Main Page
Welcome to Greater Ottawa Mesh Enthusiasts!
About
Welcome to the Ottawa mesh group! See the information below for the default frequencies, and please join our Discord to chat with us more.
Both MeshCore and Meshtastic are protocols that run on top of LoRa radios. LoRa (Long Range) is a low-power wireless modulation well-suited for long-distance communication at modest data rates. By building on this technology, both systems enable communities to create decentralized, low-cost networks.
Most of the city is currently running MeshCore, with a medium-sized presence of Meshtastic users in the Orleans area. Orleans also has some MeshCore users, and there are repeaters there that link up with the downtown MeshCore mesh.
MeshCore vs Meshtastic
Meshtastic is a peer-to-peer mesh where every node can forward traffic, making it flexible for ad-hoc use but prone to congestion in larger networks. Because it relies on nodes that are typically moving, coverage can also be unreliable and sporadic.
MeshCore relies on fixed repeaters for routing, providing a more stable and scalable backbone for city-wide coverage.
Hardware
To get started and connect to the mesh, begin with a companion node. Pick a build that fits your needs, then flash either MeshCore or Meshtastic firmware to the device.
From there, you can explore repeaters, build instructions, and mounting options to expand coverage and strengthen the Ottawa mesh.
MeshCore
Meshtastic
- Getting Started
- Frequency Settings
- Recommended Hardware
- Firmware & Software
- Local Nodes & Coverage
- Join the Ottawa Channel
- Meetups & Events
- Troubleshooting
- Useful Links
- Ottawa Use Cases
Useful Resources
- Austin Mesh – Useful information and real-world testing of mesh nodes
- Cold Weather Charging of Lithium-Ion Batteries – A great write-up on repeater performance in extreme cold with LiPos
Social
This wiki is maintained by the Greater Ottawa Mesh Enthusiasts to provide information and track deployments.