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Add a MeshCore Repeater

a roof-top antenna on a tripod mounted mast.
One of the IdahoMesh repeaters
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Updated Aug 2026 to match our new suggested settings

Adding a repeater is one of the best ways to contribute to the Mesh, as they are the backbone of the MeshCore network. Repeaters receive messages from "companion" nodes and other repeaters, then rebroadcast them across the mesh.

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If you're planning to place a repeater in a high-elevation or otherwise high-profile area, please reach out to us on Discord so we can coordinate to improve the overall mesh.

Quick Settings

Here are the minimum settings you'll need to ensure your repeater meshes well in Idaho. For best results, we recommend a firmware version of 1.16.0 or newer.

  1. Use the USA/Canada (Recommended) preset
  2. Flood Routed Adverts: 47 hours (default in newer firmware)
  3. Zero-hop Adverts: 0 minutes (off)
  4. Use 2-Byte path advertisements set path.hash.mode 1
  5. Set a remote Admin password (make sure to remember this!)
  6. (Optionally) Set a Guest password like idahomesh to let others see your repeater's stats
  7. Set the repeater's location — you can set it to a nearby public landmark for privacy
  8. Add the Idaho region tags. On current firmware (1.16.0+), for repeaters in/near the Treasure Valley those settings would be:
    region def west pnw id sw-id boi
    region save
  9. Reboot the repeater

Repeater Position

We highly recommend you set a location for your repeater. That said, many of us would prefer not to disclose a repeater's exact location, especially if it's at our homes. We suggest manually setting the repeater's location to a nearby park, major intersection, or landmark. But please don't set your repeater location too far away, as an accurate general location helps us track coverage and plan future repeater needs.

Next Steps...

We suggest all repeater owners join our Discord to help shape the future of IdahoMesh and to stay informed about mesh operations, needed config changes, etc... In addition to Discord, but especially for repeater owners not on Discord, we suggest repeater owners sign up for our newsletter, which will include any updates about important mesh operations.

Need help?

The best way to get help is via our Discord. But if you're already on the mesh, feel free to DM ASHZ or ask in the #idahomesh channel.

Repeater Categories

Primary Repeaters

Primary repeaters are those in locations with lots of "Topographic Prominence." In Idaho, these are almost always going to be located on the tops of mountains. While these repeaters do add significant coverage for companion nodes, more importantly, they extend the mesh backbone over long distances and connect lots of secondary and neighborhood repeaters.

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If you're interested in putting up a high coverage "primary" repeater on a mountain with a large coverage area, please reach out to us to coordinate efforts, we'd love to help ensure your primary repeater will be well connected and leveraged within the larger mesh. We can also help with design, logistics, etc.

Secondary Repeaters

Secondary repeaters are those that cover an area between Primary (mountain top) repeaters and Neighborhood (rooftop) repeaters. These may be on hills, tall radio towers, water towers, taller commercial buildings, or other locations where coverage is provided to a larger area, but not at the level of a Primary Repeater.

Neighborhood / Home Repeaters

In general, on MeshCore, it's hard to go wrong adding neighborhood repeaters. Many users will want to add a repeater at their homes. Unlike other meshes, MeshCore generally encourages this in areas where coverage isn't 100%. Please follow the settings and suggestions in this guide, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.