Mesh Systems – Meshcore and Meshtastic

Welcome to the world of LoRa radio-based Mesh, it’s an off grid digital network that is community powered!  Meshcore and Meshtastic are part of a growing movement to create resilient, decentralized, long range digital communication networks using low power LoRa radios.  No cell towers and no internet are required.  Just independent nodes passing messages across a mesh that is self-sustainable.  What we care about: a reliable and decentralized mesh networking system that keeps working, even if the internet or cell towers don’t!

Meshcore and Meshtastic are both LoRa-based mesh communication projects, but yet implemented very differently.  Both let you send messages across radio nodes without relying on cellular or internet infrastructure.  The difference is in how they approach that job.  Meshtastic is designed to be widely usable, phone-friendly, and easy to join.  Meshcore is built around a more intentional, role-based model that puts a lot more emphasis on routing, controlled repeaters, and keeping the mesh quieter overall.

Meshcore

MeshCore focuses on strengthening the backbone of the network.  It supports more infrastructure type deployments, higher performance routing, and long-range links between strategic sites.  Think of it as reinforcing the spine of the mesh so everyday nodes benefit from better reach, reliability, and redundancy.

Meshtastic

Meshtastic is an open-source project that allows small, affordable LoRa devices to send text messages, GPS location data, and telemetry over impressive distances.  Each node acts as both a user device and a router.  The more nodes that join, the stronger and more capable the network becomes.  It is simple to get started, inexpensive, and incredibly powerful when the community works together.

N4LMC / LMARC provided infrastructure

LMARC provides several Meshcore repeaters and Room Servers, Meshtastic routers as well as a Meshtastic bridge for users in our area.  Below is a list of what we currently provide, remember that we are constantly updating, upgrading and adding to our infrastructure and would love to hear back from you about your experience!

Meshcore Repeaters

  • Highpoint Repeater (high-power and will be online shortly)
  • Lookout Mountain Tri-Radio system (these systems run multiple high-power radios in a single unit)
  • Lookout Mountain Room Server
  • Signal Mountain Tri-radio system (these systems run multiple high-power radios in a single unit)
  • White Oak Mountain (south end) Repeater
  • SELink and W4GTA Rooms and the NWGA ARES / Skywarn Room Server

Meshtastic Routers

  • We utilize the MediumFast Preset in our area
  • Highpoint Router (will be online shortly)
  • Lookout Mountain Tri-Radio system (these systems run multiple high-power radios in a single unit)
  • Signal Mountain Tri-radio system (these systems run multiple high-power radios in a single unit)
  • SELink and W4GTA Rooms
  • MediumFast / LongFast Bridge

There is alot of Meshcore vs Meshtastic information out there, so we won’t go into that here.  Use your favorite search engine to find information on that subject.  The main thing to remember is, learn what is available in your area and close to your location first… that will play a huge role in your experience!

MeshCore is built around the idea that not every node should behave the same way, and that a cleaner mesh comes from deliberate roles and deliberate forwarding behavior.  Companion nodes do not repeat.  Repeaters exist to repeat.  Room servers exist for yet a different purpose.  That is a very different philosophy from a general-purpose “everybody joins the mesh” model.

Meshtastic is built to be broadly usable and easy to join.  It wants to be an off-grid communications platform that works for normal users, not just RF tinkerers.  That is why the phone apps, maps, node visibility, telemetry, and public community meshes matter so much in its ecosystem.

So, while the two projects overlap, they are solving slightly different versions of the problem.  Meshtastic is stronger when the priority is accessibility and a rich user-facing experience.  MeshCore is stronger when the priority is communications efficiency, topology control, and building a mesh that stays disciplined as it grows.

N4LMC / LMARC provide several rooms for our users to gather.  Whether Meshcore or Meshtastic, the software should set up the default / public rooms for you when you install the apps.  If you are a LMARC / SouthEast Link or Tri-States ARC / W4GTA member, use the contact page and we will send you the needed information.  We want to keep these rooms as “private” as possible.  We also provide Meshcore Room Servers for several special purposes such as ARES and Skywarn, access to these will be provided on an “as needed one on one” basis.