๐ Start Here โ Meshtastic Repeaters Guide
This book covers Meshtastic infrastructure nodes - the ROUTER and REPEATER roles (and ROUTER_LATE) - from site selection through deployment, configuration, monitoring, and maintenance. (Note: the older ROUTER_CLIENT role was deprecated and removed in firmware 2.3.15 โ use ROUTER or ROUTER_LATE instead. As of firmware ~2.7.x the REPEATER role is also deprecated; for most infrastructure the current recommendation is ROUTER. See the role pages for details.)
๐ Where to Start
- What is a Meshtastic Repeater?
- ROUTER vs REPEATER vs ROUTER_LATE: When to Use Each - Critical decision before you configure anything. This is the canonical role-decision page; start here for which role to pick.
- Choosing a Repeater Location
A note on the role pages: several pages in this book discuss role selection (Device Roles Explained, the Deep Dive, and Router vs. Repeater: Which to Choose). Treat "ROUTER vs REPEATER vs ROUTER_LATE: When to Use Each" above as the authoritative, current-firmware reference; the other role pages provide background but predate the ROUTER_CLIENT removal (2.3.15) and REPEATER deprecation (~2.7.x), so where they disagree, follow the canonical page.
๐ What's In This Book
Roles and Role Configuration
- Device Roles Explained
- Router & Repeater Roles: Deep Dive
- Rebroadcast Mode: ALL_SKIP_DECODING
- Hop Limit Configuration for Repeaters
- Fixed Position for Repeater Nodes
Site Planning and Setup
- Choosing a Repeater Location
- Antenna and Signal Range Factors
- Initial Setup Walkthrough
- Channel Configuration for Infrastructure Nodes
- Legal Considerations - FCC power and antenna rules before you transmit
Advanced Features
- Store and Forward - Message persistence for offline nodes
- Position and Telemetry for Infrastructure Nodes
Network Reliability and Redundancy
- Designing for Reliability: N+1 Redundancy
- Planned Maintenance Procedures for Live Networks
- Channel Utilization Management
Monitoring and Maintenance
- Remote Monitoring a Meshtastic Repeater
- Firmware Updates on Deployed Repeaters
- Troubleshooting a Misbehaving Repeater
โก๏ธ Related Books
- Meshtastic - Protocol, configuration, and app guide
- Room Servers & Gateways - MQTT gateways
- Solar & Power Systems - Powering outdoor repeaters
- Network Planning - Coverage planning and topology design