[MVMA] AREDN >2026 Update from Orv W6BI

[Chuck Gelm]

AREDN 2026 update from Orv W6BI:

*Changes from 11/1/2025*
Total Nodes: 2113.
Over the last few months nodes visible to the mapper have bounced around 
a lot.
They dropped from about 2800 in the spring of last year to a low of 
around 2,000 in November, but have started to rise again.
This volatility is probably due to the migration of nodes from OLSR-only 
to Babel+OLSR to (in some places) Babel-only.
XM nodes (devices with only 32MB of RAM, and
thus not capable of running the Babel routing protocol) visible to the 
mapper have dropped to almost zero.
Part of this is probably retirement of these old hardwares, but also due 
to the fact that almost 40% of the supernodes
have migrated to Babel-only software and thus OLSR-only nodes behind 
them aren't propagating.
Babel-enabled nodes: 2064 - up from 1973 in early November.
% Babel-enabled - 98% - same as in November (the percentage is the same 
because the total node count has also risen)
Babel-only nodes: 614 (29%) - up from 363 in November
*NOTES:*

   *  If you've got nodes on 3.25.2.0 or earlier, it's recommended that
    you get them updated so they're visible again to the mapper and to
    the greater network.
  * The next production release is anticipated to be later in January
    and will probably be 4.26.1.0. The '4' indicates a protocol change
    and that's due to OLSR being dropped from the software.  If nodes in
    your local network are running 3.25.5.0 or higher, updating to the
    4.26.1.0 firmware will most likely be a non-event (except for maybe
    improved network stability).

73
The AREDN Team
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