Mesh messaging networks have become increasingly popular lately, and for good reason. They allow for “off-grid” communication without using phone lines, the internet, or cell service.
I have recently started using and deploying mesh devices. They are fun to play with and have a lot of advantages, however there are some things that will need to change to be more widespread and commonplace.
Meshtastic is the firmware most mesh users choose to use. It is free, open source, and designed to be ran on inexpensive devices with low power requirements.
What is Mesh Messaging?
In simple terms, mesh messaging utilizes LoRa radios which provide long range low bandwidth communication between devices. They are cheap and have low power requirements that allow long run times. With a small battery and solar charger, a mesh node could run almost indefinitely.
In most countries there are no licensing requirements to use this radio frequency range, and there are no central servers or routers required to transmit and receive messages.
A single mesh node can talk to others within range, and those nodes will forward the original message to other nodes until it reaches its destination. If a node drops out of the network, those around it will mesh with each other and continue to operate without issue.
Mesh Messaging Advantages
I’ve already touched on a few advantages of mesh messaging, but I will recap them here:
- Self Contained
- Mesh networks are self contained and self healing. They don’t require the internet, phone, or cell service to operate.
- Cheap Hardware
- Off the shelf mesh nodes can be purchased for under $20 at the time of posting.
- Low Power
- Power requirements are pretty low. Most devices run on 3.3 or 5 volts and well under 1 Amp, allowing for tons of power options.
- No Licensing
- There are no licensing requirements for LoRa radios in most countries.
- No Central Server or Router
- There is no single point of control or failure. The network communicates between individual devices and is self healing.
- Long Distance
- It is possible to communicate over some pretty impressive distances with the right placement of nodes.
- Private Messages
- There are options for private messages to a specific node, as well as encrypting those messages.
Deploying a Mesh Node
Not much is required to deploy a mesh node. You will find most people using the mesh network have multiple nodes for one reason or another. Some even have their own private network in some cases.
Get a Node
First you need to build or get a node. This is the hardware that the software runs on.
If you are just testing the waters it is a good idea to purchase a pre-built node so you can get up and running quickly, and have an easier time troubleshooting if things aren’t working.
If you get more interested in meshing, then look into building your own devices in the future for specific uses or areas (solar, mobile, permanent, etc)
A great option to start with is the Heltec V3. It can be had for around $20 as of this post. It is small, has a display, and comes with some header pins, an antenna, and a battery lead. This device also supports power, charging, and data over the USB-C port.
All you need to do is load the firmware and connect to it and you are off and running!
Good Beginner Devices:
Standalone Devices
With mesh messaging becoming more popular, companies and independent makers are offering more standalone devices. These come with a higher price tag, but are normally a completely finished unit with a keyboard, larger screen, batteries, and a case housing it all. They remind me of old walkie talkies or Blackberry phones depending on the maker.
Install Firmware
Next you need to install your firmware. This is the software that actually allows you to connect to a mesh network.
Meshtastic is probably the current best choice (more on this later). Their website has a step-by-step guide and a web based firmware flasher that is simple to use, and works with the Heltec V3 (as well as many other devices).
It may sound contradictory when saying firmware is required to use a mesh network, but the mesh network isn’t controlled by one person, group, or thing.
The firmware is required to make sure all devices work with the same protocols and data so they can all communicate. Most Mesh firmware is open sourced and community driven, so everything is transparent. You can also wipe the device and load a different one at any time.
Connect to the Network
All that is left to do is power the node and start looking for other nodes in your area! With Meshtastic, powering the device automatically starts the node and it will connect with other nodes automatically.
You may wonder how you change settings and type on a device that only has a reset and boot button, and this is where some people get confused about mesh networking being “off-grid”.
On many devices available right now, you actually need to connect to your node with your phone over bluetooth. Some may question if this really qualify as off-grid when a phone is required. Technically, the phone you connect with doesn’t need to have any service or Wi-Fi other than the initial Meshtastic app install, and any app updates.
Bluetooth connections make the most sense for these small nodes. Higher is better when placing a node, so accessing it directly can be challenging when firmware updates or setting changes are required. It also allows you to see maps, messages, and type without having a larger device that requires a lot of power and space to operate.
After the initial set-up, the node will operate without any other connections. You will find that some nodes in the network aren’t monitored 24/7. They serve as repeaters or bridges.
A note on Firmware
When it comes to firmware, Meshtastic is by far the most popular at the time of writing. There are others out there, but for a beginner, Meshtastic is going to be the best choice for network size, documentation, and community support. If you want to experiment with others later, you certainly can!
Finding Other Nodes
When your node is powered on, it will automatically detect and connect to other nodes within range.
Depending on your location, you may have a ton of nodes around you, but you may also not have any. Larger towns and cities usually have plenty of nodes, while small towns and rural areas may not have any. If you don’t have any in your immediate location, I would strongly suggest taking it with you when you travel so you can find some.
Since most mesh devices have USB ports, you can plug them into your vehicle and take it on a drive with you. Lay it on your dash and let just let it pick up nodes as you drive. Meshtastic stores node names and usually places them on it’s map so you can review it later.
My town doesn’t have any other nodes within range, but I have picked up other nodes traveling down the highway, and even people with nodes on planes flying over. Nodes high off the ground can reach some pretty amazing distances, and a node on a plane can connect two mesh segments far apart that are otherwise unconnected.
Also keep in mind that most off-the-shelf devices have some pretty underwhelming antennas. They are enough to get you started, but a better antenna can improve range significantly. If you decide to continue using the mesh network, a small investment in a few good antennas can really pay off in the long run.
Mesh Network Pitfalls
While there are a lot of potential benefits to mesh messaging, depending on where you spend most of your time it may not be a practical or reliable way to communicate. Since most cite communication during emergencies (of any type), we will keep that in mind for this part of the discussion.
No Standardization
First, much like the 4k Blu-Ray and HD-DVD battle, most (if not all) firmware options are not able to communicate with nodes running different firmware. While choice is a great thing, it unfortunately reduces the amount of nodes on any given network. Settling on a standard data protocol between firmware options for general use would fix most of this problem.
Example: If Area A uses Firmware 1, Area B uses Firmware 2, and Area C uses Firmware 1, you essentially end up with three separate mesh networks because they can't transmit through one another.I'm not against having multiple options for other use cases and an alternate fallback option in case things get weird, but if people want to have a reliable and wide reaching network then there needs to be a primary solution for general communication.
Segmented Networks
Segmented networks are currently still an issue, even with Meshtastic.
In my area, large cities usually have a decent to good network. Once you start traveling between those populated areas, coverage is slim or non existent. If you connect to a rural node, odds are it probably doesn’t have any other connections. This is ok if you are just saying hello, but not reliable or useful in any practical manner (emergencies).
Updating Nodes
Updating remote nodes can become an issue. Not all devices support Over the Air updates. If you place a node in a hard to reach place, you may not be able to update without physical access. There have also been reports of OTA capable nodes not successfully updating.
Best advice is to test the node extensively before placing it in a location you can’t easily access.
Give Back to the Network
Give back to the mesh network when you can. With the network being dependent on the hardware provided by users, it is important to help expand and improve it when possible.
This doesn’t have to be anything complicated, nor expensive. If you have access to a very high location you can place a node, it can be a huge help.
Likewise, maybe you have access to property between two network segments and deploying a cheap solar node in that area could bridge the two networks.
Even just talking about and sharing your mesh experiences with others can be a benefit by gaining the interest of others. If they get their own mesh node, the network grows.
Join a Local Group
Yes, there are local Mesh groups.
I would highly recommend find a mesh community to be a part of. They are a great source of knowledge and generally very welcoming to new mesh users. They also provide information on mesh related things local to you.
Groups are usually found online, many using Discord. Some may do in person events or get togethers, but they aren’t mandatory.
In my local group, there is a smaller group of members trying to join two cities together across a rather large distance. It is interesting seeing different ideas on hardware and locations for nodes.
Is it Worth it?
Overall, I think there are enough benefits with mesh networking to make it worth exploring, even if it is just for the knowledge and understanding of what LoRa devices are capable of.
With mesh networking and LoRa radios, you can deploy sensors and other electronic devices and send commands or receive information from them without Wi-Fi or cellular service.
Personally, I don’t think mesh networks are currently good enough to be relied on for widespread, long distance emergency communications. There are not enough devices and coverage for me at the moment.
On the other hand, you can set up a smaller local mesh network for yourself. A handful of $10-$20 nodes can be deployed. In this case, you (or someone you know) would be in control of all the nodes. The responsibility of the the network is up to you in this case, and could be a reliable local communication method in this case.I am having fun putting nodes together, spotting new nodes, and will be working towards bridging a 20 mile gap between my home in a small town, and work in a larger area with some other nodes.
Additional Resources
General:
Meshtastic Additions:
- Meshsense – Self hosted Meshtastic monitoring software
- Meshtastic Map – Map showing nodes added to database
- Awesome Meshtastic List – GitHub list of projects, software, and information around Meshtastic