Power Optimization Settings

Repeater nodes run with the LoRa radio always on, which is the dominant source of power draw. These settings minimize everything else to extend runtime on battery or solar power.

Disable Bluetooth

Once configured, a dedicated repeater does not need Bluetooth. Disabling it saves power and removes an unnecessary wireless interface.

meshtastic --set bluetooth.enabled false

Disable GPS (REPEATER role handles this automatically)

The REPEATER role does not broadcast position data, so GPS is effectively unused. If your board has a GPS module, you can disable it explicitly:

meshtastic --set position.gps_mode DISABLED

Disable the screen

If your device has a display, set the screen timeout to minimum or disable it entirely. Display backlights draw meaningful power.

meshtastic --set display.screen_on_secs 0

Set appropriate transmit power

Transmit power is the largest variable power draw. Set it to the minimum level needed for your coverage goals. Higher power is not always better — it also increases interference with nearby nodes.

meshtastic --set lora.tx_power 27

(27 dBm = 500 mW; adjust based on your antenna gain and coverage requirements while staying within FCC limits.)

Choose a balanced modem preset

More aggressive long-range presets (like Very Long Slow) increase the time the radio spends transmitting each packet, increasing average power draw. LongFast provides a good balance of range and power efficiency for most deployments.

meshtastic --set lora.modem_preset LONG_FAST

Managed Mode (optional)

For a deployed repeater that should not be reconfigured by whoever is near it, enable managed mode to lock down configuration access. Only CLI/serial access can change settings when this is enabled.

meshtastic --set device.role MANAGED