FAQ

What is MeshCore, and what's a companion, repeater, or room server?

MeshCore is free, open-source firmware that turns a cheap LoRa radio into an encrypted text messenger. It hops messages radio-to-radio with no cell towers or internet.

The Public channel and hashtag channels can be read by anyone with a radio. Use a private channel or a direct message for anything personal.

• Companion: your personal radio. It pairs with the MeshCore phone app over Bluetooth. It does not relay other people's messages.
• Repeater: a radio mounted up high that relays messages. Repeaters are how the mesh grows.
• Room server: a small bulletin board on the mesh that holds recent posts so you can catch up later. Run it on a separate device from your repeater.

What should I buy?

Get the US 915 MHz version. Every device below is in the official MeshCore flasher.

• Pocket radio: Seeed SenseCAP T1000-E (rugged, water-resistant, several-day battery). Also good: Seeed Wio Tracker L1 Pro, LilyGo T-Deck Plus (keyboard and screen).
• Repeater: Heltec V4, Heltec Mesh Node T096 (lower power draw), or a ready-made solar unit like the Heltec MeshTower V2 (seal it well against moisture).
• Prices change often. TODO: verify before posting prices

How do I get on the mesh? (Settings Card)

1. Flash it at https://flasher.meshcore.io using Chrome or Edge on a computer. Pick your device, then pick Companion (Bluetooth). Put the antenna on before you power it up.
2. Install the MeshCore app (iOS/Android) and pair. On radios without a screen the PIN is 123456, so change it.
3. Radio settings: choose the USA preset, then change Coding Rate to 8:

   Frequency	Bandwidth	Spreading Factor	Coding Rate
   910.525 MHz	62.5 kHz	7	8

   We run CR 8 for now because the extra error correction gives longer reach and sturdier links while nodes are few and far apart. We'll revisit it as the area fills in.

   New radios start on a European frequency until you set this, so always set it first.

4. Name your radio, tap Advert, and say hi on the Public channel.
5. Optional: join shared hashtag channels (⋯ → Add Channel → Join a Hashtag Channel): #test, #weather, #emergency (real emergencies and prep only).

Step by step: Get Started.

I want to run a repeater. What's different?

Thank you! Flash Repeater at the flasher, then set it up over USB at https://config.meshcore.io. Change the admin password (the default is password), set a neighborhood-level location, and then run:

set radio 910.525,62.5,7,8      (then reboot)
set path.hash.mode 1
set agc.reset.interval 4
set multi.acks 1
set advert.interval 240
set flood.advert.interval 23

• Use the latest firmware (1.14 or newer, so the repeater forwards 1-, 2-, and 3-byte paths).
• Region codes: our area is us-ms-gpt (Gulfport–Biloxi MS Mesh), which covers Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River, Stone, and George counties (boundary map: https://regions.caboosey.net). On repeaters only, run:

  region def us|* us-gc|* us-ms|* us-ms-gpt|* us-ms-gpt-mm|* us-south|* us-southeast
  region save

  (region def / region save syntax per the official CLI docs.)
• Post it in #nodes-and-map when it's up.

More on hosting one: Repeaters.

Do I need a ham license?

No. MeshCore runs in the 902–928 MHz unlicensed band on off-the-shelf radios. MeshCore messages are encrypted, and ham rules don't allow encoded messages, so it isn't a ham mode anyway. Hams are very welcome, though. Your antenna know-how is exactly what repeaters need. TODO: verify which FCC Part 15 rule covers narrow 62.5 kHz LoRa and 1 W booster boards. Make no power/legal claims until checked.

Does it work when the power, cell, and internet are down?

Yes, within limits. Your radio runs on its own battery and talks to your phone over Bluetooth. Repeaters on solar or battery keep relaying through outages. It's text only, range depends on repeaters, and delivery isn't guaranteed. So keep a weather radio, follow official alerts, and call 911 in an emergency.