Mesh Networking

Mesh networking is a decentralized wireless communication system in which each device (or “node”) acts as both receiver & repeater, automatically relaying data for other nodes. Instead of relying on a central router, access point, or cellular tower, messages “hop” from node to node until they reach their destination.

Fig. A: A comparison of several common network topologies.

Mesh networks are typically crowdsourced and volunteer-run operations. Since there is no central authority to the network beyond the rules of the protocol everyone settled on, generally anyone can spin up new nodes on the network. This creates a resilient, self-healing network that can cover large areas, operate without internet or cellular infrastructure, and continue working even if some nodes fail or go offline.

Most other types of networks have bottlenecks which packets pass through, such as central gateways or routers. When those bottlenecks fail (or are targeted for sabotage) vast swaths of the network go down with them. Mesh networking avoids this problem through the use of multiple redundant nodes. See Figure A for a visual comparison.

Mesh networks come in many forms & protocols, and these protocols are not interchangeable. However, they all share the core advantage of operating independently of traditional telecom infrastructure, making them valuable for remote areas, emergency situations, or censorship-resistant communication.

LoRa (for Long Range) is a radio modulation technique for long-range, low-power communication over amateur radio and the sub-gigahertz ISM bands (915MHz in the US, and 433MHz & 868MHz in Europe). It achieves ranges of 1-9mi (2–15km) while consuming minimal energy, making it ideal for simple text-messaging & IoT sensors that only need to transmit small packets occasionally. LoRA has been adapted for use with several types of mesh-based and non-mesh networks, such as Meshtastic and LoRaWAN (see below).

Before we continue, it should be noted LoRaWAN is not a true mesh network. Rather it is extended-star (or “star-of-stars”) topology, ie: devices talk only to gateways. It trades very low data rates (0.3–50 kbit/s) for exceptional range and robustness against interference. LoRaWAN devices can last 5–10 years on a single battery, and operate over distances of 2–15km, while sending data only a few times per hour or day.

Unlike true mesh systems, devices in standard LoRaWAN do not relay messages for each other — all traffic goes through gateways connected to the internet or private backhaul. We mention it here because other mesh systems oftentimes work on the same hardware, which is a major source of confusion for mesh newbs. However, LoRa can also be used in pure peer-to-peer or mesh configurations such as Meshtastic (see below).

Unlike LoRaWAN, Meshtastic is a true long-range mesh system built on LoRa hardware where every device is its own independent node. Meshtastic nodes automatically rebroadcast messages from nearby Meshtastic nodes, creating self-reliant off-grid text messaging & location-sharing networks. The Meshtastic firmware can be installed on any compatible ESP32-based device. There are many prebuilt Meshtastic devices on Amazon, some of which have Bluetooth and smartphone connectivity. It is especially popular with hikers, preppers, and disaster-response groups. Range per hop is typically 5–20 km in good conditions.

If you are new to mesh networking, Mestastic is one of the easier entry points. For more information on Meshtastic devices and how to use them, read our Meshtastic guide.

Helium is a LoRaWAN-based network originally launched in 2019, which uses community-deployed “Hotspots” that people buy and host at home. These hotspots provide long-range LoRaWAN coverage, relay data to the internet, and form a global blockchain-based network where participants originally earned $HNT cryptocurrency for proof-of-coverage & data transfer. (Helium is notorious for its financially-incentivized users setting up hotspots in National Parks & Forests.)

In 2023–2024 the original project split: The IoT/LoRaWAN portion migrated to the Solana blockchain as Helium IoT, while a separate Helium Mobile network now focuses on 5G/cellular offloading using the same hotspot model & tokenomics. Today it remains one of the largest crowdsourced LoRaWAN networks, with hundreds of thousands of hotspots worldwide.

A commercial mesh networking device that pairs with smartphones via Bluetooth, creating an off-grid text and GPS sharing network using the 900 MHz band (U.S.) or other ISM bands. Popular with outdoor enthusiasts and tactical teams. Syncthing + Briar (software-based mesh): Peer-to-peer file sync (Syncthing) and messaging (Briar) apps that can route traffic over local Bluetooth or Wi-Fi mesh when internet is unavailable, effectively turning nearby phones into temporary mesh nodes.

An award-winning disaster-response mesh network using low-cost hardware “DuckLinks” with LoRa to create rapidly deployable offline networks for first responders after hurricanes or earthquakes.

Serval was one of the earliest smartphone-based mesh projects (2010s) that turned Android phones into walkie-talkies & text relays over Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth. It is largely inactive now, but it was very influential on the development of modern mesh-based ecosystems.