3

Getting Started — Step 3 of 5

First-Time Setup

Your device is flashed and ready. Now connect the MeshCore app, set your region, and give your node a name. This takes about 5 minutes — and skips entirely if you flashed MeshOS or Ripple (all-in-one devices configure themselves on-screen).

🖥 All-in-one devices (MeshOS / Ripple)

If you flashed MeshOS or Ripple onto a device with a built-in screen and keyboard (like the T-Deck or T-Display P4), the setup happens entirely on-device:

  • Power on the device — a setup wizard will guide you through region and name
  • No phone or computer needed at all
  • You can optionally connect a phone later for a larger display

Skip ahead to Join a channel below (or go straight to Step 4).

Companion radios — connect the app

If you flashed Community firmware, you control your radio through an app on your phone or browser.

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App store screenshots — Android and iOS MeshCore app home screen

Install the app

Connect via Bluetooth

Important: Connect from within the MeshCore app — NOT through your phone's native Bluetooth settings. The native settings won't work correctly.

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MeshCore app → Add Device → Bluetooth scan → device appears in list

  1. Open the MeshCore app and tap Add Device (or the + icon)
  2. Choose Bluetooth
  3. Your radio should appear in the scan list — tap it
  4. If prompted for a pairing code, check your radio's screen — or try 0000, 1234, or 123456
  5. The app connects and shows your device dashboard

You can also connect via WiFi (if your device runs a hotspot) or USB cable on desktop browsers.

Configure your device

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Settings panel showing Region picker and Name field — checkmark button to save highlighted

1. Set your region

This sets the correct radio frequencies for your country. In the app: tap your device → Settings → Region.

  • US / Canada: select US (902–928 MHz)
  • Other regions are listed in the picker
Don't skip this step. Without a region set, the radio may transmit on incorrect frequencies and won't hear the local network.

2. Set a node name

Your node name is how others on the mesh see you. In Settings → Device Name, pick something memorable — your first name, callsign, or location works well (Susan-Vashon, K7ABC, Burton-Hilltop). Don't stress over the choice — you can change it any time from the same settings screen.

3. Save your settings

Critical: tap the checkmark ✓ in the upper-right corner of each settings panel to save. Changes are lost if you navigate away without saving.

Join a channel

Channels are how messages are organized on the mesh. Think of them like CB radio channels — some are open to everyone, others are private.

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MeshCore app Channels tab showing "public" channel and other local channels

  • Tap the Channels icon at the bottom of the app
  • The public channel is already available — no password needed, open to everyone on the mesh
  • Other popular channels to enter: #vashon-maury, #seattle, #salishmesh
📡 Popular PNW channels

Channels are topic-based groups — you subscribe by entering the exact channel name. Because channel keys are derived from the name hash, spelling and case must match exactly or you'll end up on a different channel.

Channel Who it's for
#public Default open channel — everyone on the mesh
#vashon-maury Local Vashon & Maury Island chat
#seattle Seattle metro general chat, node testing & coordination
#salishmesh Salish Sea / Cascadia region — spans Vancouver BC, Seattle & Puget Sound
#testing Link & repeater path testing — keep experimentation here, not main channels
#emergency EmComm use — kept quiet unless needed
#hamradio Amateur radio operators
#capitolhill Hyper-local Seattle neighborhood channel — many areas have one

The PNW is one of the densest MeshCore networks in North America — ~400 discovered nodes, ~200 active daily, with regular cross-city messaging from Vancouver BC to Tacoma.

🎉 You're set up! Next up:

Head to Step 4 — Using MeshCore — send your first message.

🚀 What to explore later
  • 🔒 Private channels — create or join encrypted group chats with a shared key
  • 💬 Direct messages — send an encrypted DM to any node you can see on the mesh
  • 📍 Location sharing — enable GPS beacon so others can see your position on the map
  • 🔊 Notifications — set the app to alert you when messages arrive
  • ⚙️ TX power, hop count, broadcast intervals — plenty to tweak once you're comfortable