MeshCore Repeater Diagnostics via Serial Console

The MeshCore serial console provides direct access to repeater state and diagnostic information. Connecting via USB to a deployed repeater is the most reliable way to diagnose problems that cannot be addressed remotely. 

 Connecting to the Serial Console 
 On Windows: use PuTTY or the Arduino Serial Monitor. On Linux/Mac: use screen or minicom . 
 # Linux/Mac
screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200

# Windows (PuTTY): Connection Type = Serial, Speed = 115200, COM port varies 
 Most MeshCore boards use 115200 baud. Some RAK boards use a different baud rate - check the MeshCore documentation for your specific hardware. 

 Key Diagnostic Commands 
 
 Command Output Use for 
 
 status Radio config, firmware version, uptime, battery voltage Overall health check 
 contacts Known nodes with last-heard timestamps Verify which nodes are reaching this repeater 
 stats Packet counts: received, forwarded, dropped Identify routing problems 
 rssi RSSI of last received packet Signal quality to nearest node 
 log Recent event log Identify errors and unusual events 
 reboot (restarts device) Recover from hung state 
 
 

 Interpreting Stats Output 
 The stats command is the most useful diagnostic tool. A healthy repeater shows: 
 
 High forward rate - Most received packets should be forwarded (repeater is doing its job) 
 Low drop rate - Packets are dropped when hop count reaches 0, or when the packet has already been seen (deduplication). Some drops are normal; a very high drop rate indicates many duplicate packets (possible routing loop) or very high hop packets being cut off 
 Increasing received count over time - Confirms the repeater is hearing traffic from the network 
 

 Common Issues and Diagnostics 
 
 Symptom Check Fix 
 
 Received count stays at zero Check antenna connection, verify preset matches network Reconnect antenna; verify preset with status 
 Forward count zero despite receives Verify device is running repeater firmware variant Reflash with repeater firmware 
 Battery voltage declining Check solar panel output, charge controller LVD setting Clean panel, verify charge controller settings 
 Rebooting frequently Check for low battery voltage causing brownout Size battery correctly; check charge controller 
 Not appearing in client node list Advertisement hops may be zero; check status Set advert_hops 3 for network-wide visibility