Meshtastic

Introduction

Meshtastic is an implementation of LORA radios for messaging and other telemetry.

Meshtastic does not require a license and so is available to many more people in our local neighbourhoods.

I have had no experience with meshtastic but have some devices on the way so will update this page with my experiences.

The Comms Channel have developed a BBS for meshtastic.

Frequencies

Meshtastic devices are available in a selection of frequencies and you ensure your device works on the 915Mhz band for use in Australia

References

• Meshtastic.au A very good place to start with meshtastic in Australia
• meshtastic.org The official Meshtastic project
• meshmap.net A map showing online nodes.

Meachcore and Meshtastic

Meshtastic and MeshCore are both LoRa-based mesh networking platforms, but they differ significantly in design philosophy, architecture, and use cases. Here’s a breakdown of the key differences:

Meshtastic

Purpose: Primarily designed for off-grid communication using LoRa radios.

Architecture: Decentralized, peer-to-peer mesh network.

Flooding Protocol: Uses message flooding, where messages are rebroadcast by all nodes to ensure delivery.

Ease of Use: Very user-friendly with mobile apps (iOS/Android) and desktop tools.

Encryption: Supports encryption, but all nodes in a channel share the same key.

Use Case: Ideal for hikers, emergency comms, and hobbyists needing simple, resilient messaging.

Hardware: Compatible with a wide range of ESP32-based LoRa boards (e.g., T-Beam, Heltec).

MeshCore

Purpose: A more advanced and structured mesh network with routing and server support.

Architecture: Supports repeaters, room servers, and client nodes with more intelligent routing.

Routing Protocol: Uses path discovery and caching, avoiding flooding for efficiency.

Security: Uses public/private key encryption and signed “adverts” to prevent spoofing.

Customization: Highly configurable, supports integration with tools like ATAK, Home Assistant, and MQTT.

Use Case: Better suited for tactical, emergency, or smart home applications where scalability and control are important.

Open Source: Yes, with active development and community support.