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MeshCore Repeater Name and Identity

Every MeshCore repeater broadcasts an identity advertisement that makes it visible to the network. Setting a meaningful name and position makes your repeater useful to the wider community.

Setting a Repeater Name

The repeater name appears in client apps when users are selecting which repeaters to contact or route through. Use a consistent naming convention for community repeaters:

  • Geographic convention - Name by location: W5ABC-Mt-Wilson, K6XYZ-Oakland-Hills, WA7QRS-Snoqualmie
  • Grid square convention - Used by some communities: DM04-Repeater-1
  • Descriptive - Simple but clear: Downtown-SF-Roof, I-5-Corridor-N

Configure via the MeshCore app or serial console:

set name MyRepeaterName

Keep names under 20 characters for best display compatibility across client apps.

Setting Geographic Position

Position data is included in flood advertisements, making your repeater visible on network maps and helping operators understand coverage. Configure with decimal degrees:

set lat 37.7749
set lon -122.4194
set alt 52

Altitude is in meters above sea level. Accurate position data helps network planners understand repeater height and expected coverage radius. Use your deployment coordinates, not your home address - the position is broadcast to the entire network.

Advertisement Configuration

Control how and how often your repeater announces itself:

set advert_interval 720

Value is in minutes. Default 720 (12 hours) is appropriate for stable, permanent deployments. Reduce to 60 minutes during initial deployment to confirm the repeater is appearing in client apps; return to 720 minutes for steady-state operation to minimize network load.

Flood vs Local Advertisement

set advert_hops 3

advert_hops 0 - advertisement is only visible to nodes in direct radio range (local-only repeater). advert_hops 3 - advertisement propagates 3 hops through the mesh, making the repeater discoverable to distant nodes. Use flood advertisements for public community repeaters; use local-only for private or testing nodes.

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