If the internet is shut down... we need to find a way to communicate

In case they just shut down the DNS servers.
Keep a list of alternative DNS servers, and know how to program them in.
Keep a list of direct IP addresses for your most commonly used websites.
Keep a list of direct IP addresses for websites you may want to view if the SHTF.
Keep an offline backup of information from websites you know you will need.
Keep a list of direct IP addresses for usenet servers that you use.

Keep them current. Once in a while, they will change an IP address. In a list of IP addresses from three years ago, some may still work, some may not.

If they try to take large parts of the actual network off line, you may still have local (in network) connectivity (people on the same DSL node, or same internet provider).

Some service providers may have more connectivity than others. Some access nodes may have more connectivity than others.

If they truly take the internet off line, then the telephone system will be worthless for anything but local calls because almost all long distance calls are routed via VOIP over the internet. If you can still make long distance/overseas calls, then the internet is still up, you just need to find a way to get too it.

If the internet is truly down, the best thing to do then is get out the short wave radio transmitter and start talking, but that may be ill advised. If they did go through all that work to take out all that stuff, then don’t think for a second that there wouldn’t be a strike fighter zeroing in on your signal to shut you up.

WIFI is relatively limited in range, unless you are in prime spots. You would get better coverage by just getting a megaphone and yelling at the top of your lungs. Most other radio system are limited to local coverage.

Without the internet, there is nothing that would allow long distance communications across the country/world besides shortwave/ham radio.

If all that really did happen, then it would be your best advice to just get a very good shortwave AM/USB/LSB/CW receiver to listen to shortwave broadcast from other countries outside of the SHTF zone, and do not do anything that would make yourself known.

An all band 10Khz to 1.2Ghz AM/USB/LSB/CW/FM receiver would be ever better because you could listen to basically everything available for maximum situational awareness.

……..Edit……

On a humorous side note. A lot of the SHTF web sites are unreachable via direct entry of the IP address. Not because of a big government conspiracy, but because of poor website design, and inadequate/bad server configurations.

A couple websites, I actually got the default webpage that you get when you set up the apache web server. The people that are running those sites have no clue what they are doing, in the way of proper server configuration and maintenance. The just put the site on the server and walked away.

At least get rid of the default apache server screen!!!!! please!!!!!!!!!
Wonder if anyone here can find the pages I am referring to?


[edit on 3-8-2010 by Mr Tranny]

[edit on 3-8-2010 by Mr Tranny]

it's a hardware issue...no matter what type of software you have... the physical connections are all channeled through about 12 hubs...control in the USA of the internet have long been established...i retired in 2006 from networking, and it was in place then. there are hacks that would be able to code and communicate, but on a slower, and much more time consuming basis. the connection coverage would be minimal, and it would be nothing near what we have now. and for all intent and purposes, the internet would be shut down.