Meshtastic for Non-coders
This guide is meant to give a general understanding of the Meshtastic project and does not cover every detail, option, or use case. Everything in this guide is generally true most of the time while avoiding technicalities and outliers. The goal of this guide is to make Meshtastic accessible to anyone with an interest and to help make users, not experts.
Meshtastic is a basic text messaging service that uses radios to send and receive text messages and information like GPS coordinates without an internet, satellite, or cellular data connection. In most cases, this is accomplished using a cell phone or tablet running the Meshtastic app that is paired to a radio using Bluetooth. The app is free and no license is needed to use the radio service.
The radios used in Meshtastic are called nodes. They are usually small USB or battery-powered circuit board radios that receive and transmit messages and information. The mesh is a collection of nodes where at least two or three are within signal range of each other. A node can be paired with a phone or tablet to send and receive messages and information or left alone to pass messages and information through the mesh autonomously.
Meshtastic offers users the ability to use a familiar communication tool (texting on a cell phone) without some of the common limitations. Meshtastic can be a good option in the following cases:
Meshtastic uses a radio system called LoRa, which stands for Long Range. LoRa can be used by nodes to send signals long distances with relatively low power. Nodes must be in range of each other for this to happen. Obstructions can dramatically reduce the range of a node. You can reliably connect to nodes that you can see with your eyes. If something is blocking your view of the node you are trying to connect to, it may also block the signal.[a][b]
When a node transmits a message, every node that receives the message may choose to retransmit the message to help the message move through the mesh. This retransmitting of a message is called a hop. Each node has a setting called a hop limit that controls how many times a message can be retransmitted. This is important because it stops nodes from repeating the same message over and over forever.
A message will hop from node to node until one of two things happens:
Messages are encrypted and require something similar to a password known as a PSK or key to be decrypted and read. Public messages share a common encryption key, and private messages use the key of the target node which ensures that nobody else can read the message. If a node does not have the key for a particular message, it may still rebroadcasts the message in the background without alerting unintended recipients.
Every message can be sent to an individual node directly or a group of devices. To send a message to a group, known as a channel, each device in the group must have the same channel name and key saved. A node can belong to up to eight channels.
The default public channel is called LongFast and has a key of AQ==.[c][d]
Please read this section entirely before acting on the information presented.
At its most basic, you need three things to get started with Meshtastic. They are:
The first step to choosing a node is knowing which frequency is used in your part of the world. 915MHz is used in North America. 868MHz and 433 MHz is used in Europe.
Many people start with a HelTec ESP32 LoRa V3 node, commonly called a V3. They are easy to use and inexpensive. They can be powered by USB or from a battery. Cases can be 3D printed or purchased and the V3 can just as easily be used on a desktop without a case. There are many other types of nodes available, but this guide will focus on the V3.
If you purchase a V3 from Amazon, it will be more expensive ($25+) but will arrive faster. If you purchase it from AliExpress, it can be less expensive ($15+) but will take a few weeks to arrive.
You can often find V3s sold with an antenna that looks like a spring covered in black heat-shrink tubing. These antennas are not very good but will work well enough to get started if you are in a location with a strong mesh, but you will likely want something better.
You will need to flash or install Meshtastic on your V3 once it arrives. This is done by connecting your V3 to an internet-connected computer, navigating to flasher.meshtastic.org, and following the instructions there.
Another option is the Seed Studios SenseCAP T1000-E. This node is similar in size to a thick luggage tag and is ready to use out of the box. It has GPS and an internal battery and antenna. It comes completely assembled and runs about $45.
Once flashed, you are ready to connect or pair the node to your device.
If you choose a V3, ensure that you purchase a V3, NOT a V2.
Ensure that both the V3 and antenna you purchase are for your region (915, 868, or 433MHz).
Radios are little energy cannons. The energy they emit has to go somewhere. An antenna directs that energy out into space. If no antenna is attached, the emitted energy has nowhere to go and gets reflected back into the radio, often damaging it. If a Meshtastic node is powered on, it is transmitting (emitting energy). Always ensure you have an antenna connected before powering on a node.
I didn't recommend a battery or antenna because they may be determined by the case you choose. That said, the Gizont whip antennas are consistently good and are inexpensive (~$5).
Download and install the Meshtastic app from the app store. It is available for both Android and iOs.
With your node powered on and in Bluetooth range, start the Mestastic app and tap the green plus button on the page. You should see a device named ‘Meshtastic_XXXX’ where the Xs are a combination of letters and numbers. This is your node! Select it to pair. The screen of your node should display a six-digit code used for pairing.
Finally, tap the ‘Region’ setting on the app and select your region. You are now on the mesh!
There are many, many different options available for your node in the app. I recommend leaving them alone (aside from giving your node a custom long and short name) until you get more familiar with Meshtastic and what each option does. In many cases, the default settings work well.
The mesh takes a little while. It’s not uncommon for nearby nodes to start popping up on your app immediately. It’s also not uncommon for it to take a few minutes, or even a few hours, for this to happen. Be patient.
If there are other nodes in your area, there may also be a local mesh group. Try connecting with that group by using the LongFast channel or looking for their internet or social media presence. For whatever reason, many messages on LongFast don’t get a reply. This can feel unwelcoming and discouraging. Be the change and reply to any messages you receive.
If there are no other nodes in your area, congratulations on being a trailblazer and starting the mesh!
Either way, you are now a part of the mesh. Invite friends and family who may be interested in joining and help build it out!
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I hope you have found this guide useful. Please let me know if there is anything you found unclear or if there are important topics I left out. I can be found on Reddit as zCynicalifornia and on Discord as cynicalifornia. ~TL
[a]this is not true. Obstructions certainly weaken or scatter the radio signal, but they do not need to be able to see one another in order to communicate.
[b]I edited that to be more in line with what you pointed out.
[c]I know what you're trying to say here but this paragraph does not really add much for non-coders, and adds confusion because it's not actually accurate.
[d]Better? LongFast will show up in the channel list. It's a weird name when you are brand new.