# LilyGo T-Beam Setup Guide

<div id="bkmrk-%E2%9A%A0-antenna-safety-%E2%80%94-a" style="background:#fff3cd;border:2px solid #ffc107;padding:12px 16px;margin-bottom:20px;">**⚠ ANTENNA SAFETY - ALL DEVICES:** Always connect an antenna **before** powering on or transmitting with any LoRa device - this is good practice on every board. On the T-Beam's **SX1262**, the radio has improved antenna-mismatch tolerance, so a brief transmission without an antenna is less likely to cause instant damage than on older PA/front-end boards; nonetheless, transmitting without an antenna can still stress the radio, so make antenna-before-power a firm habit. (The "permanent damage from a brief TX" risk is most acute on PA/FEM-equipped boards.) </div>## LilyGo T-Beam - Setup Guide

The T-Beam is a compact ESP32-based node with built-in GPS and a holder for a standard 18650 lithium cell. It is important to verify the radio variant (SX1262 vs SX1276) before purchasing, as this affects firmware compatibility.

### Specifications

<table id="bkmrk-attributevalue-mcues" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;"> <tr><th style="background:#f0f0f0;width:35%;">Attribute</th><th>Value</th></tr> <tr><td>MCU</td><td>ESP32</td></tr> <tr><td>Radio</td><td>SX1262 on the current T-Beam v1.1 / v1.2 (US/EU); some older revisions shipped the SX1276. Read the radio chip off your board and confirm against LILYGO's product page before flashing. (The T-Beam Supreme uses the SX1262; the SX1268 is the ~470 MHz China-band part.)</td></tr> <tr><td>GPS</td><td>Built-in</td></tr> <tr><td>Battery</td><td>18650 holder (cell not included)</td></tr> <tr><td>Power Management</td><td>AXP192 or AXP2101 chip</td></tr> <tr><td>Price</td><td>$35 - 45 (volatile; confirm against a current LILYGO/Rokland listing, as of 2026-06-08)</td></tr> <tr><td>Strengths</td><td>Compact with GPS, familiar form factor, replaceable 18650</td></tr></table>

<div id="bkmrk-%E2%9A%A0-critical-%E2%80%94-verify-" style="background:#f8d7da;border:2px solid #dc3545;padding:12px 16px;margin:16px 0;"> **⚠ CRITICAL - Verify Radio Variant Before Purchasing:**  
 The T-Beam is sold with two different radio chips: - **SX1262** - Current standard. Full firmware support for both MeshCore and Meshtastic. Preferred for new builds.
- **SX1276** - The legacy radio. Still supported in Meshtastic/MeshCore, but being phased out, so the SX1262 is preferred for new purchases.
 
 Selecting the wrong firmware variant during flashing will result in a blank/non-functional screen. Confirm your hardware version before flashing. </div>### Driver Installation

- **Windows:** The required driver depends on your board's USB-to-UART chip. Recent T-Beams ship a **CH9102F** chip, which needs the **CH9102/CH34x driver**; older boards use a **CP2102**, which needs the **CP210x driver** from Silicon Labs. Check Device Manager (or the chip marking on the board) to confirm which one you have.
- **macOS &amp; Linux:** Built-in - no driver needed.

### Entering Bootloader / DFU Mode

**Method 1 - From powered-off state:**

1. Hold the **BOOT** button (labeled "IO0" on some hardware versions).
2. Plug in the USB cable while holding BOOT.
3. Release BOOT after ~2 seconds.

**Method 2 - From powered-on state:**

1. Hold the **BOOT** button.
2. Briefly press and release the **RST** button.
3. Release the BOOT button.

### Firmware Flashing

1. Enter bootloader mode.
2. Open Chrome or Edge and navigate to: 
    - **MeshCore:** [flasher.meshcore.io](https://flasher.meshcore.io) (the canonical MeshCore web flasher)
    - **Meshtastic:** [flasher.meshtastic.org](https://flasher.meshtastic.org)
3. Select the T-Beam variant that matches your radio chip: 
    - **T-Beam (SX1262)** for current hardware
    - **T-Beam (SX1276)** for older hardware
4. Click **Flash**. Do not disconnect during the process.

### Post-Flash Configuration

1. GPS initializes and begins acquiring satellites automatically.
2. Set **region to US** via the Bluetooth app.
3. The AXP192/AXP2101 power management chip handles battery charging automatically and provides charge/discharge protection.
4. **Use good-quality flat-top (unprotected) 18650 cells.** The T-Beam holder is sized for **unprotected flat-top** cells - protected cells are longer and generally will not fit, and may also trip on transmit current spikes. The board's AXP PMIC provides charge/discharge protection. Buy quality cells from a reputable brand, and in cold deployments never charge any lithium cell below 0 °C (32 °F).

### Known Quirks

- **SX1262 vs SX1276 variant selection is critical** - the wrong radio firmware leaves a blank/non-functional screen. (Distinct from a wrong-PMIC mismatch, where the board may appear to boot but the battery will not charge.)
- On some hardware versions the GPS antenna is located under the screen - avoid placing metal objects directly on the display area.
- The BOOT button may be labeled "IO0" on older PCB revisions.