Documentation

Meshtastic Official Tools

Node Setup Tips

NOTE: The default of 3 should be sufficient in a healthy mesh. “Really, 3 is fine.” 4 or 5 if running CLIENT_MUTE and/or having particular difficulties, but with such a small and densely packed geographic area you are quite likely to have those higher hopped packets leave the Metro area and end up rebroadcasting over 100 miles away! Hello Catskills! This prevents the reverse of the effect we occasionally encounter where Meshes in North PA or CT will show up on the Mesh in NYC, even though they’re 100 miles away, because they’re running 7 hops.

NOTE: Enable the ‘Uplink Enabled’ option on your default channel to share info about nodes seen (only packets with the OK to MQTT flag will be sent). The ‘Downlink Enabled’ option will not work with this server by design. We want the mesh to stay on radio communication only.

NOTE: Unless you have access to 100th floor of 1 World Trade Center or Empire State Building, you should not be using an “infrastructure” role such as REPEATER, ROUTER, ROUTER_CLIENT or ROUTER_LATE. While you may have the most honest and pure of intentions in choosing such a role the reality is they will pre-empt the large and ever-increasing number of clients from retransmitting resulting in an over-all diminishment of the mesh’s full potential. Please, don’t be that person and read up on the importance of choosing the right device role.

NOTE: Ignores packets from non-standard portnums such as: TAK, RangeTest, PaxCounter, etc. Should help lower high channel utilization.

Software Setup

These instructions have been written for connecting to a Sense Cap T1000-E (v2.6.11) via Bluetooth, but should be similar for other devices as well. Please see the Getting Started guide for more information.

Your T1000-E may arrive with an older version of the Meshtastic firmware. Upgrading this device “over the air” is not currently supported from mobile, so you’ll need a computer to do this. Please see the Getting Started - Flash Firmware guide for more information.

Android App

Install

Configure

  1. Connect to node in Meshtastic app
    • Enable Bluetooth on your Android device.
    • Within the Meshtastic app, tap the lower right corner button to connect to a node.
      • Select: Bluetooth > Available Radios > scan/select node > enter pair code
      • If your node does not have a screen, the PIN is ‘123456’
      • If your node has a screen, look at it for the PIN
    • You may be prompted with a Bluetooth security warning when connecting to your node for the first time. Accept it to proceed.

  2. Once connected, you should see the node’s name in the upper right corner of the app. Tap the name to view the node’s details. Scroll down and tap “Remote Administration” to access the configuration options.

  3. Set LoRa Region
    • Options
      • Set LoRa Region (LoRa Config) > Options > Region > United States (required)
      • Use Preset: Enabled
      • Presets: Long Range - Fast
    • Advanced
      • Ignore MQTT: (default: Disabled)
      • Ok to MQTT: (default: Disabled)

    NOTE: For MQTT configuration information, please visit https://nyme.sh/setup.html

    • Transmit Enabled: Enabled
    • Number of hops: 3 or 4
    • Frequency Slot: 20

    NOTE: If you have Frequency Slot set to 0, you must name your primary channel ‘LongFast’

  4. Scroll to the bottom and tap Save

  5. The node will disconnect, reboot, and reconnect.

    Your node now has a basic LongFast configuration.

  6. Recommended: Set your Bluetooth Password (for devices without a screen)
    • The default password on most devices without a screen is ‘123456’, for devices with a screen it is randomly generated and shown on the screen.
    • If you would like to change this, tap the Bluetooth button, and enter a new password.
    • You will need to reconnect with the new password after the node reboots.
  7. Optional: Change your node’s name
    • In the Remote Administration screen, tap the User button, and enter a new name for your node.

Backup

While viewing your node’s Remote Administration, scroll all the way to the bottom. There’s a Backup button that will save a .cfg backup file to the Downloads directory on your device.

Restore

While viewing your node’s Remote Administration, scroll all the way to the bottom. There’s a Restore button that allows you to select and restore a previously saved .cfg backup file from your device.

Misc

The backup .cfg files contain your node’s complete configuration including channels, settings, and keys. Store these files securely as they contain sensitive information.

Apple iOS App

In the following sections, we are setting up a Sense Cap T1000-E (v2.6.11) for use over Bluetooth with an iPhone.

Configure

  1. Download the Meshtastic app from the App Store

  2. Connect to the node in Meshtastic app.
    • Enable Bluetooth on your iOS device.
    • Within the Meshtastic app, select: Bluetooth > Available Radios > select node > enter pair code
      • If your node does not have a screen, the PIN is ‘123456’
      • If your node has a screen, look at it for the PIN
  3. Set LoRa Region
    • Options
      • Set LoRa Region (LoRa Config) > Options > Region > United States (required)
      • Use Preset: Enabled
      • Presets: Long Range - Fast
    • Advanced
      • Ignore MQTT: (default: Disabled)
      • Ok to MQTT: (default: Disabled)

    NOTE: For MQTT configuration information, please visit https://nyme.sh/setup.html

    • Transmit Enabled: Enabled
    • Number of hops: 3 or 4
    • Frequency Slot: 20

    NOTE: If you have Frequency Slot set to 0, you must name your primary channel ‘LongFast’

  4. Scroll to the bottom and tap Save

  5. The node will disconnect, reboot, and reconnect.

    Your node now has a basic LongFast configuration.

Backup

Private Key - backup your private key to your iCloud keychain.

  1. Within the Meshtastic app, select: Settings > Key Backup > Backup
  2. If successful, ‘Private Key saved successfully to iCloud keychain’ will appear in green.

Restore

Private Key - restore your private key from your iCloud keychain.

  1. Within the Meshtastic app, select: Settings > Key Backup > Restore
  2. If successful, ‘Private Key restored successfully from iCloud keychain’ will appear in green.

Misc

Private Key - delete your private key in your iCloud keychain.

  1. Within the Meshtastic app, select: Settings > Key Backup > Delete icon
  2. If successful, ‘Private Key deleted successfully from iCloud keychain’ will appear in green.

macOS Desktop App

The macOS desktop app provides the same functionality as the iOS app but is designed for Mac computers.

Install

  1. Download the Meshtastic app from the Mac App Store.

Configure

Configuration steps are similar to the mobile app:

  1. Connect to your node via Bluetooth
  2. Follow the same LoRa region and configuration steps as outlined in the mobile app section

Backup/Restore

The macOS app uses the same iCloud keychain backup functionality as iOS:

Web Client

https://client.meshtastic.org/

Configure

https://meshtastic.org/docs/software/web-client/ - Official Documentation

Backup

Restore

Misc

Meshtastic UI (MUI)

https://meshtastic.org/docs/software/meshtastic-ui/ - Meshtastic UI (MUI) is an independent user interface for Meshtastic devices, designed to provide direct interaction with the network without requiring a phone app for most basic settings.

Configure

Backup

Restore

Misc

Python CLI

https://meshtastic.org/docs/software/python/cli/ - Offcial Documentation

Configure

Backup

meshtastic --export-config > MyNodeNameOrWhatever_config_04072025.yaml

Restore

meshtastic --configure MyNodeNameOrWhatever_config_04072025.yaml

Misc Node DB Export

meshtastic --nodes › MyNodeNameOrWhatever_nodedb_04072025.yaml

Misc UTF-8 Error

If you use the Python CLI and have seen the following error:

UnicodeDecodeError: 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xe0 in position 8: 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xe0 in position 8: unexpected end of data in field: meshtastic.protobuf.User.long_name```

What is happening is someone managed to use a non-UTF8 char in their device name (both long and short) so the fix is to run:

meshtastic --remove-node '!0c3a9bb0' && meshtastic --set-ignored-node '!0c3a9bb0'

Linux Native

Configure

Backup

Restore

Misc