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Setting up a MeshCore Observer

What is a MeshCore Observer?

A MeshCore Observer is a MeshCore node (repeater, room server, or companion device) that listens to nearby mesh traffic and reports what it hears to an MQTT broker over the internet. ChiMesh uses observer data to power network analysis, coverage mapping, and reliability reporting across the Chicagoland area via CoreScope, Chicagoland MeshCore Live Map, and the ChiMesh Discord MeshCore MQTT Feed. Observers can be configured to share only advertisement packets, enough to appear on the node map, without exposing the contents of other traffic. You can stop sharing data at any time.

Note

Observer firmware is only available for supported devices. Check that your hardware is compatible before proceeding. Not all MeshCore devices support the packet logging firmware required for this setup.

Choose Your Setup Method

There are two ways to run an Observer:

Method 1: Native Observer Firmware

Step 1: Download the Firmware

Use the LetsMesh Onboarding page to find and download the correct firmware for your device variant. On the firmware page, select observer-uplink-native-dev in the version dropdown. You can also browse available builds directly from the Nightly Observer Firmware Builds.

Note

Files labeled -merged are for fresh installs only and will completely erase your flash. If you are updating from an existing MeshCore version, download the non-merged variant.

Step 2: Flash the Firmware

Fresh install: Use the MeshCore Web Flasher and select Custom to upload your downloaded file.

Updating via OTA: If you already have MeshCore running, you can update wirelessly using the companion app:

  1. Connect to the Device
    • Open the MeshCore companion app
    • Select your device to be updated
    • Log in with the admin password
  2. Open Remote Management
    • Tap the ··· menu (top right)
    • Choose Remote Management
  3. Launch the Command Line
    • Scroll to the bottom
    • Tap Command Line
    • Enter start ota
  4. Connect to the OTA Network
    • On your phone or computer, join the Wi-Fi network: MeshCore-OTA
  5. Upload the Firmware
    • Open a browser and go to http://192.168.4.1/update
    • Select and upload your downloaded .bin file
    • Wait for the update to complete
  6. Verify the Update
    • Reopen the companion app
    • Confirm the firmware version under Remote Management

Note

Your node's IP address may be set by your router's DHCP server to a diferent IP if you already connected your node to Wi-Fi. Check your DHCP server to see what your node's local IP address is.

Step 3: Apply ChiMesh Observer Settings

Once your firmware is installed, open the Command Line under Remote Management and enter the following configuration:

Required commands:

set timezone America/Chicago

set path.hash.mode 2

set advert.interval 240

set mqtt.iata ORD

set mqtt1.preset analyzer-us

set mqtt2.preset chimesh

set mqtt.rx on

set mqtt.tx advert

set wifi.ssid your-wifi-network

set wifi.pwd your-wifi-password

set bridge.enabled on

If this node also acts as a repeater:

set flood.advert.interval 72

reboot

If this node is a dedicated observer only (does NOT repeat):

set repeat off

set flood.advert.interval 168

reboot

Optional (but encouraged) — set to your companion device's public key:

set mqtt.owner your-primary-companion-device-pub.key

Note

Replace your-primary-companion-device-pub.key with your companion device's actual public key. Replace your-wifi-network and your-wifi-password with your real Wi-Fi credentials, do not wrap them in quotes.

Warning

set repeat off is for dedicated observers only. If this node is also serving as a mesh repeater, make sure you run the set repeat on command and consider using a lower flood.advert.interval value (72 or 48).

Method 2: Computer Bridge (USB + Raspberry Pi)

Warning

The Room Server role is not recommended for most deployments. Only use it if your node is placed in a difficult indoor location inside a large building where repeater mode is not suitable. If you are unsure which role is right for your setup, ask in the ChiMesh Discord before proceeding.

Requirements

  • Any supported MeshCore repeater or room server node with existing firmware
  • A Linux device (Raspberry Pi or similar) with internet access
  • USB connection between the node and the Linux device

Step 1: Get Compatible Firmware

Your node needs firmware that includes packet logging support. Download the appropriate version for your device from the LetsMesh Observer Firmware website using the latest version, or grab a pre-built packet-logging build for your variant.

Step 2: Connect and Run the Install Script

With your node connected to your Linux device via USB, run the following from your terminal:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Cisien/meshcoretomqtt/main/install.sh | bash

When asked whether to enable the LetsMesh Packet Analyzer, enter y.

During installation, make sure to use the chimesh preset.

Note

This script is designed for Repeater and Room Server nodes only. For more details on configuration options, see the meshcoretomqtt README.

Note

During setup, you will be asked to enter an IATA airport code for your region. For the Chicago area, use ORD. Make sure to use the correct IATA code, it is not the same as an ICAO code. A quick search for your nearest major airport will confirm it.

Step 3: ChiMesh MQTT

The install script will configure the standard MQTT uplink. After setup, your observer data will flow to ChiMesh and appear on CoreScope, Chicagoland MeshCore Live Map, and the ChiMesh Discord MeshCore MQTT Feed within a few minutes of your first advertisement packet being heard.

Note

It may take up to 5 minutes after your observer first connects before it appears in the Observers list. Your node must have an advertisement heard before it will show up in the map or dropdown, but packet data will still be recorded in the meantime.

Additional Notes

  • These settings are also required for upcoming ChiMesh(Core) services as they are announced
  • set mqtt2.preset chimesh is what connects your observer to the ChiMesh network specifically
  • The mqtt.owner field is optional but highly encouraged, it links your observer to your primary companion device

Thank you for supporting ChiMesh.org - we hope to see you on MeshCore MQTT soon!