Meshtastic is a decentralized wireless off-grid

mesh networking A mesh network is a local area network network topology, topology in which the infrastructure Node (networking), nodes (i.e. bridges, switches, and other infrastructure devices) connect directly, dynamically and non-hierarchically to as many othe ...

LoRa LoRa (from "long range", sometimes abbreviated as "LR") is a physical proprietary radio communication technique. It is based on spread spectrum modulation techniques derived from chirp spread spectrum (CSS) technology. It was developed by Cycleo ...

protocol. The main goal of the project is enabling low-power, long-range communication over unlicensed radio bands. It is designed around exchanging text messages and data in off-grid environments, with potential applications in IoT projects where a decentralized communication system is needed without existing infrastructure. Meshtastic uses

peer to peer (P2P), a long-range radio protocol, to form a mesh network by rebroadcasting messages to extend communication reach. Each device can connect with a single phone, enabling messaging in off-grid areas, making it useful for not only messages, but also data transmissions. Meshtastic was created by Kevin Hester in early 2020 as a solution for communication during hobbies where reliable internet access is unavailable. The project operates as a grassroots, community-driven endeavor with established local communities, maintaining a strong DIY ethos. The software is

open source Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use and view the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open source model is a decentrali ...

, with hundreds of contributors participating in its development.

Use cases and applications

Meshtastic has found applications in various scenarios where traditional communication infrastructure is unavailable or unreliable. The

Mars Society The Mars Society is a nonprofit organization that advocates for human exploration and colonization of Mars. It was founded by Robert Zubrin in 1998 and its principles are based on Zubrin's Mars Direct philosophy, which aims to make human miss ...

, a nonprofit advocating for Mars exploration, uses Meshtastic T-Echo radios for communication during analog astronaut missions in remote areas. These expeditions can last weeks in locations with little cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity, where communication is critical for safety due to risks such as heat stroke and distance from medical facilities. Other common use cases include hiking in remote areas, communication during natural disasters, and maintaining contact in areas with

internet censorship Internet censorship is the legal control or suppression of what can be accessed, published, or viewed on the Internet. Censorship is most often applied to specific internet domains (such as ''Wikipedia.org'', for example) but exceptionally may ...

. Some municipalities are exploring the deployment of Meshtastic networks as backup communication systems to protect communities during natural disasters. The system's optional location-tracking capabilities allow users to monitor community members without relying on data-intensive commercial applications.

Limitations

The system requires line-of-sight communication between devices, meaning obstructions such as buildings, trees, hills, or mountains can prevent successful mesh network connections. Network reliability depends on having multiple Meshtastic nodes in the operational area. The system is limited to text messaging and cannot serve as an internet replacement, though messages can include

emoji An emoji ( ; plural emoji or emojis; , ) is a pictogram, logogram, ideogram, or smiley embedded in text and used in electronic messages and web pages. The primary function of modern emoji is to fill in emotional cues otherwise missing from type ...

s. Bandwidth limitations can cause network congestion when many users attempt to communicate simultaneously. This was demonstrated at the 2024 Hamvention in Dayton, Ohio, where the network crashed after excessive traffic from a single user's

MQTT MQTT is a lightweight, publish–subscribe, machine-to-machine network protocol for message queue/ message queuing service. It is designed for connections with remote locations that have devices with resource constraints or limited network b ...

bridge overwhelmed the system. In response, developers created specialized firmware for large events, allowing between 2,000 and 2,500 nodes to operate simultaneously at conferences such as

DEF CON DEF CON (also written as DEFCON, Defcon, or DC) is a Computer security conference, hacker convention held annually in Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas, Nevada. The first DEF CON took place in June 1993 and today many attendees at DEF CON include comp ...

Hardware

Meshtastic uses hardware development boards, like

ESP32 ESP32 is a family of low-cost, energy-efficient microcontrollers that integrate both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities. These chips feature a variety of processing options, including the Tensilica Xtensa LX6 microprocessor available in both dual-c ...

and nRF52840, that support LoRa and BLE communication technologies, along with

GNSS A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous geopositioning. A satellite navigation system with global coverage is termed global navigation satellite system (GNSS). , four global systems are op ...

receivers. These devices enable seamless mobile app connectivity via

Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is li ...

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for Wireless LAN, local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by ...

, allowing long-range message retransmission across a mesh network using LoRa transceivers. This setup is ideal for developing communicators that don't rely on conventional infrastructure. Commercial purpose built Meshtastic boards and kits are available.

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite web , url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/build-iot-apps-with-meshtastic , title=Build IoT Apps with Meshtastic , first=Stephen , last=Cass, date=May 29, 2024, work=IEEE Spectrum , publisher=IEEE , accessdate=September 17, 2024 {{cite web , url=https://socalmesh.org/ , title=SoCal Mesh , work=SoCal Mesh Network , publisher=SoCalMesh.org , accessdate=September 17, 2024 {{cite web , url=https://denvermesh.org/ , title=Denver Mesh Network , work=Denver Mesh , publisher=DenverMesh.org , accessdate=September 17, 2024 {{cite web , url=https://www.techzim.co.zw/2023/08/tech-behind-ccc-parallel-vote-tabulation-network-with-non-political-use-post-election/ , title=Tech Behind CCC Parallel Vote Tabulation Network , work=Techzim , publisher=Techzim.co.zw , accessdate=September 17, 2024 {{cite web , url=https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20200315-meshtastic/ , title=Meshtastic: A LoRa Mesh Communication Tool for Off-Grid Networking , work=GIGAZINE , publisher=GIGAZINE.net , accessdate=September 17, 2024 {{cite web , url=https://news.rakwireless.com/meshtastic-2-0-faster-smarter-and-more-reliable/ , title=Meshtastic 2.0: Faster, Smarter, and More Reliable , work=RAKwireless News , publisher=RAKwireless , accessdate=September 17, 2024 {{cite web , url=https://hackspace.raspberrypi.com/issues/80 , title=HackSpace Magazine Issue 80: Meshtastic Tutorial , work=HackSpace Magazine , publisher=Raspberry Pi Foundation , accessdate=September 17, 2024

External links

Meshtastic Official Site
Mesh networking Open source projects