Node Setup

Familiar with a terminal? This page will help you get your mesh node set up. You will first need to select a device and flash a firmware onto it - those instructions can be found on the device-specific page. Then, head back here to complete the rest of the set-up.

Communication Channels

Need help? Here's how to get in touch:

• Matrix Chat
• Mailing List
• Weekly Meetups
• Loomio

Choosing a Node

Take a look at our devices page. Because we are using Yggdrasil for encrypted routing, you will want to choose a device with an Yggdrasil speed that meets your needs.

Flashing the Firmware

The procedure to flash the firmware varies from device to device. If the device uses removable media, such as an SD Card, it may be easiest to use Etcher to write the image to the drive. Alternatively, flashing may require logging into the device and uploading the firmware file to the device while it runs.

Refer to the wiki page for your device to determine the flashing procedure, or bring your node to one of our meetings and have it flashed for you!

When your device is flashed, return to these steps to continue.

Configuring your Node

Once your device has been flashed, there may be a few more steps to getting up and running. The preconfigured MassMesh firmware aims to have as much as possible done out of the box.

If using stock OpenWrt, see Manual Configuration for how to replicate the prebuilt firmware settings.

Node Placement

In order to communicate on the mesh, your node must be able to talk to other nodes in your area. Here are some suggestions to help maximize your signal:

• If the node is weather resistant, mount it on the outside of the house or to a column facing the street
• Indoor nodes should be placed on or near windows facing the street and other buildings

Wiring Up the Node

In addition to providing power to the node, you may also want to use the following ports on the device:

• The WAN port (on multi-port devices) may be connected to a spare LAN port on your regular router (or directly to your modem) to share your internet connection with the mesh
• The LAN port may be connected to a switch or any device to provide internet to that device through the mesh