Meshtastic newbie FAQ

 

FAQ

What is a good starting point for troubleshooting issues?
Do the following things so that at least if you are being helped, you are using the same versions of app and firmware as your helper, so the settings are in the same places. Where "stuff lives" changes a lot.

1. Make sure you are using the latest version of your app from the Google playstore or Apple store.
2. Make sure your firmware is updated  ( https://flasher.meshtastic.org/ )

When troubleshooting with others, it's important to know the name of the "screen" you are on. They are shown below

Conversations       -      Nodes        -      Mesh Map      -      Settings      -      Connection

Most of the content here relates to Android. The app looks very different in Apple

If I am getting messages in the different channels, but not getting direct messages (DM's) what should I try?
Long press on that person's icon on the "Nodes" view in the Meshtastic app. (In the example below - the purple CL45) Click "remove". Chat that person via another mechanism and ask them to "reboot" their device, or wait 3 hours for their node to refresh. To reboot their device, they should go to Settings >> Administration >> Reboot. If that does not work, do the same in the other direction.  

If the instruction above fails, you can try the following. Assuming you can find the person you are trying to communicate with in the Conversations or Nodes screen - single tap on their icon, scroll down until you see "Telemetry". Tap the "User info" button. This will request User info from the node. That node owner could also do the same in reverse to your node, just to make sure.

If my device goes flat, is it normal to have to reset all the settings in it. Channels etc.
No, this is not normal. But it does happen on the Lilygo T-echo in certain circumstances.

If my device goes flat does this mean that my public key changes.
No, this is not normally the case.

What is the effect of the public key changing. Does it mean that if you have a "long name" that it is lost?
No, this should not effect your "long name"

If someone "favorites" your device's name does the device stay in their favorites list if the devices "long name" name is changed?
Yes, it stays.

Can you advise on which mode is best just for trying to keep in touch with friends.
Any of them are good. Client_mute can be a good option for a second device if it is in close proximity to another.

Is there a way to tell if an issue is with the app rather than the device?
It's usually the app. But forcing the app to stop, and restart is a good starting point. Depending on your version of Android, you could long-press on the Meshtastic icon on your phones "app drawer", click the info icon, and at the very bottom of the screen is the "Force stop" button

Should GPS update interval be set as it suggests? (10 seconds to keep GPS on). Is this potentially why connectivity keeps failing?
No, the GPS interval is not related to connectivity.

Node Charging issues - ie have set notification for charging in app but it didn't warn before the  battery ran out, it died and I had trouble reconnecting - I suspect this is a common issue? 
Not necessarily a common issue. Try not to let it go flat, another battery saving tip is to long hold on the app icon, go to the battery information and set it to "unrestricted".

Private key and public key questions 
Found under Settings >> Radio Configuration >> Security  (In android).

Do you have to save your public key?
No, it's not essential, the private key generates your public key itself. But if you want to DM people, it is the public key that you share with them. Definitely keep your private key saved somewhere. You can cut n paste your public key from the location mentioned above.

In the Apple version of the Meshtastic app I am getting DM's but they are not visible anywhere in the gui. I see them arrive, and they show in the notification bubble, but they are not clickable/readable.
This is a known bug. In IOS Meshtastic app, go into App Data >> Clear App Data.
Your text bubbles should appear.

In Android, suddenly my DMs are not working and when I click on the items in the "Settings" tabs, none of them load, stuck on zero. It appears that I have a good connection to my device. Multiple "Force stops" have no effect.
If I do a short tap of the reset button at the top left of my Lilygo t-echo to "wake up" the device, it starts to actually function again. (It has hung again). It's a good idea to do this at least once a week with the Lilygo t-echo as it hangs a lot. 

How many hops should we set our devices to?
It's complicated as it depends on location and purpose, but as a default, I'd normally recommend 4 for stationary nodes, and 5 for mobile nodes or nodes that rely on a CLIENT_BASE to get out.

How do I stop my phone from getting notifications constantly, I just want DM's.
Go into Settings >> App >> System Settings >> Notifications >>Notification categories - and pick and chose what you want to hear. This is in Android. It's different in Apple. 

One of my channels has a lot of traffic on it. How can I quiet the one channel?
In the "Conversations" screen, long press on the channel you want to mute. You can toggle the mute off or on.