Device Roles Explained

Meshtastic devices can be assigned one of several roles that control how they participate in the mesh. Choosing the right role for your repeater affects network behavior, power consumption, and visibility.

CLIENT (default)

The standard role for personal devices.devices, and the role official Meshtastic guidance recommends for the overwhelming majority of ordinary nodes. A CLIENT node sends and receives messages via the app and participates in relaying -(managed flooding): it willrebroadcasts a packet only when no other node has already done so. If a CLIENT hears another node rebroadcast packetsa whenpacket first, it determinesdefers it is the best node to do so. CLIENTsand will not rebroadcast ait messageitself.

they

A haveCLIENT also ignores any packet (tracked by Packet ID) it has already heardreceived, twice,so toa preventgiven flooding.packet is never relayed twice by the same node. This managed-flooding behavior is what prevents broadcast storms.

Best for: personal devices carried by users.users, and most ordinary stationary nodes.

REPEATER

A dedicated relay node. REPEATER is deprecated as of firmware ~2.7.x and is no longer recommended as the default for new infrastructure (see "Which role should I choose?" below). Key behaviors:

• AggressivelyRebroadcasts rebroadcasts alleach valid packetspacket once, with higher priority - it receives,does withoutnot waitingdefer to other nodes the way a CLIENT does - subject to channel-activity detection (it still waits for the channel to be clear)
• Does not appear in the node list - it sends no NodeInfo, so it is anonymous on the mesh and keeps the network list clean
• Does not broadcast its own GPS or node info (saves power and network bandwidth)
• SupportsDoes not force power-saving sleep (its radio stays active)

Can be paired with the ALL_SKIP_DECODING rebroadcast mode (see Configuration chapter) for maximum efficiency (see below)

Note: ALL_SKIP_DECODING is a device.rebroadcast_mode value - a separate setting from the device role - that relays packets without decrypting them, so a REPEATER can forward traffic on channels whose PSK it does not hold. Role and rebroadcast mode are independent settings; REPEATER is not "formerly ALL_SKIP_DECODING."

Best for: fixed,legacy unattendeddeployments on older firmware where an anonymous, node-list-invisible relay nodes where visibility is notspecifically needed.wanted. For new infrastructure, prefer ROUTER.

ROUTER

AlsoThe arecommended dedicatedrole relayfor node,stationary, butwell-placed withcommunity oneinfrastructure keynodes. difference from REPEATER: aA ROUTER is visible in the node list and broadcastsoriginates its own nodeNodeInfo info (and GPS position.position Thisif configured), which makes it trackable and useful for network monitoring,monitoring. A ROUTER automatically enables power-saving sleep (this cannot be turned off) and defaults its app connectivity - BLE, Wi-Fi, and Serial - to OFF, so you don't normally text it directly even though it can still originate and receive messages at the costprotocol oflevel. slightlyIt higheris powerdesigned draw.for stationary, well-placed nodes.

Best for: fixed community infrastructure and backbone relay nodes where you want visibility on the network mapand orreliable remote monitoring.rebroadcasting.

ROUTER_LATE

A strategicrelay backuprole relay.that Itrebroadcasts waitsonly forafter all other nodes have had a chance to rebroadcastdo first,so only- relayingit ifis nonot a prioritized router. It defers to every other node hasand donerelays so.last, Thiswhich reduces redundant transmissions in dense areas while still ensuring coverage in gaps. Use it for nodes that should rebroadcast only after others.

Best for: filling specific dead spots in a network that already has primary coverage.coverage, or as a deliberately low-priority backup relay.

Comparison table

Role	Visible in node list	Rebroadcast strategy	Prioritized routing	Sends own data	Power
CLIENT	Yes	OpportunisticDeferred (managed flooding)	No	Yes (if set)	Moderate
REPEATER (deprecated)	No	Always,Once, aggressivehigher priority, no deferral	Yes	No	High (LoRa alwaysactive, on)no force-sleep)
ROUTER	Yes	Always,Once, aggressivehigher priority, no deferral	Yes	HighYes	Force (LoRapower-saving alwayssleep; on)app radios off by default
ROUTER_LATE	Yes	After all other nodes	No (relays last)	Yes	High (LoRa always on)

Note: appearing on a public map such as meshmap.net is independent of role - it requires an MQTT uplink to the internet (a gateway), not a particular device role.

Which role should I choose?

• For most ordinary nodes, official Meshtastic guidance is to leave the role at CLIENT.

Use REPEATERROUTER for afixed, clean,well-placed silent,community efficientinfrastructure relaythat nodeshould rebroadcast reliably and appear on the network - this is the recommended choice for mostbackbone deployments.nodes. Use ROUTERREPEATER ifis deprecated as of firmware ~2.7.x and is no longer recommended as a default; reserve it for legacy firmware or the narrow case where you specifically want thean nodeanonymous, tonode-list-invisible appear on the map and broadcast its position.relay. Use ROUTER_LATE for a backup node in an area that already has primary coverage.coverage, where you want it to relay only after every other node.