Skip to main content

Introduction

Welcome to Greater Boston Mesh — a volunteer-led community building a resilient, off-grid communication network across Massachusetts and the surrounding region. While our name originated in the Boston area, our network now spans cities, towns, and rural areas across the entire state.

Our mission is to create a decentralized communication system that continues to operate even when traditional infrastructure fails.

Why We Exist​

Modern communication depends on centralized systems — cell towers, internet service providers, and cloud infrastructure. When these systems go down, communication often disappears with them.

Greater Boston Mesh provides an alternative through community-owned mesh networks powered by low-power radio and open-source technologies. These systems are:

  • Decentralized — no single point of failure
  • Resilient — functional during outages
  • Affordable — using accessible hardware
  • Open — anyone can join and contribute

What We Build​

Greater Boston Mesh supports two mesh networks across Massachusetts: Meshtastic and Meshcore. Both are useful, but each has distinct strengths.

Meshtastic​

Meshtastic is a popular open-source LoRa mesh system designed for off-grid GPS sharing, telemetry, and simple messaging. It's beginner-friendly and widely used.

However, through real-world use across Massachusetts, it became clear that Meshtastic communication is often one-way:

You can hear other people’s telemetry and occasionally chat messages, but it is very difficult to actually be part of the conversation.

Meshtastic excels at mapping, outdoor use, beaconing, and casual participation — but it struggles with reliable conversational messaging in busy or noisy RF environments.

Meshcore​

Meshcore was developed to address the communication limitations of Meshtastic. It focuses on:

  • Reliable two-way messaging
  • Robust routing and message delivery
  • Secure, encrypted communication
  • Stable performance in dense or high-traffic areas

Because of these strengths, most of the active statewide network runs Meshcore.

For that reason:

We recommend that new users join the network using Meshcore, especially if they want dependable communication across Massachusetts.

At the same time:

We fully welcome Meshtastic users.
Meshtastic is fun, accessible, and plays an important role in coverage, monitoring, and community participation.

The two networks complement each other:
Meshtastic for broad participation and telemetry — Meshcore for reliable, conversation-ready communication.

Who Can Join​

Anyone interested in resilient communication or community networking, including:

  • Radio and RF hobbyists
  • Homelab and networking enthusiasts
  • Hikers and outdoor users
  • Emergency-preparedness groups
  • Curious beginners

No prior experience is required.

Getting Started​

  1. Join our Discord — this is where support, coordination, and updates happen.
  2. Visit the Node Builds section to build your Meshcore node (all build guides on this site are Meshcore-based).
  3. Power up your node and help strengthen coverage across Massachusetts.
  4. (Optional) Use Meshtastic as well — it is welcome, even if not our primary network focus.

Our Vision​

We believe in a future where:

  • Community-driven networks improve communication resilience
  • Mesh networking complements traditional infrastructure
  • Knowledge and hardware are openly shared
  • Technology empowers local communities across the state

Notes & Expectations​

  • The network is entirely volunteer-powered.
  • Some nodes operate fully off-grid; others use mains or uplinks.
  • All tools, software, and documentation are open-source or community-created.
  • Respectful, collaborative participation keeps the mesh strong. 💪