Range & Reception

How far does the signal actually reach?

The short answer: typically 2–15 km, and significantly farther under optimal conditions.

The detailed answer: The range depends on many factors:

  • Installation height: The most important factor. A repeater mounted on a rooftop or radio tower achieves a range many times greater than a device placed at chest height. Even a few meters of additional height makes a huge difference.
  • Line of Sight: A clear line of sight between the transmitter and receiver is ideal. Buildings, hills, and dense forests significantly attenuate the signal.
  • Antenna: The included stub antennas are a compromise. A high-quality external antenna (e.g., a collinear antenna with an SMA connector) can multiply the range.
  • Transmit power: The standard is 22 dBm (approx. 158 mW). High-power devices with a power amplifier (PA) transmit at 30 dBm (1 W).
  • LoRa parameters: The “EU/UK Narrow” preset used in Saxony (62.5 kHz bandwidth, SF 8) is optimized for range.

In practice: A Companion in a jacket pocket has a range of 1–3 km in the city and 5–10 km in open terrain. A well-placed repeater on a roof with a good antenna can reach 15–30 km or more to another elevated location.

However, due to its multi-hop capability, the individual range plays only a limited role: messages can be relayed hundreds of kilometers via multiple repeaters.

Does MeshCore work inside buildings?

To a limited extent. LoRa signals at 868 MHz penetrate walls significantly better than Wi-Fi or cellular signals, but every wall and ceiling attenuates the signal. Inside a building, you can typically still reach repeaters in the immediate vicinity (a few hundred meters to 1–2 km). For the best coverage, there should be at least one repeater on a rooftop in the neighborhood.

How can I improve the range?

The most effective measures, listed in order of effectiveness:

  1. Place it higher—even moving it to a windowsill on an upper floor instead of the ground floor makes a noticeable difference.
  2. Use a better antenna—an external SMA antenna with higher gain (e.g., a 5 dBi collinear antenna) instead of the standard stub antenna.
  3. Use a repeater—a well-placed repeater in the vicinity solves most range issues.
  4. Check the location—the Antenna Coverage Tool in the MeshCore app (version 1.25.0 and later) helps with planning.