Table of Contents
- User – FAQ
- What is a cell?
- Do I need a domain name?
- Is my data leaving my house?
- What happens if the cell is turned off?
- Can my family use it?
- Is it free?
- How do I get HTTPS without a public domain?
- Can I use it away from home?
- What is split-horizon DNS?
- Do I need to understand networking to use PIC?
- What if something isn't working?
Status: Active | Owner: @roof | Updated: 2026-06-11
User – FAQ
What is a cell?
A cell is a Personal Internet Cell: a small server you run on your own hardware that provides a private VPN, DNS, time (NTP), HTTPS, and optional services like email and file storage. Everything runs on your own machine — no third party involved. See User – Start Here for a full introduction.
Do I need a domain name?
No. In lan mode, your cell works with no domain name and no internet access — it uses an internal certificate authority to issue TLS certificates. If you want an internet-facing cell with a public address and automatic certificates, you can use the free pic.ngo DDNS option, which gives you <your-name>.pic.ngo at no cost.
Is my data leaving my house?
No. All services (email, calendar, file storage) run on your cell hardware. Your data is stored there and stays there. The only outbound traffic is to DNS resolvers, the certificate authority (ACME / Let's Encrypt) for TLS certificate renewal, and your DDNS provider if you use one.
What happens if the cell is turned off?
The VPN disconnects and all services become unreachable until the cell comes back on. Data is safe on disk — nothing is lost. When the cell restarts, everything comes back up automatically (the pic systemd unit starts on boot).
Can my family use it?
Yes. Your admin can add as many peers as they like. Each peer gets their own WireGuard configuration and, if the admin sets it up, their own account on services like email and file storage.
Is it free?
The PIC software is free and open-source. The pic.ngo DDNS subdomain is also free. You pay only for whatever hardware you run the cell on (a Raspberry Pi, an old laptop, or a VPS).
How do I get HTTPS without a public domain?
Use lan mode. The cell runs its own certificate authority and issues TLS certificates internally. You will need to import the cell's CA certificate into your browser and operating system. Ask your admin for the CA certificate file.
Can I use it away from home?
Yes. The cell provides a WireGuard VPN. You connect to your cell from anywhere — a coffee shop, an airport, or another country — and all your traffic goes through your cell's network. See User – Connect to the VPN.
What is split-horizon DNS?
Split-horizon DNS means the same domain name resolves to different addresses depending on whether you are on the VPN or not. Inside the VPN, traffic goes directly through the encrypted tunnel. Outside, it goes through your cell's public IP. You do not need to configure anything — it works automatically.
Do I need to understand networking to use PIC?
As an end user (peer), no. Your admin sets everything up. You install the WireGuard app, import the configuration your admin gives you, and toggle it on. Everything else is automatic.
What if something isn't working?
See User – Troubleshooting for a checklist of common problems and what to tell your admin.
Didn't work? → User – Troubleshooting
Personal Internet Cell
New here?
Users
User – Connect to the VPN User – Use Your Services User – Troubleshooting
Admins
Admin – Overview Admin – Install and First Run Admin – Configure Domains and TLS Admin – Manage Services Admin – Configure Connectivity Admin – Manage Peers Admin – Back Up and Restore Admin – Logging and Audit Admin – Monitor and Troubleshoot
Developers
Dev – Overview Dev – Architecture Dev – Build a Store Service Dev – Service Manifest Reference Dev – API Reference Dev – Testing Dev – Install Internals
Decisions (ADRs)
ADR – 001 Store Images Are Signed and Verified by Cells ADR – 002 Named Connection Instances for Connectivity ADR – 003 All Optional Functionality Ships as Store Services
Meta
Meta – Glossary Meta – Template Runbook Meta – Template ADR
Archive
Archive – User Guide Archive – ADR 004 The Wiki Is the Single Documentation Source