Choosing a platform
Austin Mesh currently supports 2 networking technologies. We recommend MeshCore for all beginners. If you want the nitty-gritty, check out the in depth comparison of MeshCore and Meshtastic.
MeshCore (Recommended)
If you want to be able to send text messages to your friends, family, or the broader Austin Mesh community, you want to use MeshCore. The technology is decentralized and encrypted, allowing you resilient and secure messaging. As of June 2026, it also provides very reliable messaging in most of the greater Austin area.
MeshCore Setup GuideHow it works
MeshCore relies on 2 types of radios(nodes): Companions and Repeaters.
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Companions are the radios you send messages from and generally carry on your person. They receive and send messages, but do not retransmit messages from other companions.
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Repeaters are typically fixed location radios powered by a solar panel and battery. Repeaters are what help the network grow and become more resilient.
Features
MeshCore supports private(direct) messages, public group chats(channels), private channels, mapping, trace routes, signal coverage estimation, and many other quality of life features.
Meshtastic
If you want to collect telemetry data such as weather stations, motion sensors, GPS position logs, or other sensor data, Meshtastic is the technology for you. The Meshtastic network in Austin covers a similar geographic area, but due to technology constraints is far less reliable for text messaging than MeshCore.
Meshtastic Setup GuideHow it works
Meshtastic uses 12 different types of radios depending on your needs. The full details are available on the Meshtastic Docs but we generally recommend every radio start with Client and Client Base, only switching once a need is demonstrated.
Features
Meshtastic supports private(direct) messages, public group chats(channels), private channels, mapping, trace routes, sensor integration, ATAK integration, and more.