Getting started on the YEG mesh

A 15-minute guide to go from unboxing your new board, to chatting on the mesh!

Edmonton runs MeshCore. If you're new and undecided, start with MeshCore. That's where all the local nodes, rooms, and other infrastructure are.

1. Obtain your hardware

You need a LoRa-capable board. Common choices that work for both MeshCore and Meshtastic:

• Heltec V3: classic starter device, on-board OLED display, widely available. Not great on battery.
• LILYGO T-Beam: has GPS, good for mobile/static repeaters.
• LILYGO T-Echo: pocket-friendly with e-ink display.
• RAK Wisblock 4631: modular, reliable, slightly more expensive. Incredible battery life, but needs a separate case.
• Seeed T-1000E: water resistant, rugged, and shaped kinda like a credit card. Has GPS and great battery life. Can't go wrong!
• Seeed XIAO nRF52840 & Wio-SX1262 Kit: requires a little DIY, but it's the smallest & cheapest kit you can get. Incredible battery life, too!
• Seeed WIO Tracker L1 Pro: a more premium feeling handheld with all the bells and whistles - GPS, large OLED screen, joystick, buzzer, and a solid antenna. Lots of QoL stuff!

Also, consider picking up a secondary cheap device to test with, in case you're in a dead zone. If you don't need it, give it to a friend and grow the network!

A nicer antenna will also make a bigger difference than a nicer board. Spend $20 on a half-decent one before you spend $200 on nicer hardware! Check out the Meshtastic community favourites list for suggestions; the same antennas work great for MeshCore, too! Be sure to stick to 915MHz over here.

2. Flash MeshCore (recommended for YEG)

1. Use the web flasher at flasher.meshcore.io in a WebUSB supported browser, like Chrome or Edge. Or grab firmware directly from github.com/meshcore-dev/meshcore.
2. Pick the Companion firmware, unless you're building infrastructure. Select "Bluetooth" or "USB" depending on your needs; you can only connect via the method your chosen firmware version supports.
3. Click "Flash" and wait for it to complete!

Or, if you want Meshtastic instead, use the Meshtastic web flasher in Chrome/Edge.

3. Set defaults

• MeshCore (primary): Select the "US/Canada" default preset, and change your default path hash size to 2-byte.
• Meshtastic: Meshtastic Defaults. US region, LongFast preset

4. Pair with the app

• MeshCore: the official mobile app can pair over USB, BLE, or Wi-Fi, depending on the firmware you chose. For non-mobile devices, use the browser client in a WebUSB supported browsef.
• Meshtastic: the official Android/iOS app also accepts USB, BLE, or Wi-Fi connections on any firmware revision, but only one at a time.

5. Say hi on Discord

Drop into the Edmonton Mesh Discord (links on resources) and say hello!

6. Go outside!

LoRa radio communications work best with height and line of sight! Even just going out onto your front lawn, porch, or deck could give you a noticeable signal boost. Most areas that currently have coverage will let you connect at ground level!

If you still aren't getting any reception or hearing any message repeats, have yourself a little adventure! Go on a walk, visit the top of a nearby hill, or check out any rooftops you might have access to. The higher up, the better!

If you're using MeshCore and feel bad about spamming the public chat with test messages, join the #test hashtag channel and fire away! You can use the "!test" or "!ping" commands to see if the local mesh bot can hear you, too.

7. Check coverage

Visit the coverage map. If you don't see yourself appearing within ~10 minutes outdoors, recheck step 3.

8. Get involved

• Add your node to the public map.
• Come to a coffee night when one's announced on the events page.
• If you have rooftop access and a power source, consider running a MeshCore Repeater or Room Server.