4

Getting Started — Step 4 of 5

Using MeshCore

Your radio is flashed and configured. Time to say hello to the mesh. Here's how to send your first message, understand what you're seeing, and start exploring.

Send your first message

📸 Image placeholder

MeshCore app — public channel open, message typed: "1st time on the mesh. Does anyone read me?"

  1. Open the MeshCore app and connect to your device
  2. Tap the Channels icon at the bottom — select public
  3. Type a message like:
    "1st time on the mesh. Does anyone read me?"
  4. Hit send and watch your radio transmit

After sending, your radio's screen (or the app) will show feedback like:

  • "Heard by 3 repeaters" — great! Your signal reached fixed nodes that relayed it further across the island
  • No response — you may be out of range of active repeaters. Try moving to higher ground or near a window.
Don't be discouraged if nobody replies right away — MeshCore is asynchronous. Others may be offline or not watching. Try at different times of day.

Understanding channels

📸 Image placeholder

Diagram: public channel (open padlock, all nodes) vs private channel (closed padlock, key-holders only)

Channel Who can read it How to join
public Everyone on the mesh Always available, no key needed
#vashon-maury Local Vashon members Ask on Discord for the channel key
Your own private Only people you share the key with Create in app → share key via QR or text

Direct messages

You can send a private, encrypted message directly to any node you can see on the mesh. In the app, tap Nodes, find the person you want to message, and tap their name → Send DM.

DMs use end-to-end encryption (ECDH x25519 + AES128) — even repeaters relaying the packet can't read the content.

Reading the node list

📸 Image placeholder

Nodes tab — showing node names, last-seen time, hop count, and signal strength (SNR/RSSI)

The Nodes tab shows every device that has been heard on the mesh:

  • Hop count — how many repeaters the signal passed through to reach you. 0 = direct, 1–3 = relayed
  • SNR / RSSI — signal quality. Higher SNR is better. Negative RSSI closer to 0 is better (e.g. -90 dBm is better than -120 dBm)
  • Last seen — when the node last broadcast. Repeaters broadcast on a regular heartbeat

Repeaters vs companion radios vs room servers

Not everyone on the node list is a person — many are fixed infrastructure nodes:

  • Repeater — fixed node, relays all traffic, no screen or keyboard. Usually on a rooftop or hilltop running on solar or mains power.
  • Companion radio — carried by a person, paired with a phone or laptop. This is what you have.
  • Room server — a fixed node that stores the last ~16 messages so late-arriving radios can catch up. See the repeaters page for setup details.

🎉 You're on the mesh! That's the essential journey done. When you're feeling curious, there's a fun optional bonus: Step 5 — Mapping & Range ✨ →

🔒 Security & encryption details

MeshCore encrypts everything automatically — client apps don't need to manage keys manually.

  • Direct messages: ECDH (Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman, x25519 curve) for key exchange, then AES-128 encryption
  • Group / channel messages: AES-128 with a pre-shared symmetric key per channel
  • Public channel: encrypted with a well-known key — provides obfuscation but treat it as a public medium

MeshCore security announcement (Jan 2025)

⚙️ Settings worth adjusting later
  • TX Power — lower power saves battery and reduces RF congestion if you're near repeaters
  • Hop limit — how many times your message can be re-transmitted. Default is fine to start
  • Broadcast interval — how often your node announces itself. Longer = less battery use
  • GPS beacon interval — how often your position is shared (if you have GPS). Consider privacy
  • BLE / WiFi — disable what you're not using to save battery
📡 EmComm & other use cases

The mesh is useful beyond casual chat:

  • Emergency communications — LoRa mesh keeps working when cell towers are down (earthquakes, power outages). Consider joining Vashon EmComm.
  • Family & friends — set up a private channel for your household or hiking group
  • Search & Rescue — GPS tracking + messaging without cell coverage
  • Asset tracking — attach a GPS node to a vehicle, boat, or pet collar

🎉 You're on the mesh!

That's the core journey complete. When you're ready for a fun bonus step, check out Step 5 — Mapping & Range ✨ — see your coverage on a live map and contribute war-drive data to the community.