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Show HN: WebRTC signalling data using QR codes

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Re: Show HN: WebRTC signalling data using QR codes

#21

Post by AquiGorka »

phiresky wrote: post #16

Similar project of mine that connects a phone to a PC browser using a WebRTC QR code so you can use a pen / touch on the phone to create drawings on the desktop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvsm84xL9Sk ( https://github.com/phiresky/webrtc-remote-touch-pen-input ) Sadly it needs a (tiny) server component to exchange the initial connection information - using a QR code in both directions is smart, but also pretty a…

I hear you. It is not the best user experience I agree, but it does take away the (tiny) server component. I will try to improve the experience.

And by the way, cool idea to use the pen on the smartphone.

Re: Show HN: WebRTC signalling data using QR codes

#24

Post by AquiGorka »

cjbprime wrote: post #17
AquiGorka wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wasn't able to get all the info into one QR code, so I used a series of them (looping) to send all the data. I figure I can use this approach to send files too.

> I figure I can use this approach to send files too. Or, you could send the files over WebRTC datachannels after establishing the connection!

For sure, I am just interested in pushing this experiment and see how far it can go.

Re: Show HN: WebRTC signalling data using QR codes

#26

Post by garlicfish »

Nice!

I also now of this Android App that uses WebRTC Audio/Video without server (no Internet or DHCP needed): https://github.com/dakhnod/Meshenger

I made a submission, in case somebody likes to discuss the need for serverless WebRTC: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18203495

(Disclaimer: I am not the author of the App, but I helped out a bit)

Re: Show HN: WebRTC signalling data using QR codes

#27

Post by AquiGorka »

kodablah wrote: post #25

I've wondered about other signalling mechanisms. I figure you could use a DHT (js-ipfs/js-libp2p or webtorrent BT mainline) and put the offer directly on the DHT (AES'd?) or if it's too big to be a key, seed it as the stored value for its hash using those systems.

I've worked with `js-ipfs` and their `js-libp2p`, they use a signalling server (actually two types of them):

- https://github.com/libp2p/js-libp2p-webrtc-star

- https://github.com/libp2p/js-libp2p-websocket-star

That would be going back to using a server for the handshake.

In regards to using a DHT, that's something I have not researched. I am not sure how long an offer is valid, were you thinking of being able to update them as needed whenever you want to establish a connection?

Re: Show HN: WebRTC signalling data using QR codes

#28

Post by AquiGorka »

garlicfish wrote: post #26

Nice! I also now of this Android App that uses WebRTC Audio/Video without server (no Internet or DHCP needed): https://github.com/dakhnod/Meshenger I made a submission, in case somebody likes to discuss the need for serverless WebRTC: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18203495 (Disclaimer: I am not the author of the App, but I helped out a bit)

> Contacts are found by taking the devices own IPv6 addresses and replacing the devices own MAC address by the contacts MAC address.

You require the devices to be on the same network for this to work right?

Re: Show HN: WebRTC signalling data using QR codes

#29

Post by kodablah »

AquiGorka wrote: post #27
kodablah wrote: post #25

I've wondered about other signalling mechanisms. I figure you could use a DHT (js-ipfs/js-libp2p or webtorrent BT mainline) and put the offer directly on the DHT (AES'd?) or if it's too big to be a key, seed it as the stored value for its hash using those systems.

I've worked with `js-ipfs` and their `js-libp2p`, they use a signalling server (actually two types of them): - https://github.com/libp2p/js-libp2p-webrtc-star - https://github.com/libp2p/js-libp2p-websocket-star That would be going back to using a server for the handshake. In regards to using a DHT, that's something I have not researched. I am not sure how long an offer is valid, were you thinking of being able to up…

> In regards to using a DHT, that's something I have not researched. I am not sure how long an offer is valid, were you thinking of being able to update them as needed whenever you want to establish a connection?

Yes. I have toyed with js-libp2p to obtain "providers" based on a key, but I believe the part of js-libp2p that allows you to participate in the DHT isn't quite done [0]. I imagine you'd make a CID that would be a simple hash of some shared string. Then you'd tell the network you are a "provider" with that CID, and when requested, you give the offer (AES'd w/ shared string or other shared secret?). The client can just connect to the same DHT and give the hash and get the (encrypted?) offer. Not sure if IPFS has a way for me to prevent other people from serving/replicating the CID I am serving instead of forcing it to be a hash of the content. A similar approach can happen on BT mainline w/ an infohash maybe.

0 - https://github.com/ipfs/js-ipfs/pull/856

Re: Show HN: WebRTC signalling data using QR codes

#30

Post by AquiGorka »

kodablah wrote: post #29
AquiGorka wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've worked with `js-ipfs` and their `js-libp2p`, they use a signalling server (actually two types of them): - https://github.com/libp2p/js-libp2p-webrtc-star - https://github.com/libp2p/js-libp2p-websocket-star That would be going back to using a server for the handshake. In regards to using a DHT, that's something I have not researched. I am not sure how long an offer is valid, were you thinking of being able to up…

> In regards to using a DHT, that's something I have not researched. I am not sure how long an offer is valid, were you thinking of being able to update them as needed whenever you want to establish a connection? Yes. I have toyed with js-libp2p to obtain "providers" based on a key, but I believe the part of js-libp2p that allows you to participate in the DHT isn't quite done [0]. I imagine you'd make a CID that woul…

Thank you for sharing, will keep an eye out for that thread.

I did some research a year ago (https://aquigorka.net/post/how-to-find-peers-in-the-decentra...) and going back to it I found this repo that uses the DHT to connect peers: https://github.com/mafintosh/peer-network

The author is one of the main contributors to the Dat project so I'll do some catching up to see what they've come up with.

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