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Buried within the settings of Apple’s iOS 7 is a feature that could revolutionise how we communicate. Called the Multipeer Connectivity Framework (MCF), it lets you send messages and photos even when a person has no signal. Now a group of developers has created a free iPhone app called FireChat that takes advantage of this feature - and it even works over long distances. The FireChat app was developed by the crowdsourced firm Open Garden. When a user opens the app, they can pick a screen name to start sending messages.  Within the app there are 'chatrooms' with 'Everyone' and 'Nearby' options. The former will search for all users, while the latter option applies to people within Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range who are also using the app. This is particularly useful when on a plane, or the underground. It can also be used to save money on data plans, for example. Apple added MCF to its iOS 7 software last year. It creates what is called a wireless mesh network that connects phones to each other. In 'Nearby' mode, instead of sending messages using a mobile or data signal, the feature lets users send messages to people in close proximity that are in Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct range - up to around 30 feet (9 metres). It does this by creating a localised network in which each phone becomes a node, and the data is passed between nodes. Apple uses the framework for its AirDrop feature, for example, which makes it easy to send files and data to other connected iPhone users.   These messages are sent securely, so the individual nodes can’t read them. Users can also send messages anonymously to avoid snooping, for example, because data is sent from app usernames, as opposed to mobile numbers. Elsewhere, because the feature doesn’t use an internet connection, it can’t be infiltrated by hackers. The 'Everyone' Setting allows people to send information further however. It does this by bringing all its nodes onto one network and relaying messages from one node to another until it reaches the final recipient. It is not known whether there is a maximum distance the app will work within, and in theory it will work wherever there are nodes, but MailOnline has contacted the company to find out more. The distance a message can be sent is probably dependent on whether a given region has the nodes needed to relay the messages. Nodes are simply a vehicle for passing data along a network. On a traditional internet network any device that’s connected to the network is also called a node. For example, if a network has a phone, tablet, two computers and a printer connected to it there are five nodes on the network. Each of these devices have a network address which is used to uniquely identify each one. This helps keep track of where data is being transferred to and from on the network. There is an Android version of the mesh networking feature, developed by Open Garden, but it is not a chat app and is instead used for file sharing. Dailymail
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