Fill in the registration form: ...
What is nekotopia.io?
neko (猫) is Japanese for cat. However, the reason for the nekotopia name is not from a life-defining moment. In fact, nekotopia is nekonomicon, H.P. Lovecraft's fictional Necronomicon. The aforementioned book contains fictional forbidden knowledge, whereas the...
What is the Torus?
In the mid-90s, searching for web content was often a bit of a chore and was driven primarily by shared links from friends or groups, or by long lists of hyperlinks on home pages. Then we got webrings. A webring was beautifully simple: a circle of websites, li...
Supported Hosting Equipment
Anyone with a WireGuard client can connect to the Torus. However, if you want to share your services or host websites, you'll need to install a router. We don't sell the devices you need to connect to the torus, but we can point you to a few options.
MikroTik Routers
MikroTik routers running RouterOS v7 are our recommended way to connect vintage hardware to the Torus. They're affordable, reliable, and have native WireGuard support. Why MikroTik? Native WireGuard — Built into RouterOS v7, no add-ons needed Affordable — Ent...
Alternative Hardware
While we recommend MikroTik routers, several other brands support WireGuard. These options haven't been tested by us, but should work with your Nekotopia configuration. Consumer Router Options ASUS Model Price WireGuard Support RT-AX86U ~$250 Firmware 3...
Supported Platforms
WireGuard is supported on virtually every modern platform. Here's what you can use to connect to the Torus network. Desktop & Laptop Platform Notes Windows Official WireGuard client - simple and reliable macOS Official client from App Store Linux Na...
How does it work?
Let's get that SPARCstation sparking, and re-open the eyes on that IRIS.
Who is this for?
Retro enthusiasts dusting off old hardware - that 90s web server, the BBS you ran in college, the Doom WAD archive you and your friends built. Connect it to the torus and share it again, with people who appreciate it. Self-hosters running services they don't ...
IRIXNet Membership
Full disclosure, Nekotopia is a sponsor and member of the IRIXNet community. IRIXNet members may apply for accounts at Nekotopia, up to and including the Pro level. Typically, there is a brief probationary period to confirm your IRIXNet membership. Pro Tier a...
2. Functional Information
The Nekotopia Torus is based on the WireGuard VPN released under open source (GPLv2 for the kernel code). The protocol is fully documented in a whitepaper, but it's not a formal "standard" in the IETF/RFC sense.
Network Overview
High-level overview of the Nekotopia Torus network architecture and user experience.
High Level Drawing
This is a logical drawing of the platform. At the core, we have our regional hub, arranged in a redundant ring. Edge users connect to one of the regional hubs and transit Ethernet or IP packets across the overlay fabric to resources.
User Experience
VPN Protocol Protocol WireGuard (primary) Config Delivery Download .conf file from dashboard, import into any WireGuard client Encryption Industry-standard: Curve25519 key exchange, ChaCha20 symmetric encryption You don't need to use the genera...
Virtual Colocation
Information about hosting your retro services using a Torus account.
Security Considerations for Torus Pro (1:1 NAT)
Understanding Torus Pro Torus Pro provides a dedicated public IP address mapped directly to your device. This means your equipment is reachable from anywhere on the internet — exactly as if it were plugged directly into a public network. How Pro Differs from ...
3. Platform Features
Using the Torus, engaging with the community, and supporting the platform. Some things are common sense, others take time to learn. The monitoring, security framework, usability and platform etiquette are described here.
Service Level Objectives
nekotopia provides the following information related to our service.