Description
In this series, we explore LoRa mesh networking with Meshtastic and MeshCore, two open-source projects that let you send encrypted text messages and sensor data over several kilometers without cell service, Wi-Fi, or a satellite subscription. Over six episodes, we'll flash and configure nodes for both protocols, build a solar-powered repeater to extend the network's range, connect a sensor to a Meshtastic node to transmit telemetry, and finally bridge the mesh to a Home Assistant server over MQTT so you can log and visualize that data. If you've been hearing buzz about these protocols but don't know where to start, this series is for you.
To follow along with the series, you will need the following hardware:
SenseCAP Card Tracker T1000-E: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/seeed-technology-co-ltd/114993369/24814479
XIAO ESP32S3 & Wio-SX1262 Kit: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/seeed-technology-co-ltd/102010611/25835813
XIAO nRF52840 & Wio-SX1262 Kit: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/seeed-technology-co-ltd/102010710/26553900
SenseCAP Solar Node P1-Pro: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/seeed-technology-co-ltd/114993633/26834458
Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 (for Home Assistant in the final episode): https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/raspberry-pi/SC0195-9/12159401
Note that LoRa hardware is region-specific. Check the frequency band for your country before ordering. The United States and most of the Americas use 915 MHz, while Europe uses 433 MHz and 868 MHz.
You can read a full write-up of everything we cover in this video here: https://www.digikey.com/en/maker/tutorials/2026/intro-to-lora-mesh-part-2-getting-started-with-meshtastic
In the previous episode, we covered how LoRa and mesh networking operate before comparing Meshtastic and MeshCore at a high level. This time, we flash three nodes with the Meshtastic firmware, configure them through the phone app, and send our first broadcast, direct, and encrypted channel messages between them. Each board has its own quirks for getting into bootloader mode: the XIAO ESP32S3 uses the "B" button, the XIAO nRF52840 needs its flash erased first and mounts as a drive for UF2 copying, and the T1000-E requires holding the button while flicking the magnetic connector twice in rapid succession.
Before configuring anything, we cover the two settings that determine whether your node can talk to anyone at all: presets and frequency slots. Presets bundle the spreading factor, bandwidth, and coding rate into a single choice that trades data rate against range, with LongFast being the default that most meshes use. Frequency slots work like Wi-Fi channels within your region's band. Both your preset and your slot must match every other node in the mesh you want to join, which is the most common reason a brand-new node sees nothing on the network.
From there we walk through the app: setting your region and maximum hop count, naming nodes with long and short names stored on the device itself, and exploring the position and telemetry modules. We then get all three nodes talking, cover why direct messages sometimes fail with a "no channel" error before nodes have exchanged public keys, and set up a private AES-encrypted channel that sidesteps that problem entirely. We close with resources for finding other Meshtastic users in your area, including meshmap.net, the GitHub discussions, and regional community groups.
In the next episode, we’ll see how to configure and install a dedicated repeater node.
0:00 Intro
0:39 Review of Meshtastic concepts
5:31 Hardware recommendations
6:18 Flash XIAO ESP32 with Meshtastic firmware
8:28 Flash XIAO nRF52840 with Meshtastic firmware
11:05 Flash SenseCAP Card Tracker T1000-E with Meshtastic firmware
13:31 Communication test setup with 3 nodes
18:41 Configure Card Tracker T1000-E node
28:45 Configure XIAO ESP32 node
30:15 Configure XIAO nRF52840 node
31:40 Communication test
39:43 Nodes are standalone devices
40:35 Community resources
41:55 Conclusion
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