NHMesh Channel Setup Guide

This step-by-step guide will help you connect your Meshtastic device to the NH Mesh community network. Meshtastic supports multiple communication channels, allowing you to have both a public chat and a private group on the same device.

Before You Begin

Required Items:

A Meshtastic-compatible device (e.g., TTGO T-Beam, Heltec, RAK, etc.)
Latest Meshtastic firmware installed on your device
Smartphone with the Meshtastic app or access to the web client

Understanding Meshtastic Channels and Privacy

Meshtastic devices can have up to 8 channels (indexed 0–7). Each channel has different properties and uses:

Primary Channel (index 0)

There is only one primary channel, and it cannot be disabled. This channel carries periodic broadcasts (such as GPS location and telemetry) from your device. By default, new Meshtastic devices use a built-in public primary channel so that anyone in range on the default settings can communicate.

Secondary Channels (index 1–7)

These are additional channels you can add for private group messaging or other purposes. You can configure a unique name and PSK (Pre-Shared Key) for a secondary channel to create an encrypted private mesh that only devices sharing those exact settings can use.

Channel Privacy

Secondary channels do not broadcast telemetry automatically, but they can carry all other traffic. In practice, this means if you want to keep your location or other periodic broadcasts within a trusted group, that group's channel should be the primary on your device. Many Meshtastic users opt to broadcast their location only on a private channel and not on the public mesh.

Why have two channels? In a local community network, you might want to participate in the wider public mesh (to increase connectivity or welcome new users) while keeping your own group's messages private. All messages – whether on the public channel or your private channel – will be relayed by your node as long as the radio settings match, even if other nodes can't decrypt the content.

Choose Your Setup Option

You have two options for setting up the NHMesh channel on your device:

Option 1: Keep Public Channel as Primary - Keep your current public primary channel and add NHMesh as a secondary channel. Simpler setup that ensures compatibility with all Meshtastic users on default settings.

Option 2: Make NHMesh Your Primary Channel - Set NHMesh as your main channel and add the public channel as secondary. Better for privacy as your device's automatic broadcasts stay within your private network.

Option 1: Add NHMesh as a Secondary Channel

In this scenario, you leave Channel 0 as the default public channel and add your community's private channel NHMesh in Channel 1. This is simpler and ensures your device stays fully compatible with other Meshtastic users on default settings.

Step 1: Open the Meshtastic App

Connect to your Meshtastic device via Bluetooth or USB and ensure your device is properly connected before proceeding.

Tip: If your device is not connecting, try restarting both your phone and the Meshtastic device.

Step 2: Navigate to Channel Settings

Android: From the main screen, tap the menu or Settings (gear icon), then Radio Configuration > Channels. Tap the Edit button (if visible) to enable editing of channels, and then tap Add to add a new channel.
iOS: Open the Meshtastic app, go to the Settings tab, and select Radio Configuration > Channels. You will see your Primary channel listed. Tap Add Channel to create a new channel slot.

Step 3: Add the NHMesh Channel

Configure the new channel with these settings:

Name: NHMesh
Channel Type: Secondary
PSK: NA==

⚠️ Important: The name is CaSe-Sensitive and must match exactly on all devices in your group.

Step 4: Save and Test

Save your channel configuration
The app will write the settings to your device (this may cause a brief disconnect or reboot)
Once saved, you should see two channels listed: Channel 0 (Primary, public default) and Channel 1 (Secondary, named "NHMesh")
In the Meshtastic app's Messages tab, switch to the NHMesh channel to send messages that only your community can read

Step 5: Share the Channel with Others

To ensure everyone joins NHMesh correctly:

In the app, go to Share QR Code (on Android, this is in Radio Configuration; on iOS, in the Channels editor)
Select only the NHMesh channel to share
Make sure the share mode is set to "Add Channel" (not Replace)
This will generate a QR code and link that others can scan to automatically add the NHMesh channel

Advanced: Adding the Private Channel via CLI

If you prefer using the Meshtastic Python CLI:

# Add the NHMesh channel
meshtastic --ch-add "NHMesh" --ch-set psk "NA=="

# Verify configuration
meshtastic --info

# Generate QR code to share
meshtastic --qr-all

Option 2: Make NHMesh Your Primary Channel

In this scenario, you will reconfigure your device to use the private NHMesh as the Primary channel, and put the standard public channel into Channel 1 as a secondary. This setup has the advantage that all your device's broadcasts (like GPS telemetry) will stay within your private network by default.

Step 1: Prepare Your Device

Before making changes, it's a good idea to note down or export your current channel settings
Ensure your device's LoRa region is correctly set in settings (e.g., US, EU, etc.)
Do not change the LoRa modem preset from default unless you know what you're doing

Step 2: Change Primary Channel to NHMesh

Android: Go to Radio Configuration > Channels, tap the primary channel (usually named "LongFast" or "Primary Channel"), and choose Edit.
iOS: Select the Primary channel from the Channels list to open its details.
Change the Name of Channel 0 to "NHMesh" (or your chosen private name)
Set the PSK (encryption key) to "NA=="
Save the changes (the device will reboot with your new primary channel)

⚠️ Important: At this point, your node is no longer on the default public mesh. All nodes in your group should perform this step with the same Name/PSK so that they share the new primary channel.

Step 3: Add the Public Channel as Secondary

Using the app, add a new channel (Channel 1):

Set the Name to "LongFast" (the default public channel name on recent firmware)
Set the PSK to "default" (the default key, which will appear as AQ== in Base64)
Save the channel (Channel 1 should now match the standard Meshtastic public channel)

Public Channel Settings:

Name: LongFast
Channel Type: Secondary
PSK: AQ==

Step 4: Adjust LoRa Frequency (Critical)

🚨 Critical Step: After changing the primary channel name, your device's LoRa frequency slot may have shifted. You must set the Channel/Frequency Slot to your region's default value for primary channels.

Go into the device's LoRa settings (Radio settings related to region/channel)
Set the Channel/Frequency Slot to your region's default value:
- US: Set to 20 (default for US915)
- EU868: Set to 1
- EU433: Set to 4
Save/apply the LoRa settings change (the device may reboot)

Step 5: Verify and Share

Verify your channel list: Channel 0 = NHMesh (Primary, private) and Channel 1 = LongFast (Secondary, public)
Verify that LoRa Channel/Frequency is set to the expected value for your region
Use the Share QR Code function for all channels to share this configuration with your community
Choose "Replace Channels" mode if configuring new nodes from scratch

Advanced: Configuring via CLI

# Set primary channel to NHMesh
meshtastic --ch-index 0 --ch-set name "NHMesh" --ch-set psk "NA=="

# Add public channel as secondary
meshtastic --ch-add "LongFast" --ch-set psk default

# Set frequency slot for US region
meshtastic --set lora.channel_num 20

# Generate QR code to share
meshtastic --qr-all

Which Method Should You Choose?

Option 1: Private as Secondary

Pros:

Simpler to set up and less prone to mistakes
Fully compatible with any Meshtastic user on default settings
Easy to add new members to your network

Cons:

Your GPS location is broadcast on the public channel (if enabled)

Option 2: Private as Primary

Pros:

Greater privacy - all routine communications and location broadcasts stay in your private network
Can still include the public channel as a secondary to forward messages
More control over your network's isolation

Cons:

Requires more careful configuration (especially the frequency slot setting)

Choose based on your priorities: ease of use and public connectivity (Option 1) or privacy and control (Option 2).

Troubleshooting

Not seeing other NHMesh nodes?

Double-check that your PSK is entered correctly and that the name matches exactly (including case). Ensure all nodes in your group are using the same channel settings.

Not connecting to public mesh?

Verify that your LoRa frequency slot is set correctly for your region (US: 20, EU868: 1, EU433: 4). This is essential for your device to operate on the same frequency as the public mesh.

Device not responding after configuration?

Try resetting your device by holding the reset button for 10 seconds. If that doesn't work, you may need to reflash the firmware using the Meshtastic device flasher tool.

Need more help?

Visit the Meshtastic documentation or reach out to the NHMesh community.

Additional Resources

Meshtastic Official Website - Access the latest information, firmware, and resources for Meshtastic devices.
Channel Settings Guide - Detailed information about channel configuration options in Meshtastic.

This guide was created for the NH Mesh community. Last updated: March 2025.