What is Colorado Mesh and mesh networking all about?

What can it do?

Meshtastic and MeshCore are both a bit like a decentralized social media platform or SMS text messaging. They have a number of different features which will be familiar to anyone who has sent a text message or posted on social media.

  • Primary Channel
    You can broadcast an unencrypted message to the primary channel ("LongFast" on Meshtastic, or "Public" on MeshCore), and everyone on your mesh will see it. This is a bit like posting publicly on a social media platform.
  • Group Channels
    You can send an encrypted message to a select group of people on a secondary channel and everyone who is subscribed to that channel will get it. People can join the channel if you provide them with an encryption key. This is a bit like a private group on social media, or a group text message chain on SMS.
  • Direct Messages
    You can send encrypted direct messages to people on the mesh. This is like a private text message or a DM on social media.
  • Location
    If you choose to enable it you can send your location to the mesh.
  • Connect Worldwide
    If anyone on your local mesh is running an MQTT gateway, your local Meshtastic network will connect to the other meshes around the world. This can allow you to broadcast messages to everyone globally or send encrypted messages to groups or individuals worldwide. MeshCore does not have this feature, but a well-designed MeshCore network can operate for hundreds of miles, entirely over LoRa.
  • Telemetry
    Nodes can be set up to send telemetry data like the battery status or signal strength, which is helpful for monitoring remote solar-powered nodes. Nodes can also have sensors connected to them which allow them to send data on temperature, humidity, or air pressure which allow them to act like weather stations.

Why build this network?

Community

Because this is essentially a city-wide group text message chain we are hoping people use the network to build community. Tell the group where your band is playing tonight, chat about local politics, ask for a good cheese dip recipe, etc.

Disasters

If the power goes out this network should allow people to continue to communicate with each other without electricity, cell phone coverage, or internet. This big city-wide group text chain could allow people to ask for help or offer assistance. People could get information about where warming centers are open or ask who in their neighborhood still has power. People could also send encrypted direct messages to check in on friends and family or they could send encrypted group messages to coordinate privately in a group.

Decentralized, Open, and Resilient

  • Colorado Mesh is decentralized - there is no central server or corporation; all communication bounces through the entire mesh.*
  • Colorado Mesh is open to everyone - you don't have to ask permission to join and all of the software is open-source.
  • Colorado Mesh is resilient - our solar-powered radios don't need cell phone towers, internet access, or electricity, making them critically valuable in emergency situations where traditional means of communication may be unavailable.

What kind of coverage does the network have?

As of Spring 2026, we're setting up nodes and looking to provide connectivity throughout the Denver metro area and throughout various regions in Colorado, with the goal of connecting the entire state on one large network. Check out our Coverage page for more details.


*The Colorado Mesh organization that operates this website and associated tools is a not-for-profit, volunteer-driven group. The tools operated by Colorado Mesh are helpful in diagnosing issues and supporting the growth and operation of the Meshtastic and MeshCore networks in Colorado, but do not in any way prohibit others from participating in the mesh networks. Recommended settings and standards from Colorado Mesh are highly encouraged, but are optional suggestions only.