Welcome to Greater Ottawa Mesh Enthusiasts¶
About the Community¶
Welcome to the Ottawa mesh group!
We’re a community of hobbyists, builders, and experimenters working together to create a decentralized long-range communications network across the National Capital Region.
Both MeshCore and Meshtastic run on top of LoRa radios.
LoRa (Long Range) is a low-power, long-distance radio modulation ideal for community networks, sensors, emergency use, and experimentation.
Across Ottawa and the surrounding area we currently operate over 50 static MeshCore repeaters
Whether you want to experiment, build hardware, climb towers, or just connect with other enthusiasts — you’re welcome here.
MeshCore Map¶
MeshCore vs Meshtastic¶
MeshCore¶
MeshCore is a repeater-driven city network, designed for stability and wide-area coverage.
- Fixed repeaters form a reliable backbone
- Consistent routing and low congestion
- Ideal for city-scale deployments
- Great for hobbyists who want predictable, always-on connectivity
Meshtastic¶
Meshtastic is a peer-to-peer mesh where every node can forward traffic.
- Flexible and great for small groups or field use
- Best for mobile, temporary, or low-density setups
- Can become congested in dense urban deployments
- Coverage varies depending on who is online and nearby
Watch a quick overview on YouTube
Getting Started With MeshCore¶
Pick a Companion Node¶
Start by picking a device from our recommended list:
Recommended Companions
Your companion node is how you join the Ottawa mesh. It connects you directly into the MeshCore network.
With it, you can:
- Talk with others on the MeshCore mesh
- Discover which repeaters are in range
- Learn how the network routes your messages
- Join in on testing, experiments, and enjoy exploring the mesh
It's the easiest way to get started before moving on to repeaters or solar builds.
About This Wiki¶
This wiki is maintained by the Greater Ottawa Mesh Enthusiasts and contains guides, hardware information, deployment notes, and community resources.
If you’d like to contribute or help improve the wiki, reach out to MrAlders0n on Discord — or submit changes directly on GitHub: