Frequently Asked Questions

Socialmesh is a companion app for Meshtastic radio devices. It provides an intuitive interface for mesh communication, allowing you to send messages, track nodes, share locations, and configure your devices — all without requiring internet or cellular connectivity.

Meshtastic is an open-source project that enables long-range, off-grid communication using LoRa radios. Messages hop between devices to extend range, creating a mesh network. It's perfect for hiking, emergencies, events, or anywhere without cell coverage.

Yes! The core functionality of Socialmesh is completely free. We offer optional premium add-ons like custom themes, advanced automations, and the widget marketplace for users who want to enhance their experience.

No! Socialmesh works entirely offline. All communication happens over the Meshtastic radio mesh network. Internet is only needed for optional features like cloud sync, the widget marketplace, and MQTT gateway functionality.

You need a Meshtastic-compatible device. Popular options include:

• LILYGO T-Beam — Great all-rounder with GPS
• Heltec LoRa 32 — Compact and affordable
• RAK WisBlock — Modular and expandable
• Station G2 — High-power base station

Any device running Meshtastic firmware 2.0+ is supported.

iOS: iPhone running iOS 15 or later
Android: Devices running Android 8.0 (Oreo) or later

Both platforms require Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) support, which is standard on all modern smartphones.

Yes, on Android! Use a USB OTG adapter to connect your Meshtastic device directly. USB provides a more stable connection than Bluetooth and works great for stationary setups.

iOS does not support USB serial connections due to Apple's restrictions.

Try these steps in order:

1. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your phone
2. Power cycle your Meshtastic device
3. Remove the device from your phone's Bluetooth settings and reconnect
4. Ensure no other app is connected to the device
5. Check that your device has Bluetooth enabled in its config
6. Update your device firmware if outdated

Bluetooth connections can be affected by:

• Distance — Stay within 10 meters of your device
• Interference — Move away from WiFi routers and microwaves
• Battery optimization — Disable battery optimization for Socialmesh in your phone settings
• Android: Try using USB connection for better stability

Range depends on many factors:

• Line of sight: 5-15+ km possible
• Urban areas: 1-3 km typical
• With repeaters: Effectively unlimited via mesh hops

Higher antennas, better antenna quality, and favorable terrain dramatically increase range.

Yes! All messages are encrypted using AES-256. Each channel has a Pre-Shared Key (PSK) that encrypts all traffic. Only devices with the same channel configuration can read messages.

Important: The default channel uses a publicly known key. Always create custom channels with unique PSKs for private communication.

Messages may fail to deliver if:

• The recipient is out of range or offline
• Channel settings don't match
• Network is congested with too many messages
• Hop limit is too low to reach the destination

Socialmesh will show message status so you know if delivery succeeded.

Devices with GPS periodically broadcast their location over the mesh. Other nodes receive these positions and display them on the map. You can configure how often positions are sent in Device Settings → Position.

You can also use "smart position" which only sends updates when you've moved a significant distance.

Node positions are stored locally and displayed even without internet. However, the map tiles (the actual map imagery) require an internet connection to download. We recommend downloading the map area you need while connected.

Select the region that matches your physical location. This ensures your device uses legal radio frequencies:

• US — United States (915 MHz)
• EU_868 — Europe (868 MHz)
• AU_915 — Australia (915 MHz)
• CN — China (470 MHz)

Using the wrong region may violate radio regulations in your country.

Choose based on your priorities:

• Long Range / Slow — Maximum range, best for sparse networks
• Long Range / Fast — Good balance of range and speed
• Medium Range / Fast — Higher throughput, moderate range
• Short Range / Turbo — Fastest, but shortest range

All nodes on your mesh should use the same modem preset to communicate.

Premium add-ons are one-time purchases that unlock extra features:

• Theme Pack — Custom colors and visual themes
• Ringtone Pack — RTTTL ringtone library for alerts
• Widget Pack — Advanced dashboard widgets
• Automations Pack — Powerful automation rules
• IFTTT Pack — Integration with IFTTT services
• Complete Pack — Everything at a discount

Refunds are handled by the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android) according to their respective refund policies. Generally, you can request a refund within a short period after purchase if you haven't extensively used the feature.