🛜 Intro to Mesh Networks

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Why It Matters

Phones, Wi-Fi, and the internet can fail, be shut down, or be monitored during high-risk events.
A mesh network gives your team a way to stay connected without relying on cell towers or outside infrastructure.

Meshtastic is a low-cost, battery-friendly tool that uses LoRa (long-range radio) to let people communicate securely over distances from 1–15 km (depending on terrain).

This makes it ideal for:

• Protests and marches
• Mutual aid operations
• Natural disaster zones
• Rural pods or teams with no cell service

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What You'll Learn

1. What a Mesh Network Is – How nodes connect and pass messages directly.
2. How Meshtastic Works – What devices do, how far they can reach, and how to use them.
3. Joining and Testing a Network – Pairing, channels, and your first message.
4. How to Stay Secure and Effective – Avoiding common beginner mistakes.

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Quick Action Steps

1. Ask someone in your pod for a Meshtastic node (or share one).
2. Install the Meshtastic app (Android/iOS) on your phone.
3. Pair your phone to the node via Bluetooth.
4. Join a test channel (not a real ops channel).
5. Send and receive your first message, and test how far it can reach.
6. Practice keeping your node powered, charged, and safe.

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Mesh Network Basics

A mesh network is like a smart chain of radios:

• Each device is called a node.
• A node can send your message to another node, which passes it along until it reaches the right person.
• There’s no central tower or single failure point.
• Messages can travel through multiple hops, so your message can reach someone far away even if they aren’t in direct range.

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Meshtastic Basics

Meshtastic is open-source software that runs on small LoRa radios.
Each node:

• Sends and receives encrypted messages (text or short data).
• Pairs with your phone via Bluetooth to send messages easily.
• Can run for hours or days on a single charge (depending on battery size).

Typical range:

• Urban: 1–3 km with obstacles.
• Rural/line-of-sight: 5–15 km with high-gain antennas or elevated relays.

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Meshtastic Devices (What They Look Like)

The most common starter devices are:

• LilyGO T-Beam:

  • About the size of a deck of cards.
  • Has GPS, strong range (5–10 km urban with good antennas).
  • Costs around $50–$70.

• Heltec V3:

  • Compact, fits in a pocket.
  • No GPS, moderate range (2–5 km).
  • Costs around $35–$50.

Each comes with:

• USB-C charging
• A small built-in screen (sometimes)
• A basic antenna (upgradable later)

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Staying Secure (Even as a Beginner)

Even though Meshtastic supports encryption, new users often make mistakes that compromise security. Avoid these:

• Do not use default channels or keys.
  Anyone nearby can join and read your traffic.
• Never share sensitive details (names, addresses, plans) even on encrypted channels.
• Label your node with a code name, not your real name.
• Charge your node daily and avoid leaving it unattended and powered on unless it’s a planned relay.

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Range Tips for Beginners

• Hold your device upright (antenna vertical).
• For best range, get elevation (a hill, a balcony, or a rooftop).
• Avoid dense concrete or metal structures when testing range.
• If your pod uses multiple nodes, spread them out so messages can hop.

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Drill (Certification)

To complete this course:

1. Pair to a partner’s Meshtastic node via Bluetooth.
2. Send and receive three test messages successfully.
3. Demonstrate your node running for at least 1 hour on battery without dying.
4. Show you know how to turn off broadcasting when not in use.