Getting Started with Meshtastic - WisBlock

[@Meshtastic]

Oh! Well done! This channel is going to grow!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thank you! Meshtastic has been a popular topic for the channel and for good reason!

[@paulnagel8161]

This is the best, most in depth how-to on the WisBlock I have seen. Thanks for the great info!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Sure thing! Thank you, I try to make my videos as informative as possible within 10 minutes or so. I'm glad you found it useful!

[@Radio48388]

Thank you for making this. It demystified the Wisblock and flashing process. I was about to just buy a ready to go unit, but this made the Wisblock seem doable.

[@MrtrenchTrucker]

This seems way better than a T-Beam and needing to solder the screens that seem to keep burning out on me. Imma have to check this out!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Definitely a favorite!

[@miltoneduardososa378]

Great video, keep posting the good stuff!!!
Since ultra low power is key in this topic, a power-profile-kit or an Otii Arc measuring and exposing the total consumption of the node would be a great add-on to your videos.

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thanks! Will do! I've seen the Otii Arc and looks like it would be handy to have for testing. It's a bit pricey though. Do you have one or know of any cheaper alternatives?

[@miltoneduardososa378]

@@The_Comms_Channel of course, the Power Profile Kit 2 from Nordic RF IS the perfect and affordable alternative (less than 150 USD)

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Nice! I'll check it out!

[@slappomatthew]

great video. love this series. just got a T-beam supreme and T-lora to play with. I have 2 of the wiseblock setups on the way for solar powered repeaters.

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying the series! That's going to be a sweet setup!

[@slappomatthew]

@@The_Comms_Channel well they finally showed up. back to this video to flash the FW. also got 3 of the heltec lite stick V3 to pass out to friends/relatives. I live in a hilly area so I am hoping I can connect everyone with just 2 repeaters. well see.

[@The_Comms_Channel]

@@slappomatthew Nice! Good luck with your setup!

[@spudhut2246]

Im on a Meshtastic learning binge, best channel out there! Thank you

[@KiLLaDaTa]

Thanks! By far the best videos on meshtastic I've come across

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Sure thing! I'm glad you're finding the Meshtastic videos helpful!

[@spudhut2246]

Im really enjoying the Meshtastic training...well done. I keep coming back for more!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

I'm glad you're enjoying the info!

[@TheBoatPirate]

this channel just keeps getting better!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the channel!

[@nzseagull]

I have a rak4631 (915) meshtastic with very poor performance compared to my other radios I have tried other antennas that work well. but nothing ! be lucky if it was good for 5oo meters line of sight.
Thanks for the great videos supper helpful.

[@erinw1485]

You do really wonderful Videos! Well Done!

[@FalconWing1813]

Very versatile little board!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Definitely a lot it can do!

[@ajdu5390]

Thank you for these videos!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Sure thing! Glad you like them!

[@987sdfsdfg2]

Very informative!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thank you! I'm glad you found it helpful!

[@user-vt6pw2qq7h]

Thanks for the video

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Sure thing! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@BobBob-il2ku]

I hope rack comes out with a more “plug & play” option similar to the T-beam just add 18650 with a case already it’s far superior to the T-beam but when people are first getting into it it’s more intimidating.

[@The_Comms_Channel]

That would definitely be nice! They have some enclosures, but they're a bit pricey.

[@EpiclyReckless]

Woo-hoo this is the one I've been waiting for. I just put a solar powered one on a mast on my roof

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Nice! Perfect timing, haha.

[@MoAlarawi]

Great job

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thank you!

[@JD_Manufacturing]

This Series is great. Im looking forward to the MQTT series. I would think MQTT would allow you to monitor devices that are outside the range og the Lora Network. And provide encrypted coms with remote locations.

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thanks for the continued support! That should be possible with MQTT!

[@BobBob-il2ku]

Video idea: a rak build for on person/mobile to compete with the t-echo but trying to keep the cost a lot lower.
Rak starter kit
3-d printed case maybe a “project box” from Amazon PVC pipe 🤷‍♂️
18650 battery
18650 holder
Gizont antenna
Ipex to sma female pigtail
Whatever JST connectors & anything else you need.
Basically the most capable unit with good battery life for the lowest cost

[@pauluzzi293]

Have you covered the integration of the motion sensor in another video yet?

[@micklaws5520]

Thank you so much for these explanations. Out here rural there are a lot of us interested in a mesh network and it sure looks like the WisBlock is the way to go. Is there a description of how to set up a network and how to rig repeaters?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Sure thing! I've not done a video on the different options like routers/repeaters yet but will soon!

[@micklaws5520]

@@The_Comms_Channel Thank you so much for your time and expertise and above all you sharing it. I have to watch a couple times for it to sink in but as I go along I can grasp the concepts better. We live in a place where point to point is feasible but in the outlay it areas. Couple miles, some line of sight but a repeater between and solar powered would be the ticket. Another question I have is the failure rate for these devices very low? Say good for a couple years then have to replace?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

@@micklaws5520 Anytime! I'm glad you're finding the videos helpful! One of the future videos after I get done with the "Getting Started Series" (which is almost done) will be on device placement planning that should be helpful.
As far as life expectancy, I would say they should last a good while and maybe the batteries may need to be replaced as time goes on. But the hardware devices themselves should last for many years I would think as long as they're protected from the elements.

[@micklaws5520]

@@The_Comms_Channel Thank you good sir. I am thinking all this can be Solar charged so the charge cycle will determine battery life..I think..lol. In that case if we get this rolling our placements will be ease of access to do a battery replacement

[@rayfletcher3038]

How about adding GPS module and enabling it? Enjoying the series. Want to build stand alone solar node for remote location.

[@nonya1940]

They just recognize it and start updating

[@jvalasek1]

Gps snaps right in and I believe will be enabled by default. You have to manually disable it. I didn't go with the gps, but now I don't have a clock (d'oh)

[@nonya1940]

​@@jvalasek1you only need 1 device withing the mesh to keep time thankfully I didn't have to pull my node down from 40' again I just added a T Echo

[@suzyamerica4679]

This is a topic that interests me to. A bunch of us do outdoorsy stuff in a remote, very rugged area that has no cell service except at the periphery. Looking into the most cost-effective way of leaving repeater nodes scattered throughout the park. I already ordered a pair of Heltec v3 boards, but from further reading I know now that those will be best suited for fixed powered emplacements, like at home or in the car, where a huge battery would take quite awhile to drain down. Setting up my car as an always-on repeater has some utility.

[@possumpopper89]

As far as sending messages goes, is it restricted to text only? Is it possible to send images such as maps or photographs?. Some people are integrating mesh tastic with ATAC. I’m trying to wrap my head around possible uses for this technology.

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Only enough bandwidth for text based. So messages and locations only basically.

[@possumpopper89]

@@The_Comms_Channel thanks. I am looking into this as an option for my little group of friends who like to hike and camping trips. One of my buddies is former military and said he could somehow integrate his ATAK(ATAC) app with his mesh radio. It’s all brand new to me so I am trying to figure things out. I might buy one just to play with to see what I can expect. I found your channel today and so far you are the only one who is answering my newbie questions on your videos. Thanks?

[@ecotts]

I've seen an Indian UA-camr doing that, its decent.

[@sorceresssgarden2172]

Could you cover the earthquake sensor? I have big struggles setting it up.

[@TomSmith-eq1vr]

Looking forward to the ethernet module video!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thanks! Doing testing on it now and it will be coming soon!

[@IanUnslaved]

This channel is the best. Lora + meshtastic is such amazing tech for the people. Can't wait to see your upcoming videos. I have so many noob questions regarding the operation of these devices. For instance, when you send a message through your network to a device that is out of range, will that device receive the message when it comes back into the signal range?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the channel and hope it's been helpful! Feel free to ask any questions you have! I'm planning on doing a FAQ video soon to answer common questions. To answer your question, a "Store & Forward" option is being worked on that will do this. While not quite the same, your Meshtastic device will store the last 32 messages it receives if no phone is connected and send them to your phone when you connect back to it. Could be helpful for a device at home for receiving messages sent while you were away.
Thanks for the question and comment!

[@gregvence7356]

Do you know if the 18650 and WisBlock can handle a LiFePO4 instead of traditional Li-ion batteries? They charge differently.

[@johnmartin6178]

Can you please give me the link to the method to overcome the flashing problem you refered to.

[@ecotts]

Whats the difference between the core RAK4631 Arduino vs core RAK4631 Voice Processing variant?

[@pauluzzi293]

Eager to see how to install the motion detector and have it send alerts through the mesh. I have found a sketch for the Rak 12013 Radar module. But the code does not include the notification to Meshtastic. Anyone have the code for the Radar module to send data to Meshtastic?

[@TimShelnut]

So can I add to this base board the GPS RAK12500 + the temp sensor RAK1906? Looks like the GPS board covers slot A where the temp sensor board would go.

[@harleypub]

What is the limit of additional units that you can add to the WisBlock base unit? Are there base units that are either expandable in total slots? or ones that come with more slots already?

[@TjaudioNet]

One more question. Any trick to getting the OLED screen to work? For other devices, I've just soldered them on and they seem to work. No luck on the Wisblock yet.

[@TinkerTechRC]

i need some help, mine wont pair, I have it powered via the usb cable, I used 123456, no screen

[@ruhnet]

Check the serial terminal-it should show output.

[@HuckleBerry476]

Great video! Could you go into how I would go about charging the battery? I purchased a PKCell 3.7 V flat battery

[@The_Comms_Channel]

It should just be a matter of plugging it into the battery port on the WisBlock. Just make sure the red side is going to the side with the plus sign printed on the board. Did your battery come with the connector on it?

[@HuckleBerry476]

@@The_Comms_Channel Thanks for the reply! I get plugging it into the Wisblock.
Maybe I misunderstanding your response.
Let me rephrase.
My plan is to have a base station, a few relays or repeaters and 2 mobile units to start with.
For the base station : Once I have the Wisblock set up and the battery plugged in, how would I go about charging the battery once it’s depleted?
For the relays/repeaters : I’m thinking solar would be better because it’s more flexible if I’m just placing units in randomly hit them locations.
Mobile : I could be mistaken as I’m still fairly new to all this, but I have yet to see anyone in a small solar panel into a mobile unit.

[@HuckleBerry476]

@@The_Comms_ChannelApologies I forgot to answer your question. Yes the battery comes with the JST connector already attached.

[@DavidCase-ov5uo]

Why is everyone obsessed with the weather? Intruder alarms would be a better use.

[@Sth0r]

i missed steps about setting a fixed bluetooth passcode

[@reyes09071962]

Doesn’t esp32 have lower power mods?

[@suzyamerica4679]

Thank you for sharing the process for doing a headless setup - no need for the tiny screen that consumes power anyway. Would you be able to do the same type of flashing by simply going through the Chrome-browser method of web flashing, or does the RAK require the drag-n-drop method?

[@ecotts]

Just out of curiosity, what screen is compatible with the RAK19007 anyway?

[@fus132]

@@ecotts RAK1921 OLED (soldering) or the RAK1400 E-Ink (ribbon cables) according to Meshtastic website.

[@kommando98]

Interested in the RAK12013 Radar sensor. Do you have plans to build something like a meshtastic motion detection node? I can think of a couple use cases, both temporary and permanent that could be interesting.

[@The_Comms_Channel]

I do and have a radar sensor I'm testing. I'm getting a lot of false positives though and will continue to work the kinks out.

[@TjaudioNet]

Do you know how to share telemetry over your net? I can see air quality on my phone connected to the RAK node, but I don't see the same node's telemetry on the other users' phones.

[@dougdaniels]

Thanks! I have a question about the Starter Kit. Rockland's kit is $34.97 and sold out. Rak's is $24.99 and in stock. do they both come with the same compnents?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thanks so much for the support! It's the same item. Rokland just got more stock in and will very likely go sell out soon!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

The shipping costs from RAK are high and have a long wait.

[@dougdaniels]

@@The_Comms_Channel Thanks for the heads up, just ordered 2 for my first builds

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Sure thing!

[@user-ov2sl3ob6v]

What is or how do I find the Bluetooth pairing number for the radio

[@The_Comms_Channel]

123456 is the default for devices with no screen

[@matutep1]

Great video!!!! Can all the nodes connected see temperature and humidity of the remote node that has these sensors?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thank you! Yep! Any node on the mesh network can see the readings of the sensor.

[@matutep1]

@@The_Comms_Channel Thanks for the info!!! Other question, I cannot find the Wisblock Rak EU433. Could you please tell where tu buy it?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

@@matutep1 Sure thing! It's odd, but they don't have the option for EU433 when you buy the kit. You'll have to buy the core and board separately. Here's affiliate links to them below and be sure to use my discount code TC2 for 3% off!
RAK4631(Core) - rakwireless.kckb.st/tc2-xbo
RAK19007 (Board) - rakwireless.kckb.st/tc2-fsb

[@andrewhofmann5453]

Did I hear you say in a past video that if the Wiseblock power ran down on the battery, the unit would not start up by itself if the battery would recharge?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

That is correct. If that happens, you need to unhook all power sources from the device and provide it power again to boot back up.

[@GH0ST369]

Does Rokland have the wisblock accessories like the radar detector or is there another place to get the add ons?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

They do sell the radar sensor
store.rokland.com/products/rak-wireless-wisblock-wislo-radar-sensor-rak12013-pid-100067?ref=tc2
Meshtastic lists is on their supported hardware for WisBlock, but I've not been able to get it to work yet. I'll have to keep messing with it and figure it out.

[@NormRasmussen]

You recommend the 4631 as the core module/microcontroller, but I see that Rok and Rak also sell the "motherboard" paired with the 11310. I can't find a comparison between the two modules though - is there an advantage of one over the other?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

meshtastic.org/docs/hardware/devices/
That one has no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth so you would need to get the Ethernet module for that to work

[@NormRasmussen]

@@The_Comms_Channel Awesome! Thank you. That will work well as the HQ base station and I had the ethernet module in my cart. Great job on the channel!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Sure thing! Thank you!

[@CREWorxMedia]

Great video! I’ve tried to do a search on LORA type protocol in use on HF ham, radio frequencies. This benefits would be Range. I did see something for you. HF that works at 433 MHz.
Do you know if any HF based similar projects?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the video! All of the LoRa based radios are for the ISM bands, so nothing under 433MHz. The issue with HF and LoRa is LoRa uses a bandwidth 125kHz, 250kHz and 500kHz, which is a large bandwidth for HF which is limited to 500Hz for data. 500kHz is actually equal to or more than entire HF bands in some cases. Because of this, it's unlikely there will be any LoRa projects on HF. There has been some talk of using high powered LoRa signals to bounce of the moon and back which would be awesome!
Thanks for the great question!

[@TheWingnut58]

Now that's interesting....I'm betting that 1w will get an EME bounce.
Just look at what the Voyager probe systems are capable of......21 DAYS for a one way signal transit!

[@1718bb]

I got that enclosure and it doesn't come with enough screws to put it together, and it doesn't have the battery cable. I see now that the cable is sold separately, for 10 bucks!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Not sure what happened with the screws. I should have enough. You're right, no cable though which is a bit odd. The $10 gets you five cables.

[@1718bb]

@@The_Comms_ChannelOK right thanks!

[@coloradokid8321]

Still new, and trying to figure what all to buy. Is there a limit to the number of modules you can add to the WisBlock?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thank you so much for the support! There is a limit. There are also bigger boards if you need to add more modules though.

[@coloradokid8321]

@@The_Comms_Channel - - You’re welcome! Thank you for the great videos!
So I could get a bigger RAK board that would allow more modules than the WisBlock Meshtastic Starter Kit (with RAK19007 board plus Core), and would work for Meshtastic? Because I’d like to install GPS, temperature, and radar sensors at minimum. I’m not sure if I need the IO module or the OLED display or not. Could you recommend one from a larger RAK wireless board that would work for Meshtastic LoRa (or one of your videos)? I’m trying to order everything and get it in-house before I go through your play lists. I’m new to all this (but very interested)!

[@ecotts]

@@The_Comms_Channel That's good to know.

[@good4ntn]

Do you have any recommendations for better antennas?

[@good4ntn]

Never mind, I found your video.. thanks.

[@digitalnomad46]

Thanks for this tutorial. I have followed the instructions as presented in the video. Unfortunately after flashing all I get is a solid red light on the board. Any suggestions for troubleshooting this are more than appreciated. Thanks

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Sure thing. I would try flashing again and make sure you have the correct firmware file. If that doesn't work, you can try a complete reset and flashing again using the instructions here. meshtastic.org/docs/getting-started/flashing-firmware/nrf52/nrf52-erase
If you need help installing the Meshtastic CLI mentioned in this tutorial, my latest video shows the installation process ua-cam.com/video/hUWvmar-2VY/v-deo.htmlsi=lnzFCxhjzKsO8V2n

[@digitalnomad46]

@@The_Comms_Channel Thanks so much for the quick reply. Unfortunately this still doesn't work. The strange thing I observed is that after flashing the device doesn't reset. Also if I plug in a battery instead of powering the device via USB the board doesn't show any activity.

[@The_Comms_Channel]

@@digitalnomad46 Darn... Next thing I would try is disconnecting and connecting the device to your computer and then run the following command right after doing so
meshtastic --noproto
This should output the Meshtastic logs

[@digitalnomad46]

@@The_Comms_Channel If the device is not in dfu mode. It reports "Warning: No Meshtastic devices detected". If the device is in dfu mode, It reports "warning file: mesh_interface.py _sendToRadio line:681 Not sending packet because protocol use is disabled by noProto. Second line "Warning file:mesh_interface.py _sendPacket line:531 Not sending packet because protocol use is disabled by NoProto". Thanks again for the quick reply and help so far

[@The_Comms_Channel]

@@digitalnomad46 Do you get anything beyond those two lines?

[@mattbiek]

can i run multiple 18650 cells? (1S2P)

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Yep, as long as they're wired in parallel to keep the voltage at 3.7.

[@user-pj3mc7ey3d]

Hey I wanted to se if you had any idea of how to make a physical connection for this wanting to avoid bt. I was looking around and couldn’t find any information for the ethernet extensions for this board.

[@The_Comms_Channel]

I'm having issues with the Ethernet board. I believe you can connect to your phone via USB if you want to avoid BT. I'll test that out and report back.

[@hatless-cluncky-capsize]

Thanks you for this video. Did you experience issues with getting the device to show as a device once you entered bootloader? Mine is not showing as a device on windows 10 machine. Confirmed the cable is USB data enabled (phone got recognized). Rebooted computer. still no joy. Thanks in advance for any info you have.

[@hatless-cluncky-capsize]

USB plug installed at an angle. Looks like some pins are not making contact with the board. Pinging Rokland for options.

[@The_Comms_Channel]

It's not showing up as a flash drive when you hit the button twice? I've not had that issue. I would try another USB port and see if that works.

[@hatless-cluncky-capsize]

@@The_Comms_Channel Ive confirmed that there are pins on the USB module that are not touching the contacts on the core. (Macro photos are nice)

[@The_Comms_Channel]

@@hatless-cluncky-capsize oh, wow 😳 Didn't see your previous comment. They should hopefully be able to get your straightened out.

[@Alexander-Arlt]

Is there an easy way to find the nodes From other people to maybe get in contact with them or is it just to communicate between my own devices?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

When you set it up there's a default channel. If you leave it on this default channel, other people that are also on the default channel will show up. I'm currently on the road actually and went hiking yesterday with a device on the default channel and picked up another user. Thanks for the question!

[@Alexander-Arlt]

May I ask, how many nodes you have already Discovered? @@The_Comms_Channel

[@The_Comms_Channel]

5 or 6 or so that have been on the default channel.

[@Signature-IR]

Are we able to set up wifi on the wisblock so i can set up mqtt?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

No Wi-Fi support on the WisBlock, but you can add Ethernet

[@Signature-IR]

@The_Comms_Channel ooff...ok so since I'm doing your solar build on my roof I can do an inside the house lora connected to wifi to do mqtt. Just need to learn how to set up a private mqtt.

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Will definitely do a video on MQTT! 🙂

[@huseinabdul1]

Hi all question? Can I use the rak1910 with the newer RAK19007? I accidentally ordered them. If so are they plug and play or is there something that needs to be configured? Thanks

[@The_Comms_Channel]

That should work fine with the 19007. For GPS, there is nothing that needs to be configured in the app and it should just start working.

[@huseinabdul1]

@@The_Comms_Channel great thank you perhaps I didn’t give it enough time to acquire a signal. Great channel and keep up the great work!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Sure thing! It will struggle to pick up indoors so you may have to take it outside for best results. Also make sure it's on SLOT A, E, or F

[@CharlieMcCormack]

Hi Folks. My device is showing as RAK4631 in file manager. I cannot select it in the flasher. It looks to be paired ok. Also the Meshtastic site does not show and firmware in the firmware section so I can't drag and drop either. Any ideas?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Site appears to be down at the moment. I've notified them.
You can download the latest stable version from their github page at the link here
github.com/meshtastic/firmware/releases/download/v2.2.17.dbac2b1/firmware-2.2.17.dbac2b1.zip

[@The_Comms_Channel]

It has been fixed and should be working now

[@CharlieMcCormack]

Thanks it did come online.@@The_Comms_Channel

[@davidalan2469]

One part I miss is how do you pair it to a phone and add to the App with no display on the Wisblock?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Default Bluetooth code for devices with no screen is 123456

[@merican3789]

Is Terra term irrelevant now?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

It's not needed unless you're doing a complete wipe. Drag and drop of just the firmware should be fine in most cases.

[@yannkitson116]

Great video! Is it possible to get a version of the Wisblock with WiFi instead of BT?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Thank you! Not really at the moment. There is a WiFi module you can get for WisBlock, but it only works Meshtastic on the older RAK5005 board that they're no longer making.

[@wapphigh5250]

Is this the only Meshtastic hardware device that you can use with MQTT?

[@The_Comms_Channel]

Nope, you can also use the wifi enabled devices like the T-Beam for MQTT as well.

[@purge98]

Using firmware 2.2.22 (Meshtastic ios app 2.2.21) and the screens bear no resemblance to what your are showing. There is no 3 dots top right and no radio configuration selection. Also I have RAK12500 module and the app asks for GPS GPIO pin numbers for TX, Rx and EN. I have no idea what these are and no guide even mentions them.
There is a WARNING
GPIO access is fundamentally dangerous because invalid options can physically damage or destroy your hardware. Ensure that you fully understand the schematic for your particular device before trying this as we do not offer a warranty. Use at your own risk.

[@TUBEORATER]

"All you need to do"
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Doesn't work!!!!

[@The_Comms_Channel]

?

[@TUBEORATER]

@The_Comms_Channel
My brother and myself were not able to get the heltec to flash the meshtastic onto the unit.
Have no use for it.
Junk.

[@The_Comms_Channel]

What's happening when you try?