# Pre-Deployment Checklist

## Pre-Deployment Checklist

The single most important rule for emergency mesh communications: **configure and test your equipment before you need it.** A device configured under stress, in the dark, during an emergency will have errors. Do this work now.

### Hardware Preparation

- ☐ Flash current firmware from [flasher.meshcore.io](https://flasher.meshcore.io) (MeshCore) or the Meshtastic flasher
- ☐ Set node name to something identifiable (your callsign or neighborhood)
- ☐ Set GPS coordinates (lat/lon)
- ☐ Change all default passwords on room-server firmware before deployment. Some MeshCore room-server/repeater builds ship with well-known defaults (commonly admin: "password", guest: "hello"), but these are firmware-specific — consult your firmware's documentation for its actual default credentials rather than assuming a specific pair. **CHANGE THESE before any deployment:** anyone within RF range who knows the defaults can otherwise take over the node.
- ☐ Apply the correct regional radio preset (a US/Canada preset for most North American MeshCore networks). The preset name and parameters are firmware-version dependent — match the current MeshCore preset for your region and confirm it stays within the legal 902–928 MHz band plan.
- ☐ Attach and secure external antenna
- ☐ Verify the node appears on a network map (map.meshcore.dev or meshmap.net)

### Connectivity Testing

- ☐ Confirm channel/preset matches your local network
- ☐ Test two-way communication with at least one other known node
- ☐ Test from multiple locations (indoors, outdoors, vehicle)
- ☐ Confirm room server (if deployed) accepts messages from client nodes
- ☐ Verify MQTT gateway (if present) is publishing to broker

### Infrastructure

- ☐ Consider a permanent rooftop or elevated repeater for neighborhood coverage - install before an emergency while conditions are normal
- ☐ Ensure permanent repeaters have reliable power (ideally with UPS or battery backup)
- ☐ Document all node locations, hardware, and configurations in a shared document accessible to your emergency team

### Team Preparation

- ☐ Train all team members on the companion app before deployment
- ☐ Establish and communicate channel names and passwords to all participants in advance
- ☐ Assign a "mesh coordinator" role responsible for network status during an event
- ☐ Export config backup and store separately from the device

### Realistic Range Expectations

These are best-case, line-of-sight estimates, not guarantees. Handheld and indoor use will be much shorter. Always confirm your real range by testing before you rely on it.

<table id="bkmrk-scenariotypical-rang"> <thead><tr><th>Scenario</th><th>Typical Range</th></tr></thead> <tbody> <tr><td>Urban direct (street level)</td><td>~1 - 3 km typical; up to ~5 km in favorable line-of-sight conditions</td></tr> <tr><td>Suburban rooftop-to-rooftop</td><td>5 - 15 km with clear line of sight / rooftop elevation</td></tr> <tr><td>Rural / hilltop-to-hilltop</td><td>20 - 50+ km (50+ km requires elevated, clear-LOS endpoints with near-ideal Fresnel-zone clearance)</td></tr> <tr><td>With mesh hops through repeaters</td><td>Extends coverage, but each hop adds latency and consumes shared airtime, and Meshtastic caps routing at 7 hops — it is not unlimited.</td></tr> </tbody></table>