It is important to understand that the underlying technology remains the same. We still believe in the incredible power of LoRa. The hardware standard is robust and capable, but there are competing software protocols that determine how that hardware communicates.
For a long time, Meshtastic has been the go-to choice, supported largely by a dedicated community of volunteer enthusiasts. However, as our network requirements have grown, we have had to look closer at performance metrics that impact our users every day.
Our testing has shown that MeshCore consistently outperforms Meshtastic in three key areas: speed, message reliability, and ease of use.
MeshCore represents a fresh approach from both a user experience standpoint and a software engineering standpoint. Because the MeshCore team was able to start with new ideas, they moved forward unencumbered by the legacy compatibility requirements that often slow down Meshtastic. By building from the ground up, they have created a protocol that feels modern and functions with a level of stability that our mission requires.
While Meshtastic may still have a place for specific or niche applications, the ongoing day-to-day reliability issues have become a hurdle for our deployment goals. In the rugged and expansive landscapes of Nevada, "mostly working" is not enough. We need a system that ensures messages reach their destination without constant troubleshooting. MeshCore provides that peace of mind.
Our commitment to Nevada means that MeshEnvy will never be tied to a single platform forever. Our values are rooted in community building and staying connected. As hardware and software continue to evolve, we will continue to evaluate the best tools available.
Right now, MeshCore is the best service to our mission. It aligns with our values of providing a professional, reliable, and accessible network for the community. We are excited about this new chapter and the increased connectivity it will bring to the Silver State.
]]>Lately, I've been thinking about what we're actually trying to build here. Is it just a hobbyist version of the cellular network, or is it something fundamentally different?
To me, a mesh is a very specific thing: it's a network where the people are the routable nodes. There's a trend in the community right now, in projects like Meshcore, that takes a different tack. They lean on a hierarchy of repeaters and clients—closer to how cellular and tower networks are structured, and often the right tool for statewide coverage. It's effective, sure, and it can complement the towers and carriers Nevadans already depend on. The tradeoff is philosophical as much as technical: you still have distinct infrastructure and distinct users, rather than every participant acting as a route.
Now, don't get me wrong: unmanned outposts are definitely necessary for coverage. But where is the line? I think the line is crossed when the user is no longer a route. That is Meshcore's fundamental departure. It skirts the technical challenge and the central issue of decentralization. They seem to recognize this, too, because they are starting to implement routable clients. That's a move in the right direction, but the fact that it's off by default is a bit of a let-down for a nerd like me. It's practical, but it ignores the most interesting technical challenge of this whole space: how do you make a fast, resilient, ad-hoc network of routable nodes that move around?
That's why, in my opinion, what Meshtastic is doing is so much more significant. They are tackling that harder problem head-on. A network that exists only because we are standing near each other, and disappears the moment we walk away, is a difficult technical hurdle, but it's the only one worth jumping if we want real autonomy.
Then there's the hardware. We talk about LoRa purity, and there's definitely a romance to it. There is something incredibly cool about imagining a tiny packet of data hopping along LoRa links, jumping from one backyard to another, until it finds its destination.
But why do we care so much about these little 30 dollar radios?
Think about it: if we could do all of this from our phones using a standard app and existing towers alone, many of us would still want a pocket path that does not depend on a single carrier hop. The specialness comes from the fact that we own the hardware. When you put a device in your pocket, you aren't just a user of a service, you are a literal part of the solution. You are one link in an independent mesh that adds redundancy when primary networks gap.
Is LoRa the end-all-be-all? Probably not.
As we get deeper into this, the conversation naturally shifts. People start talking about microwave towers, Yagi antennas, and directed long-distance links. When you start talking about those, it stops being about a specific radio protocol and starts being about democratized links. It's about control. It's about the fact that we, as a community, own the path the data takes. Whether it's a 30 dollar puck in your pocket or a directed microwave link on your roof, the goal is the same: a network that belongs to us.
So, is a mesh just a way to send a text when towers and broadband are down, overloaded, or out of range? Or is it also a way for communities to own a backup path that bolsters public safety? For MeshEnvy, the answer is both: we are not trying to replace Nevada's tower infrastructure—we are offering an independent option when people need one.
If we just want the grid but without the monthly bill, then repeaters and clients are fine. But if we want something that can't be turned off, something that lives and breathes with the community, then we have to keep chasing the hard stuff. We have to keep being the nodes.
Because at the end of the day, the mesh isn't just the hardware. It's us.
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