Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

An Introduction to Meshtastic

meshtastic.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

121–130 of 192 posts

Re: An Introduction to Meshtastic

#121

Post by icedrift »

sandworm101 wrote: post #93
laurowyn wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What is the use case? It's primarily just an experimental system. Demonstrating that fixed infrastructure isn't actually necessary to communicate. Beyond that, it's a mixture of HAM radio for communicating with people outside of your immediate circle, and disaster prep. The best realistic scenario I can see for using it is after a sever weather event like hurricane, tornado, tsunami, etc. that takes out significant…

People forget that this network isnt for everyday use. It is for use in ad-hoc scenarios where cell or even satellite coverage falls apart. The most powerful aspect is that these things are deployable . A communication chain can be established as fast as people can move. Natural disasters are the most obvious use case, but more interesting are things like search and rescue. Go somewhere properly remote such as the hi…

The range of these lora nodes is a bit of a myth. It is better than higher frequencies but you shouldn't expect anything more than a km with obstructions, realistically half that.

Not to say they don't fill a niche, but bandwidth and range limit it's viability to small operations; even an optimal network cant handle more than a few hundred tweets per hour.

Re: An Introduction to Meshtastic

#122

Post by mplewis »

para_parolu wrote: post #80
fiskeben wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It runs independently of internet and power. One use case is a group of people in a remote area (hikers, hunters) carrying their own node and being able to communicate via text over several kilometres.

Or you just use iPhone satellite messaging without relying on extra devices that may not even work in mountains

This won't reliably get messages between two users in the mountains.

Re: An Introduction to Meshtastic

#123

Post by the_gipsy »

varispeed wrote: post #26
Cyan488 wrote: post #8

I had never heard of this before, then last week I watched a video about it and was hooked. Now I'm seeing it everywhere! Meshtastic and Meshcore are both cool LoRa-based mesh text messaging that operate in an no-license-required band. While this limits your transmit power, it doesn't prohibit encryption - the inverse of most ham radio rules! Some cities have thriving communities of Meshtastic and/or Meshcore. You ca…

So you have the mesh and then what? Do people communicate to distribute prohibited anti-government propaganda or is it a network of people who otherwise be too shy to talk to each other by other means? What is the use case?

You send "test" and hope that someone replies.

Sometimes you discuss new Meshtastic gear or setting up a router together.

Re: An Introduction to Meshtastic

#124

Post by Melatonic »

sandworm101 wrote: post #93
laurowyn wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What is the use case? It's primarily just an experimental system. Demonstrating that fixed infrastructure isn't actually necessary to communicate. Beyond that, it's a mixture of HAM radio for communicating with people outside of your immediate circle, and disaster prep. The best realistic scenario I can see for using it is after a sever weather event like hurricane, tornado, tsunami, etc. that takes out significant…

People forget that this network isnt for everyday use. It is for use in ad-hoc scenarios where cell or even satellite coverage falls apart. The most powerful aspect is that these things are deployable . A communication chain can be established as fast as people can move. Natural disasters are the most obvious use case, but more interesting are things like search and rescue. Go somewhere properly remote such as the hi…

But how are enough people going to get the hardware in that ad-hoc scenario ?

Something that can also use devices we already have seems like a better solution. I'm surprised BitChat has not seen more popularity. Something that combined that + a dedicated hardware mesh transmitter (for longer range when needed) and allowed adhocactual network use between devices would be pretty damn cool.

Also arent LoRA systems mostly still line of sight?

Re: An Introduction to Meshtastic

#125

Post by Melatonic »

filcuk wrote: post #119
varispeed wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you have the mesh and then what? Do people communicate to distribute prohibited anti-government propaganda or is it a network of people who otherwise be too shy to talk to each other by other means? What is the use case?

I'm using one of those devices with a tiny eink screen... as a pocket ebook reader. Sorry for the bait. Fun and easy project though, lookup Pala one if you're interested and dm me for improved firmware (restrictive license)

Sounds intriguing. How is the battery life? Color e-ink or BW?

Would be great if it also ran some type of Topo mapping software!

Re: An Introduction to Meshtastic

#126

Post by Melatonic »

nsxwolf wrote: post #52
varispeed wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you have the mesh and then what? Do people communicate to distribute prohibited anti-government propaganda or is it a network of people who otherwise be too shy to talk to each other by other means? What is the use case?

I built one and found absolutely no use for it. No one ever, and I mean ever, answers you. It's sort of like ham radio, where you get your technician license and get on a net and discover people are just talking about their antennas. Except it's worse, because all the antenna discussions are happening on Reddit and Discord and not on the network itself. People are very enamored with what you could theoretically do wi…

HAM I think used to be more popular when it didnt have all this competition and it makes total sense

Re: An Introduction to Meshtastic

#127

Post by Melatonic »

Panda_ wrote: post #6
moffers wrote: post #4

I took a plunge into learning about mesh networks, specifically because I love the idea of p2p/decentralized systems of communication. To be honest, I was surprised to find that my expectations for “where we are at” with this type of technology was pretty off-base. For some reason I thought by now it would be straightforward to do a little more than text messaging over a truly public and decentralized off-internet me…

The Reticulum Network Stack is a more generic lora capable protocol. It is intended to run over almost any two way link so it's less bandwidth efficient per packet than Meshtastic but in return it gives you packet routing rather than flooding. It can be run over TCP, LoRa, WiFi, etc. https://reticulum.network/start.html has an overview and how to connect. There is a manual with a lot more information on how it works…

Now that actually sounds interesting!

Re: An Introduction to Meshtastic

#128

Post by Forge36 »

_stiofan wrote: post #82

I haven't messed with this yet, to me it seems like it could theoretically map all device locations, triangulating positions? Has that been addressed?

That's known as Transmitter Hunting (aka Fox Hunting).

It's a fundamental flaw of most wireless communication. Are you referring to something more specific?

Re: An Introduction to Meshtastic

#129

Post by Melatonic »

szszrk wrote: post #50
dewey wrote: post #19

Somewhat related thread from the past days https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47999636 that also discusses Reticulum which is an interesting project in the same space too. From what I could see the general vibe seems to be shifting from meshtastic to meshcore.io in the past months.

It's a natural direction to hop from Meshtastic to Meshcore.io as the community grows. They are implemented a bit differently. The chatty nature of Meshtastic works very well in small groups, or unknown area, when you need to talk a bunch of your friends scattered during a trip, to monitor your tracktors on a large field, etc.. Then you try to scale it to a larger city and it just completely breaks. Then Meshcore.io…

Seems like Meshtastic could be replaced by something like BitChat (no hardware needed) for smaller groups and adhoc use (like the example you give of a group on a trip)

If you are going to have the setup and work of repeater nodes though doesnt something that gives actual network use between devices make more sense?

Re: An Introduction to Meshtastic

#130

Post by [deleted] »

varispeed wrote: post #26
Cyan488 wrote: post #8

I had never heard of this before, then last week I watched a video about it and was hooked. Now I'm seeing it everywhere! Meshtastic and Meshcore are both cool LoRa-based mesh text messaging that operate in an no-license-required band. While this limits your transmit power, it doesn't prohibit encryption - the inverse of most ham radio rules! Some cities have thriving communities of Meshtastic and/or Meshcore. You ca…

So you have the mesh and then what? Do people communicate to distribute prohibited anti-government propaganda or is it a network of people who otherwise be too shy to talk to each other by other means? What is the use case?

[deleted]
Post reply on HN