What Happens to Your Bitcoin Knowledge When You Lose Access to the Internet?

[TheUltraElite]

Not just Internet but loss of access to electricity as well.

Now I might remind you that loss of electricity means loss of all types of digital payment systems only physical fiat would remain working.

But the closure of internet in any part of the world is a massive blow on the democracy and free speech. Because of this bitcoin will no longer be the main point of the problem anymore. The country has a large number of things running on the internet that deals with human life like traffic, hospitals which would be affected first and governments would work on that more than bitcoin.

Hence the condition that would lead to stopping of the internet would rather be much less likely knowing these consequences and hence can be kept outside our mind to ponder about.

[bitbollo]

People without internet access for several days may find it difficult to.
...

Storage of keys would not change anything internet or not internet.  Meanwhile you can broadcast/transmit a transaction also without internet.  For example the blockstream satellite, bluetooth connection between mobiles or in Kenya they are using the SMS network.
There are also many ways or different softwares to verify blockchain/data receivied.
A limit on data bandwitch would clearly create a slow/latency on receiving those crucial info - if you don't load certain block you can' see your coins.  There would always be a different speed between softwares (to plain it simple) hence a different safety since you have to rely on third party information and not having your node.
Probably there would be always a compromise.  It's evident that a "corrupt internet" would bring to rely ONLY in a full blockchain and not just a mirror of data or rely in a third party. 

[noorman0]

It would be better to phrase the question more clearly, @OP: how can one obtain the latest status while offline locally?

But the fundamental question is: how do I instruct someone to send me Bitcoin without an internet connection? I don’t think any new deals will even happen while things are offline. Suppose I have a regular transaction;  I wouldn’t be able to do anything else with the bitcoin I’ve received other than wait until I have internet access.

[Dr.Bitcoin_Strange]

Moreover, there are still alternative ways to send and receive Bitcoin if your cellular network was out. It's some kind of intermediary gateway and most of them support SMS and USSD. They basically just use the LN integration to broadcast your transactions for you.

How can you send and receive SMS and even proceed with USSD when there no cellular network on your mobile? Assuming your phone has cellular network outage including everyone else's phone in that region, what intermediary gateway can help you send a normal SMS?  Meanwhile your phone needs a way to connect to the messaging service.

[Lontor]

When the internet goes down what needs fixing is your internet not Bitcoin, I will also like to tell you that you can still send Bitcoin offline and it will work, if I find myself in this situation I am fixing the internet.

Let's say something suddenly gets wrong with your country's internet providers you can get on StarLink and others like StarLink and keep connected to the internet.

There is another way called eSiM too, just get one available with internet data and when the cutout occurs you can grab your eSIM and start browsing, it's very easy..

[Sandra_hakeem]

Moreover, there are still alternative ways to send and receive Bitcoin if your cellular network was out. It's some kind of intermediary gateway and most of them support SMS and USSD. They basically just use the LN integration to broadcast your transactions for you.

How can you send and receive SMS and even proceed with USSD when there no cellular network on your mobile? Assuming your phone has cellular network outage including everyone else's phone in that region, what intermediary gateway can help you send a normal SMS?  Meanwhile your phone needs a way to connect to the messaging service.

You're correct. It's impossible to proceed with any USSD or SMS when there's a complete outage. The carrier depends on the network for that purpose, but the topic says something very different: OP was referring to "Internet outage", not cellular network outage. I don't even know where you got that from?

This was the question:

Did you ever think about what you'd do if the internet went down for a long time?

I suppose your Bitcoin knowledge stays. I'm sure they aren't stored online.

The topic got me lmao too 

If the internet is gone for a long time and not only in your locality, region, or country but the entire world, your Bitcoin wouldn't be at the top of your worries. The world would collapse to a great extent.

I'm trying to imagine the level of panic if that happened globally all at once? Phone lines would max their broadbands due to calls from here and there.

[Rruchi man]

Did you ever think about what you'd do if the internet went down for a long time?

I will probably be restless for the first few days, and if it continues, I will slowly adjust and find other things to be engaged in as well as others who will be affected. Something else will fill the vacuum.

Knowledge about Bitcoin will not be lost; I already know what I know. It is just that the knowledge may no longer be useful if the internet never comes back up, which the chances of happening are super slim.

[tbct_mt2]

Not just Internet but loss of access to electricity as well.

Now I might remind you that loss of electricity means loss of all types of digital payment systems only physical fiat would remain working.

But the closure of internet in any part of the world is a massive blow on the democracy and free speech. Because of this bitcoin will no longer be the main point of the problem anymore. The country has a large number of things running on the internet that deals with human life like traffic, hospitals which would be affected first and governments would work on that more than bitcoin.

The Internet loss will be temporary if there is nothing very severe happens with this planet but if the world comes to that extremely severity, will Bitcoin still be important with us?
We might have to take care of our physical safety and our life rather than Bitcoin, and I am very realistic with this vision.

In contrast, if Internet loss is only temporary, it will be resumed later, and things will be back to normal. Otherwise, there are solutions like off-grid as follows.
[Total privacy Bitcoin]: off grid Transactions LoRaWan/goTenna.

[Lucano]

If the internet goes down for a long time, I won't do anything if my bitcoins are stored in a private wallet. There's no point in moving them because my bitcoins will be safe in my wallet, I can only wait for the internet to recover if I want to cash them out, because exchanges require an internet connection, few people will want to store bitcoins offline and it's hard to find them, knowledge about bitcoin will never die even if bitcoin itself dies.

[Nothingtodo]

What will happen to everyone will happen to me, especially if the internet goes off all over the world, then I will no longer be able to access all my knowledge that is saved online. But what is saved offline, that is, written in a notebook, may be saved even if there is no internet connection. However, I will lose access to my Bitcoin online wallet forever because they cannot be accessed offline without being online. And if the internet connection is permanently disconnected or lost, I will also not be able to access my BitcoinTalk account.

[Pandu Geddon]

A disconnected internet does not mean that the internet has disappeared from today's civilization. We just need to wait for the internet network to be restored, and temporarily being unable to access a Bitcoin wallet is not a big problem. Maybe in the event of a natural disaster that cuts off electricity and the internet network, but at a certain time we can access it again. What is needed is that we do not lose access to the wallet.

[Multani Boy]

A disconnected internet does not mean that the internet has disappeared from today's civilization. We just need to wait for the internet network to be restored, and temporarily being unable to access a Bitcoin wallet is not a big problem. Maybe in the event of a natural disaster that cuts off electricity and the internet network, but at a certain time we can access it again. What is needed is that we do not lose access to the wallet.

Bitcoin Core also supports signing transactions on an offline machine and then later on a connected machine, broadcasting the transaction.

Having access to the wallet is important, but having a seed phrase isn’t going to do you much good in the way of actually broadcasting a transaction, or even checking the latest status of a transaction you already made, if you have no way of communicating with the network. I think having some sort of alternate means of connectivity would be important alongside keeping a backup of your wallet safe, especially if you’re worried about an internet outage long enough to make a difference.

[MisFoxie]

The internet may be shut down for a long time in some specific countries. For example during a war some countries shut down their internet connections. Recent iran war is an example.

At that time since there is no internet connection to broadcast Bitcoin transaction we will not be able to make transactions through Bitcoin even if we want to.

Even during a war all kinds of activities in the country continue as before. But Because of no internet banks or other internet connected companies will remain closed.

Since people need money to move around bank money will also be of no use during this time. Bitcoin cryptocurrency will not be useful. Only physical cash, physical gold and other properties will be useful.

[macson]

It happened to me before. All internet access couldn't be reached because the electricity in my city was disrupted. People couldn't access ATMs or use their devices due to the lack of network. It was such a terrible day because the roads were jammed and people were going to places where they could get electricity and clean water. 

And that was just in one city for only about a day. Imagine if it happened on a larger scale. I think one thing you'd worry more about would be yourself first, not your Bitcoin, since that should be safe --- whereas right now the internet is so needed, and losing access to it can be really bad.

[ruykeri]

I think this seems like just a fantasy, which is unlikely to actually happen. Maybe for some reason, the internet of an area or a country may be shut down for a certain period of time. But it is almost impossible for the entire world's internet system to be shut down. And now the process of providing internet services through satellite has been started. So in the future, the internet system will become even stronger. And let's just think the entire world's internet system is shut down. If everything goes offline, then people will live only for what they need to survive. Because at that time, the entire world's financial system will collapse. Then, people will not be able to buy anything if they have money. Worldwide business and trade will stop. A kind of economic disaster will come upon the entire world. Then, in fact, it will become difficult for people to survive. At that time, no kind of wealth will actually be useful. And since this is impossible to happen, there is no doubt that the bitcoin network will always be active. Logically, people will never want the world's internet system to be shut down.

[promise444c5]

You mean the a global internet outage? Bitcoin will probably be the least thing to worry about IF  that should ever happen.. The Bitcoin are stilll intact anyway so there’s literally zero choice than to wait till everyone can have access to the internet once again.

If you mean individual/ region that never affects anything.. just wait it out or pack your bags and move to a different region..

[Alphakilo]

It would be better to phrase the question more clearly, @OP: how can one obtain the latest status while offline locally?

But the fundamental question is: how do I instruct someone to send me Bitcoin without an internet connection? I don’t think any new deals will even happen while things are offline. Suppose I have a regular transaction;  I wouldn’t be able to do anything else with the bitcoin I’ve received other than wait until I have internet access.

The only thing that can work without access to Internet is generation of keys and signing of transactions which is secured on your hardware but, miners can't process it without Internet access.
So that means the Internet is important but the Blockchain won't be dead but actively waiting for a restoration before any transactions is completed.

[moneystery]

I'm sure that my knowledge of Bitcoin will remain the same even if I don't have access to the internet. It's the internet that's inaccessible, not my brain losing memory, so it should still be in my mind.
But regarding the internet being down, I think that would be a really serious problem. Because we're so dependent on it to send messages, access information, and so many other things. Maybe your Bitcoin will remain safe on the network because once the internet is back, you can still access it again. But the real problem is when you want to access your money in the bank, or inform your parents about your situation; that's probably what you should be more worried about.

[terrific]

It is crucial to keep private keys safe. But it is also essential to know the methods of wallet recovery and checking transaction status. Did you ever think about what you'd do if the internet went down for a long time?

It is not crucial at all if it's about keeping it safe without internet access.
We create back ups and internet isn't really an essential on how we keep it. And for the recovery of it, the process is very simple.
You wait until the internet comes back but at what situation will we have no access at all? when fiber cable lines under the ocean will be destroyed? we still have satellites.
Alternatives are there and there's no need to put too much worry into things you have no power to manage.

[henmark]

When we talk about Bitcoin security, decentralization. And self custody. We don't often consider what we are doing to be ready for a long period of an Internet outage.

I'd say different technologies are suitable for different generations. We can't go back to stone age and expect bitcoin to still be useful. Because during those era, their were no infrastructure to execute such technology, so it is impossible for bitcoin to exist then.

Its definitely the same now, if  you do not have access to the Internet then the technology won't be useful enough to you until your Internet connection is restored. There was a period @pooya87 wasn't active in the forum due to the war in Iran because their government restricted Internet access temporarily, I guess he is in the best position to answer this question.

I always found it funny whenever people make Hollywood-type "what ifs "s. What if the internet is out for a very long time? Why would it? This is not Vin Diesel and The Rock going toe to toe; this is not a movie; this is not some high-tech sci-fi that you are shooting in LA; this is real life. In real life, you are not going to see really long periods of the internet being out. Worst case, you could have a couple of hours, but then it would be fixed. And even if you have it out for a long time at one place, you could have it running very well at another place.