Shared Air / Cleaner Traffic / LongFast

Recommended settings.

These defaults are tuned for useful MontanaMesh participation. They keep radios visible, reachable, and polite on the shared channel without turning every node into constant background traffic.

Role

`CLIENT` first

Use CLIENT for most radios. Use CLIENT_MUTE when you want to reduce relay load, and use CLIENT_BASE for a stable personal base station.

LoRa

`US` / `LONG_FAST`

Use the US 915 MHz region and LongFast preset for the public Montana mesh unless a group deliberately coordinates something else.

Airtime

Broadcast less

Long intervals, smart position updates, and fewer optional modules keep the mesh usable as the number of nodes grows.

Core settings

Start here for nearly every MontanaMesh radio. These settings are intentionally conservative.

Setting	Recommended Value	Details
Region	`US`	Use the United States 915 MHz region for Montana.
Modem preset	`LONG_FAST`	The expected public mesh preset for normal MontanaMesh participation.
Role	`CLIENT` or `CLIENT_MUTE`	Best default for most personal, mobile, indoor, and experimental nodes.
Base station role	`CLIENT_BASE`	Good for a stable home, attic, roofline, or shop node that supports your favorited nearby nodes.
Router roles	`ROUTER` or `ROUTER_LATE` only by plan	Use infrastructure roles only for well-placed, reliable, coordinated coverage sites.
Hop limit	`3` portable, `5` fixed	Higher hop counts can increase congestion. Avoid higher than `6` unless there is a specific reason.
Node info broadcast	`10800` seconds	Three hours keeps names and node info fresh without constant repeated metadata.

Position and privacy

Position data is useful for maps and testing, but it should be shared deliberately.

Node Type	Position Recommendation	Details
Portable or vehicle	Smart position broadcast enabled	Let moving nodes update intelligently based on movement and timing.
Home or base station	Fixed position, approximate if needed	Use fixed coordinates only at a precision you are comfortable making visible.
Public router	Fixed position	Infrastructure nodes should not send moving GPS updates. Use a deliberate public coordinate.
Private node	Position off or reduced precision	If the node is at a home or sensitive site, do not publish exact coordinates casually.

Module etiquette

Optional modules are useful, but every broadcast consumes shared LoRa airtime. Enable only what you actually use.

Feature	Recommended Value	Details
Device metrics telemetry	Every `10800` seconds or less often	Battery and voltage are useful, but the firmware default can be chatty for large public meshes.
Environment telemetry	Off unless you have a sensor	Do not broadcast empty or unneeded sensor reports.
Neighbor info	Default or longer interval	Helpful for topology, but not urgent. Avoid shortening the interval.
Range test	Temporary only	Enable during a planned test, then turn it off when finished.
Store and forward	Coordinated infrastructure only	Useful in the right place, noisy in the wrong place. Coordinate before enabling public service behavior.
MQTT	Off unless intentionally configured	Most radios should focus on RF. Gateways need credentials, map-report choices, and community planning.

Security

Do the boring bits.

Give every radio a clear long name and short name so other operators know what they are seeing.

If using Bluetooth fixed PIN mode, change the default 123456 PIN.

Do not enable legacy insecure admin control unless you understand the risk and need it for a specific setup.

Keep private channel keys, MQTT passwords, Wi-Fi credentials, and admin keys out of screenshots and public chats.

CLI Examples

Apply the basics

meshtastic \
  --set lora.region US \
  --set lora.modem_preset LONG_FAST \
  --set lora.hop_limit 3 \
  --set device.role CLIENT \
  --set device.node_info_broadcast_secs 10800

meshtastic \
  --set lora.hop_limit 5 \
  --set device.role CLIENT_BASE \
  --set position.fixed_position true

Official Docs