Internet-in-a-Box (IIAB) 7.1 was released June 6, 2020.
Use it to “steal” the Internet’s crown jewels and craft your own LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIA with a $35 Raspberry Pi computer, or an old laptop.
Install Internet-in-a-Box (IIAB) 7.1 using its 1-line installer to transform an old PC/laptop into a “learning palace” for a developing world school, that urgently needs this today! Learn how easy it is to DIY an amazing digital library for any school, clinic or community on this planet:
Drag-and-drop the very best of the World’s Free Knowledge (Wikipedia in any language, thousands of Khan Academy videos, zoomable OpenStreetMap, E-Books, WordPress journaling, the new Sugarizer 1.3, Toys from Trash electronics projects, RACHEL Content Packs, Kolibri, Nextcloud, ETC) for those who are burning for learning — but just happen to be offline.
In addition, our new DIY videos help less-connected communities get up to speed with technology essentials, to craft their very own IIAB community library.
The crown jewels are all free, liberated — and open source too! Internet-in-a-Box is now used in schools, libraries and medical clinics in more than 20 countries. Why not DIY your own LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIA with a $35 Raspberry Pi computer, starting today?
What’s New?
- Operate your Internet-in-a-Box’s internal Wi-Fi (1) as a learning hotspot at the very same time that (2) its internal Wi-Fi is also connected to an upstream Internet access point. So you can update your IIAB while it’s in use — or monitor ethical analytics. PR #2393
- Set the SSID and password of the Wi-Fi providing Internet access using (a) IIAB’s Admin Console (http://box.lan/admin > Control > WiFi Control > Internet Access Wifi Router Details) or (b) follow command-line instructions.
- If you prefer to disable the dual nature of your IIAB’s internal Wi-Fi, you can restore the older behavior by setting
wifi_up_down: False in /etc/iiab/local_vars.yml (then use commands iiab-hotspot-on and iiab-hotspot-off as necessary, to toggle back and forth). REMINDER: if you modify network settings (of any kind) in local_vars.yml after installing IIAB, you should run (as root) cd /opt/iiab/iiab then ./iiab-network
- Python 3.x instead of Python 2.7, puts Internet-in-a-Box (IIAB) on a whole new foundation for a new decade. #1810
- NGINX alongside Apache (Apache is installed only as necessary) greatly modernizes IIAB’s web server engine and associated infrastructure. #224
- Choose either OS on Raspberry Pi (32-bit Raspberry Pi OS or 64-bit Ubuntu 20.04 LTS). While more experimental on Raspberry Pi hardware, some prefer Ubuntu for its (1) recent kernel in support of Raspberry Pi hardware, and (2) potential for 24-to-32 simultaneous WiFi connections, instead of just 18 with Raspberry Pi OS. #823
- Captive Portal now works well on substantially more client devices and browsers. PR #2185
- Instantly submit Content Pack descriptions/logos from your IIAB home page, so non-technical implementers/educators around the planet can rapidly & efficiently circulate “menu item definitions” — putting community action into high gear. #1831
- Self-Clone your entire Internet-in-a-Box (IIAB) e.g. to an external microSD card, using IIAB’s Admin Console: http://box.lan/admin > Install Content > Clone IIAB (instructions, FAQ). #2268
- Auto-validation of the most important variables in your /etc/iiab/local_vars.yml configuration file, now catches simple mistakes or typos automatically, alerting you from the get-go. PR #2180
What’s Upgraded?
- Kolibri 0.13.3+ (changelog) with URL box/kolibri
- Nextcloud 19.0.0+ (changelog) with URL box/nextcloud
- Calibre-Web 0.6.8 (changelog) with customizable URL’s box/books, box/libros, box/livres
- Calibre (4.12+ on Ubuntu and 3.39.1+ on Raspberry Pi OS/Debian) with URL box:8080
- Lokole 0.6.8+ (changelog) email for rural communities, students and teachers, with URL box/lokole
- Moodle 3.8.3+ based on 3.8 (see “Known Issues” below) with URL box/moodle
- WordPress 5.4.1+ based on 5.4, with URL box/wordpress
- Kiwix 3.1.1-4 (changelog) with URL box/kiwix
- Minetest 5.1.1 Server (changelog). Allows client machines with the 5.x Minetest app to run this Minecraft-like collaborative game in a shared virtual environment.
- Sugarizer 1.3.0 (changelog) using Sugarizer Server 1.2.0 (changelog) with URL box/sugarizer
- MediaWiki 1.34.1 (changelog) with URL box/mediawiki
- Node-RED 1.0.6+ (changelog, docs) with URL box/nodered
- Gitea 1.11.6 (changelog) lightweight self-hosted “GitHub” version control system, to learn to code collaboratively, with URL box/gitea
- phpMyAdmin 5.0.2 (changelog) for remote administration of MySQL
- Node.js 12 LTS (changelog) PR #2075
- USB sticks/drives (containing teacher content, “instantly” displayed at http://box/usb) can now be removed cleanly and reliably #2277
- iiab-diagnostics now uses dpaste.com so volunteers can help you with remote IT support, redacting your passwords to protect your community’s security PR #2339
- WikiHow is now searchable in Spanish PR #2349
What might future versions bring?
- IIAB out-of-box guided discovery:
- Better support for Raspberry Pi Imager for effortless installs of prefab IIAB images #2338
- Automatic installation of “Content Bouquets” during IIAB installation (up to 64 GB or 128 GB typically) so new implementers can pick a language — then hit the ground running. #1958
- Enhanced HOW-TO Videos (old view) for enterprising implementers, teachers and students, with actionable subtitles in common languages. Building upon IIAB’s YouTube channel. #1975
- Out-of-box experience/guidance on our most popular OS (Raspberry Pi OS With Desktop) ? #1979
- OpenStreetMap (OSM) and satellite photo improvements, as well as thematic/custom maps, as outlined at: IIAB-Maps.html#what-might-future-iiab-maps-bring #877, #1726 and similar
- Local Search Engine across most/all IIAB Content #2429
- Lokole (community email) opportunities for tighter integration #2445
- Matomo for usage analytics, alongside some careful re-thinking of how IIAB teachers and content contributors can learn from users’ needs. #1762
- For a more detailed list, see the Internet-in-a-Box (IIAB) 7.2 Milestone.
Credits
Thank you e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e for building your own DIY Library of Alexandria. To serve One & All.
Building on this software and designs contributed by Shanti Bhardwa, Nzolantima Swasisa, Mir Rodríguez Lombardo, Mitra Ardron, Kurt Maier, T.K. Kang, Eric Nitschke, César López-Natarén, Joshua Kanani, Josh Dennis, Arky R., Matt Johnson, James Heilman, Sam Zidovetzki, Reno McKenzie, Anish Mangal, Mikko Kotila, Avni Khatri, Blondel Mondésir, Evelyn Fitzgerald, George Hunt, Tim Moody, Jerry Vonau, Adam Holt — among many other contributors !
Not just in your own community — but by keeping in touch with our global volunteer community network (http://OFF.NETWORK) each of you are providing the lifeblood “fieldback” — that keeps us motivated enabling Internet-in-a-Box’s quality content collaborations across ALL communities!
Join our Thursday calls if you too can help: MINUTES.IIAB.IO
Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ.IIAB.IO
Known Issues
- If you enable Captive Portal, it can be painfully confusing with certain client OS’s, e.g. Android 10.
- Moodle (3.8.x) is not working with IIAB. While
apt install libapache2-mod-phpX.Y might help (where X.Y is your actual php version) please consider Moodle 3.9+ LTS instead, by installing a pre-release of IIAB 7.2. PR #2447
- Sugarizer generally requires MongoDB, which is no longer packaged by Linux OS’s like Debian 10 Buster. #1437
- Node.js applications like Asterisk/FreePBX, Node-RED and Sugarizer won’t work on Raspberry Pi Zero W (ARMv6) if you installed Node.js while on RPi 3, 3 B+ (ARMv7) or RPi 4 (ARMv8). If necessary, run
apt remove nodejs or apt purge nodejs then rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nodesource.list; apt update then (attempt!) to install Node.js on the Raspberry Pi Zero W itself (a better approach than “cd /opt/iiab/iiab; ./runrole nodejs” is to try apt install nodejs or try installing the tar file mentioned at #2082). You might also need apt install npm. Whatever versions of Node.js and npm you install, make sure /etc/iiab/iiab_state.yml contains the line nodejs_installed: True (add it if nec!) Finally, proceed to install Asterisk/FreePBX, Node-RED and/or Sugarizer. #1799
- A few residual issues may remain at: https://github.com/iiab/iiab/milestone/6