The Communication Network for When the World Goes Dark
Imagine waking up to a world where a catastrophic event has rendered all modern communication networks useless. Your phone is dead, the internet is gone, and you need to connect with trusted individuals to survive. This scenario, reminiscent of the movie The Day After Tomorrow, highlights the fragility of our digital infrastructure. Fortunately, there's a low-budget solution called Meshtastic that can keep you connected even in the most remote or disaster-stricken areas.
Meshtastic: The Off-Grid Communication Solution
Meshtastic is an innovative program that allows devices to send text messages over long distances without relying on Wi-Fi or cellular service. Using long-range radio (LoRa) nodes, Meshtastic creates a network of devices that can communicate with each other, even in areas where traditional networks fail. Messages hop from one device to another, extending the network's reach across miles with minimal power consumption.
Eric Kristoff, a volunteer member of the Chicago chapter of the Mars Society, describes Meshtastic as "a radio infrastructure without the infrastructure. It’s ad hoc." The Mars Society has been testing Meshtastic to enable their "analog astronauts" to communicate and track each other's locations without earthly infrastructure. These devices, roughly the size of a deck of cards, are worn by the astronauts and cost around $30, making them an affordable solution for off-grid communication.
How Meshtastic Works
Most Meshtastic devices currently on the market need to pair with a phone over Bluetooth to function as a texting alternative. Some devices are just a radio, antenna, and battery, with the expectation that you’ll make the housing yourself. The radio handles all the device-to-device communication, while the iOS and Android apps or the web client let you read and compose messages that are received or sent over the network—no service plan needed.
The apps also allow you to see the approximate location of nearby nodes and a map of the Meshtastic network. Fancier stand-alone devices are already available, like a line of Meshtastic-enabled gadgets from maker-friendly tech firm LilyGo that includes Blackberry-like handhelds with their own keyboards, a smartphone-like device with an e-paper screen, and even a Meshtastic-enabled smartwatch.
The Community Behind Meshtastic
Meshtastic was created by technologist Kevin Hester in early 2020 as a way to communicate while doing “any hobby where you don’t have reliable internet access.” It remains a grassroots endeavor, with established local communities spanning from Argentina to China that are ripe with a DIY ethos. The software itself is open source, meaning anyone can theoretically contribute, and hundreds have.
Jonathan Bennett, a self-described “Linux guy” who upgraded Meshtastic to stronger end-to-end encryption for direct messaging and keeps the software working on Linux, says he first got involved in the project after a listener of one of his podcasts wanted a way to communicate with friends while attending a festival where the cell network could get overloaded.
“I put my open source enthusiast hat on and I went looking, and I came across Meshtastic,” he says. “And it immediately tickled my interest.”
Real-Life Applications and Limitations
Meshtastic has proven valuable in various real-life scenarios. Garth Vander Houwen, an iPhone user, found Meshtastic while looking for a way to communicate as he hiked on remote trails in the Seattle area. Ben Meadors, another developer, came to Meshtastic after a dangerous tornado hit his home state of Arkansas, causing major damage.
“My kind of initial use case was honestly a backup communication for storm-related outages,” Meadors says. “It's just really handy to have anywhere where you’ve got a limited connection to the grid.”
However, Meshtastic is not without its limitations. Using the decentralized mesh network requires having your Meshtastic device in range of at least one other radio; obstructions like buildings, trees, and hills or mountains can prevent the line-of-sight communication needed to join the mesh network. This means it may only be reliable when there’s a variety of other Meshtastic nodes in the area.
The Future of Meshtastic
Despite its limitations, Meshtastic's promise as a backup communication system continues to attract new enthusiasts. The Android app alone has drawn thousands of reviews, and the Meshtastic subreddit has grown to nearly 50,000 members. Some municipalities are even hoping to launch Meshtastic networks to help protect their communities in the event of natural disasters.
For Bennett, Meadors, and Vander Houwen, the goal is to make Meshtastic more accessible and user-friendly. “I think the biggest thing for me too is that it’s not just accessible from the aspect of the hardware being available to more people. I want to make the software more accessible,” Meadors says. “I want to make the experience such that I can hand this device to anybody and have them download the app and start messaging. We've come a long way. I think there's still some room to grow there.”
How OS-SCi Can Help
At OS-SCi, the open-source educational institute, we understand the importance of reliable communication in times of crisis. Our courses and workshops can help you understand the technology behind Meshtastic and other off-grid communication solutions. By learning about open-source software and hardware, you can contribute to projects like Meshtastic and ensure that you and your community are prepared for any communication challenges that may arise. Join us at OS-SCi and become part of a community dedicated to innovation and resilience.