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| id | title | sidebar_label | slug |
|---|---|---|---|
| overview | Overview | Overview | /getting-started |
Purchase a Radio
The easiest way is to buy a device with the software already installed. Other devices are available. In the Americas get the 915mhz version, in Europe the 868Mhz, or Asia 923Mhz. See this listing by The Things Network for frequencies by specific countries.
Setup the Radio
When it arrives, install your antenna and make sure you install the battery correctly. Reversing the battery can damage your device. Make sure the antenna is on when you power up the board.
:::caution Make sure not to power the radio on without first attaching the antenna! You could damage the radio chip! :::
Download Firmware
Prebuilt binaries for the supported radios are available in our releases. Your initial installation has to happen over USB from your Mac, Windows or Linux PC. Once our software is installed, all future software updates can happen over bluetooth from your phone.
| Current Firmware | List of Firmware Versions |
|---|
Flashing Firmware
If your device already has Meshtastic flashed to it, You can update it over the air (OTA). Otherwise you'll need a computer and a data USB cable. This can be done in the following ways:
- Install using the command line interface (CLI)
- Install using a graphical user interface (GUI)
The firmware installation method will also depend on whether you have an ESP32 based device or a nRF52 based device. See our hardware section to determine which microcontroller your device is based on.
Connect to your Device
There are many ways to connect to your new radio!
- Command line interface (CLI)
- Graphic user interface (GUI)
- Serial connection
- Bluetooth
- Web app over wifi (in development)
Troubleshooting
For any issues during setup, search our forum to find a solution. If you can't find one, please post your problem, providing as much detail as possible.