# MeshCore Room Servers # What is a Room Server? ## What is a MeshCore Room Server? A **Room Server** is a store-and-forward bulletin board that runs directly on a LoRa node running MeshCore firmware. It acts as a shared message board for the mesh community - any node that can reach the room server can post and read messages without needing internet access or a central server. The whole point of a room server (versus an ordinary channel) is that it **retains message history**: roaming users who were out of range can come back later and pull the messages they missed, much like an email server. ### Key Characteristics - **Storage:** The room server **retains** message history and pushes it to clients when they connect - a client receives the previous 32 unseen messages on login. (Persistence across a reboot/power cycle depends on your firmware and hardware; do not assume messages survive a power loss without verifying on your firmware version.) - **Access control:** Two passwords - an **admin** password and a **guest** password - plus a per-companion ACL (`setperm `, with levels Guest / Read-only / Read-write / Admin) and a separate `set allow.read.only` flag for unauthenticated read access. - **Repeater hybrid:** A room server can also be configured as a repeater with `set repeat on`, but this is a trade-off - room servers benefit from an indoor location for USB/Bluetooth administration, whereas repeaters perform best with a high external antenna. - **Radio requirements:** The room server's radio preset (frequency/bandwidth/spreading factor/coding rate) must match the rest of the network; otherwise its packets and adverts cannot be received by other nodes. ### Access Control MeshCore room servers use two passwords plus a per-companion ACL - not a single "three-tier" password ladder:
MechanismDefaultPermissions
**Admin password**`password`Full control: manage permissions, delete messages, change all settings
**Guest password**`hello`Read and write messages once authenticated as a guest
**Per-companion ACL** (`setperm`)per nodeLevels: Guest / Read-only / Read-write / Admin
**`set allow.read.only` flag**offWhen enabled, allows unauthenticated read-only access; off by default (no automatic no-password read)
**Warning:** Both default passwords must be changed immediately after first login. The default admin password `password` and guest password `hello` are publicly known. ### Why Room Servers Matter Room servers enable asynchronous community communication entirely over the mesh. A traveler passing through can read recent area messages, a neighborhood can coordinate during a power outage, or volunteers can leave notes for the next person who checks in - all without any internet connection or cellular infrastructure. Because the server stores and re-pushes missed messages, participants do not all need to be in range at the same time. # Room Server Setup & Configuration ### Step 1 - Flash Room Server Firmware Use the MeshCore web flasher at [flasher.meshcore.io](https://flasher.meshcore.io). Select your hardware (e.g., Heltec V3) and choose the **Room Server** firmware variant. ### Step 2 - Connect via Serial or Bluetooth Connect via USB serial at **115200 baud** using a terminal emulator (PuTTY, screen, minicom) or via Bluetooth using the MeshCore companion app. ### Step 3 - Immediate Security: Change Default Passwords Before anything else, change both default passwords. The defaults are publicly documented and must not remain in production: ``` password yourSecureAdminPassword set guest.password yourSecureGuestPassword ``` These are the two passwords a room server uses (admin and guest). For finer control you can also assign per-companion permissions with `setperm ` (Guest / Read-only / Read-write / Admin), and enable unauthenticated read-only access with `set allow.read.only on` (default off). This is a two-password-plus-ACL model, not a single three-tier password ladder. ### Step 4 - Set Node Identity and Location ``` set name MyRoomServer set lat 46.879682 set lon -96.789803 ``` Accurate coordinates allow the room server to appear correctly on network maps and help users gauge how far they are from it. ### Step 5 - Verify Radio Preset The room server's radio settings must match the network. The MeshCore USA/Canada preset (as of 2026-06-08) for most North American MeshCore networks ([NoDakMesh](https://wiki.meshamerica.com/books/north-american-networks/page/nodakmesh), [RegionMesh](https://wiki.meshamerica.com/books/north-american-networks/page/regionmesh), etc.) is: - Frequency: 910.525 MHz - Bandwidth: 62.5 kHz - Spreading Factor: SF7 - Coding Rate: CR5 Prefer applying the named USA/Canada preset from the firmware menu or companion app rather than hand-entering these values - that sets them automatically and avoids landing off the network if the preset has changed. Verify against the current MeshCore preset for your region before relying on the numbers above. ### Step 6 - Optional: Enable Repeat Mode If there is no separate repeater at this location, you can enable packet relay on the room server: ``` set repeat on ``` See **[Dual Deployment: Repeater + Room Server](https://wiki.meshamerica.com/books/room-servers-gateways/page/dual-deployment-repeater-room-server)** for why a dedicated repeater device is preferred over this option. ### Step 7 - Broadcast Presence Trigger an immediate advertisement so other nodes discover the room server without waiting for the next scheduled broadcast: ``` advert ``` ### Complete Configuration Reference ``` set guest.password yourGuestPassword password yourAdminPassword set name MyRoomServer set lat 46.879682 set lon -96.789803 set repeat on # optional: also relay packets advert # broadcast presence immediately ``` # Dual Deployment: Repeater + Room Server ## Dual Deployment: Separate Repeater and Room Server The recommended best practice for any fixed site is to deploy **two separate devices** rather than enabling repeat mode on the room server. ### Why Two Devices? A repeater and a room server have conflicting placement requirements:
DeviceIdeal PlacementWhy
**Repeater**Outdoors, elevated, high external antennaMaximum RF range in all directions
**Room Server**Indoors, near power and USB/BT accessEasy administration, configuration, and monitoring
Forcing one device to do both jobs means compromising on placement - either the repeater antenna is too low, or the room server is too hard to access for administration. ### Recommended Hardware - **Device 1 (Repeater):** Heltec V3 flashed with Repeater firmware + high-gain external antenna (fiberglass omni or directional yagi) - **Device 2 (Room Server):** Heltec V3 flashed with Room Server firmware + stock indoor antenna ### Cost Two Heltec V3 units cost approximately **$54** total (roughly $27 each, as of 2026-06-08; pricing is volatile - verify current street price). This is a minimal investment for a significant capability improvement at a fixed site. ### When Single-Device is Acceptable If budget or space constraints make dual deployment impossible, enabling `set repeat on` on the room server is workable - it simply won't perform as well as a dedicated repeater at height. (`set repeat on` is the documented MeshCore CLI command for the repeater-hybrid mode; confirm against your firmware's CLI help output.) In that case, do your best to place the device near a window or in an elevated location to improve the antenna's line of sight.