How far can my node reach?
Range varies enormously by terrain, antenna height, modem preset, and local conditions.
Realistic ranges
| Scenario | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Ground level, dense urban | 200 m - 1 km |
| Ground level, suburban | 0.5 - 2 km |
| Rooftop or upper floor | 2 - 8 km |
| Hilltop to hilltop, clear terrain | 10 - 30 km |
| Mountain repeater to valley | 15 - 40 km |
| Over water (lake, bay) | 30 - 80+ km |
The dominant factor: antenna height
Radio waves travel in straight lines. Elevation beats everything else. Even 3 extra meters of height meaningfully extends the radio horizon. A mediocre antenna on a hilltop outperforms an excellent antenna at ground level.
Best approach: test it
Deploy the node, walk or drive around with a second device, and observe where packets stop arriving. The Meshtastic Range Test module (Config - Module - Range Test) automates this by logging position and signal data to a CSV file.
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