MeshCore/F.A.Q

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MeshCore FAQ

This page covers frequently asked questions about using MeshCore in Ottawa. Each section provides quick guidance for common tasks.

How Adverts Work

MeshCore uses a repeater-driven advert system for discovery (not a prerequisite to transmit).

• You do not need to have recevied an advert from a repeater to send a message. You can transmit at any time; any repeater that hears your packet will forward it.
• Adverts allow your node to discover repeaters (their ID and info). This enables features such as:

 * Tracing paths to confirm connectivity  
 * Seeing repeater names in the path summary of a message  
 * Setting static paths to a specific user  

• Repeaters periodically broadcast adverts (short beacon packets) across the mesh.
• In Ottawa, adverts are configured for:

 * Zero-hop adverts (direct): Every 1 hour  
 * Flood adverts (forwarded across repeaters): Every 3 hours  

This approach keeps discovery traffic low while still ensuring that repeaters can be identified and messages are reliably forwarded across the mesh.

The Public Channel

By default, MeshCore companion nodes in Ottawa have access to the shared public channel.

• Any correctly flashed node set to the correct frequency can join immediately and begin passing traffic.
• When you send a message and a repeater hears it, you will see Heard X Repeats under your message (instead of just Sent).
• You can click and hold the message, then select Heard Repeats to see which repeaters heard it.

 * If you have discovered the repeater through adverts, you will see its name.  
 * If not, you will see only its ID.  

How to Share Your Contact URL

1. Open the MeshCore app and connect it to your companion node.

2. Tap the Signal icon at the top. 🔗 View Screenshot

3. Tap Advert → To Clipboard. 🔗 View Screenshot

4. Your contact URL is now copied to your phone’s clipboard.

  Paste it into chat, notes, or anywhere else you want to share it.

How to Import a Contact URL

1. Open the MeshCore app and connect it to your companion node.

2. Tap the three dots in the top-right corner (menu button). 🔗 View Screenshot

3. Tap Add Contact. 🔗 View Screenshot

4. Tap Import from Clipboard Link. 🔗 View Screenshot

5. Within a few seconds, you should see a green notification pop up from the bottom:

  "Success – contact has been imported"  

🔗 View Screenshot

6. Exit out of the Add Contact page. A notification will pop up from the top:

  "New Contact Discovered <NAME>"  

🔗 View Screenshot

7. The contact will now appear in your contact list.

How to Trace Route to a Node (1 Hop)

1. Open the MeshCore app and connect it to your companion node.

2. Tap the three dots in the top-right corner (menu button). 🔗 View Screenshot

3. Tap Tools. 🔗 View Screenshot

4. Tap Trace Path – Manual. 🔗 View Screenshot

5. Tap the plus button to select your repeater. 🔗 View Screenshot

6. Select the repeater you want to trace to, then tap the checkmark at the top. 🔗 View Screenshot

7. You will see only a single repeater ID in the path — this indicates a 1-hop trace.

  * You do not need to specify a return path because the trace goes directly to the repeater and back to your node.  

🔗 View Screenshot

8. Tap Trace Path to run the trace. 🔗 View Screenshot

How to Trace Route to a Node (2+ Hops)

1. Open the MeshCore app and connect it to your companion node.

2. Tap the three dots in the top-right corner (menu button). 🔗 View Screenshot

3. Tap Tools. 🔗 View Screenshot

4. Tap Trace Path – Manual. 🔗 View Screenshot

5. Tap the plus button to select your repeater. 🔗 View Screenshot

6. Select the repeaters you want to trace in order.

  * In this menu, you can't select repeaters more than once.  
  * First, select your path to the repeater, then tap the checkmark.  
  * Go back into the add menu and select the repeaters for the return path.  
  * Alternatively, if you know the repeater IDs, you can type them directly into the path bar (comma-separated).  
  * Example: To trace from RepeaterA (ID d3) → RepeaterB (ID f3) → back to RepeaterA, the path bar would be:  
    d3, f3, d3  

🔗 View Screenshot

7. Verify the path bar shows both the forward and return paths. Then tap Trace. 🔗 View Screenshot

8. The trace results will appear. 🔗 View Screenshot