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ROUTER vs ROUTER_CLIENT vs REPEATER: When to Use Each
Meshtastic offers three primary infrastructure node roles, each with distinct behaviors for packet forwarding, position broadcasting, and power management. Choosing the wrong role for your hardware leads to either wasted bandwidth or poor coverage. Role Behav...
MeshCore Routing Deep Dive
Technical deep-dive into MeshCore path-based routing: RREQ/RREP protocol mechanics, comparison with Meshtastic flooding, and optimization guidance for large-scale deployments.
MeshCore Encryption Overview
This page summarizes MeshCore's encryption as verified from the official source code. The key facts: AES-128 symmetric encryption, ECDH key exchange using Ed25519 keys transposed to X25519, and HMAC-SHA256 for message authentication. Verified Encryption Summa...
Understanding ECDH Key Exchange in MeshCore
Understanding ECDH Key Exchange in MeshCore Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) is the cryptographic mechanism MeshCore uses to establish a shared secret between two nodes without that secret ever being transmitted over the radio. This page explains the under...
Channel Security and Private Networks
Channel Security and Private Networks MeshCore's channel system organizes mesh traffic into communities of interest. Understanding what public and private mean in the MeshCore context is essential for anyone deploying MeshCore in environments where confidentia...
MeshCore Routing: Flood-First, Direct-Route-After
This page describes MeshCore's routing mechanism as verified from docs/packet_format.md in the official MeshCore repository. Note: earlier versions of this page incorrectly used AODV terminology (RREQ/RREP). MeshCore does not use that terminology or protocol. ...
Optimizing MeshCore for Large Networks
Optimizing MeshCore for Large NetworksDeploying MeshCore at scale of 50 or more nodes requires deliberate planning of repeater placement, advertisement strategy, route cache parameters, and congestion avoidance.Repeater Placement for Path DiversityPath diversi...
SWR, VSWR, and Return Loss Explained
Before deploying an antenna on your mesh node, understanding how to measure and interpret antenna performance can save you from poor coverage or potential hardware damage. What is SWR? Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) — more precisely Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VS...
Field Antenna Testing Without Lab Equipment
Professional antenna testing requires a vector network analyzer and anechoic chamber. Field testing with simple tools can still tell you whether an antenna is working as expected for your deployment. The Two-Node RSSI Test The most practical field test for co...
Fixed Infrastructure Node Hardware Selection
Fixed infrastructure nodes — backbone repeaters, room server hosts, and long-term outdoor installations — have different hardware requirements than portable client nodes. Reliability, power efficiency, and maintainability are the priorities. Primary Hardware ...
Chicago and Great Lakes Region
The Chicago metropolitan area and surrounding Great Lakes region present unique mesh networking challenges and opportunities: extreme weather (-20°F to 105°F seasonal range), dense urban core surrounded by flat agricultural terrain, and strong amateur radio co...
Denver and Front Range Networks
The Colorado Front Range — from Fort Collins through Denver to Colorado Springs — presents one of the most challenging and rewarding mesh networking environments in North America: extreme elevation changes (Denver at 5,280 ft to 14,000 ft mountain peaks within...
Room Server Placement Strategy
The room server is the most critical piece of infrastructure in a MeshCore network. Its placement — physically, logically, and in terms of network topology — determines message reliability for all connected clients. Room Server Functions The MeshCore room ser...
Repeater Density and Coverage Calculations
How many repeaters do you need, and where should they go? This page provides practical calculation methods for MeshCore network coverage planning. Link Budget Basics The maximum range between two MeshCore nodes depends on the link budget: Link Budget = TX Pow...
AC Mains Power for Permanent Node Installations
For fixed infrastructure nodes at permanent sites with grid power access, AC mains power provides the most reliable and lowest-maintenance power solution. A well-designed AC power system eliminates battery replacement cycles and enables higher-power configurat...
Power-over-Ethernet for Outdoor Node Deployments
Power over Ethernet (PoE) is an excellent choice for outdoor nodes at sites with structured cabling infrastructure. It combines power delivery and network connectivity in a single cable, simplifying installation and enabling remote management. PoE Standards ...
Setting Up a Meshtastic MQTT-to-Internet Gateway
An MQTT gateway connects your Meshtastic mesh to the internet, enabling message delivery to non-LoRa clients, integration with home automation, and connection to the global Meshtastic MQTT network. What the MQTT Gateway Does A Meshtastic node in "MQTT gateway...
MeshCore Gateway to IP Network Configuration
MeshCore supports IP connectivity via WiFi-capable host boards (ESP32-based) and via the Raspberry Pi host for room server deployments. This page covers configuring a MeshCore node as a network gateway. WiFi Client Mode (ESP32 Boards) On ESP32-based MeshCore ...