⚠️Meshtastic Bluetooth Bug⚠️

This video is just to make you aware of a bug currently in the Meshtastic firmware for NRF52 devices like the WisBlock with RAK4631 and the LILYGO T-Echo. This bug causes the device to become non-responsive when Bluetooth is disabled. This bug has been around for a while but it's proven to be a tough one to track down and resolve so this video is being released to raise awareness of the issue and help prevent others from running into trouble.

More info on the issue can be found on the Github issue for this

[kurtdobson]

There are much better antenna's to use with a location like this. I use a RAK 8.5dB vertical which covers 360 degree's with a 12 degree outgoing beam. That combination gets you to the FCC legal EIRP power limit of 30dBm (considering 0.4 dB cable losses). My home is about 1000' above the Salt Lake Valley, and I see nodes at 50+ miles in all directions. There are about 240 active nodes on Channel 1. If you're using battery or solar panel the SX1262 transceiver with the non ESP32 board is drastically less power. You can run for a few weeks on a 3.7v 5200maH battery. For solar you only need about 1.5 watts net power to keep the battery charged, meaning small cheap solar panel.

[holdfastjoe]

Thanks getting word out. I figured this out the hard way and missed it. Guys on my local net told me to enable it after it kept shutting off.

[whiskyguzzler]

Dang, one of my two nodes is down now due to this bug. Up on the roof tomorrow.

[thekhakihat]

Very clever ending! I’ll share with our group in middle TN. Thanks for the info.

[KH]

Can you do a video detailing the modes and what purpose they serve? Ex: router, client, etc.

[antoinep.]

Thanks for sharing. Which version of Meshtastic were you using ?

[naomi-g]

FYI, on router mode on nrf52, Bluetooth is not disabled. No need to choose router client.

[GHST]

Is there any way this was gov influenced as a back door since this is potentially encrypted comes?

[MailmanJustin]

The node shown by the drone shot at the end looks to have a good bit of LOS coverage. Does this particular node have the predicted coverage with the antenna shown (everything visible from the tower)?

[RavenwoodAcres]

Great tip! Question, what benefits are you seeing running Router Client vs. Repeater?

[DonHavjuan]

This bug has been known for months. Meanwhile even in router client mode my raks still become unresponsive randomly after weeks/months - the firmware is NOT reliable.

[thomasdukes]

My rak wireless solar node quit Friday after upgrading firmware. It was s6et to router client. I can connect via usb. I have flased, reset and gone back to an earlier release. Bluetooth is not working. Will try to connect with usb cable to see if bluetooh is off. Havent had much luck with changes being saved to the device using the web client.

[junkeychan]

Do you have a video on putting up nodes on remote towers like the one in this video? Do people put it on towers not owned by them?