MeshCore Protocol Support - Collaboration Opportunity

[dpaschal]

Hi @Yeraze,

First, thank you for creating MeshMonitor - it's an excellent tool for Meshtastic monitoring!

I'm part of the NC Mesh community, and we've created a fork called MeshCore Monitor that extends MeshMonitor to also support
MeshCore devices. MeshCore is a lightweight mesh protocol similar to Meshtastic but with different design goals.

What we've added:

• MeshCore device connection (serial/TCP)
• Node and contact discovery
• Messaging (broadcast and direct)
• Dedicated MeshCore tab in the UI
• Full backwards compatibility with Meshtastic - it monitors both!

Our fork:

https://github.com/dpaschal/meshcore-monitor

Technical approach:

• Added MeshCoreManager alongside MeshtasticManager
• Uses the meshcore Python library for device communication
• Separate MeshCore tab, doesn't affect existing Meshtastic functionality
• We sync daily with your upstream to stay current

Would you be interested in:

1. Merging this feature into MeshMonitor (could be optional/configurable)
2. Collaborating on a plugin architecture for multiple protocols
3. Or just keeping informed about our fork

We're committed to maintaining upstream sync regardless of the approach. Happy to share technical details or create a PR if you're interested!

Feel free to join our NC Mesh Discord if you'd like to chat more about it.

Best regards,
Drew
NC Mesh Community
https://ncmesh.net

[Yeraze]

I'm curious how this works from a user experience perspective. You mention there's a new "MeshCore" tab, what's in it? How does Telemetry work, along with the various Automatic features? I assume Remote Admin is disabled in this?

[dpaschal]

Thank you for replying. Much appreciated.

MeshCore Tab Features

The MeshCore tab provides:

1. Connection Panel
   - Serial port or TCP connection input
   - Connect/Disconnect buttons
   - Status shows device name, type (Companion/Repeater/Router), radio settings, public key
2. Nodes List
   - Shows all discovered MeshCore nodes
   - Displays device type badge
   - Public key (truncated)
   - Last seen timestamp
3. Contacts List
   - Contacts from the connected device
   - "Refresh" button to re-fetch from device
   - "Select" to choose DM recipient
4. Messaging
   - Send broadcast or direct messages
   - Message history display
5. Send Advert Button
   - Broadcasts presence on mesh

What's NOT Implemented (Yet)

• Telemetry - MeshCore doesn't have the same telemetry system as Meshtastic. No battery/environment data collection.
• Automatic Features - No auto-responders, geofences, or timers for MeshCore messages
• Remote Admin - Currently disabled. The loginToNode and requestNodeStatus API endpoints exist but aren't exposed in the UI yet.

How It Works

• Uses the meshcore Python library via subprocess calls
• Separate connection from Meshtastic (can run both simultaneously)
• MeshCore nodes appear on the map with purple "MC" markers (if GPS is set)
• Nodes now also appear in the main Nodes sidebar with "MC" badge

Integration Points

• Map: MeshCore nodes with GPS display alongside Meshtastic nodes
• Sidebar: Combined node list shows both protocols
• Separate tabs: Each protocol has its own dedicated tab for protocol-specific features

I welcome your criticism and to share ideas! :)

[Yeraze]

Oh, so this isn't intended to replace all the meshtastic features with meshcore, but isntead to talk to two devices simultaneously and interleave the data?

[dpaschal]

It connects to both a Meshtastic device and a MeshCore device simultaneously and shows nodes from both networks in the same interface. The sidebar displays
Meshtastic nodes alongside MeshCore nodes (marked with a purple "MC" badge), and they all appear on the same map. It's a unified monitoring dashboard for both protocols, not a
replacement of one with the other. I have even seen some mesh bridging software and thought that could be an option. I am just trying to give back a bit and stretch my skills and learn.

[Yeraze]

Well, if you want to throw up a PR with it I'ld be happy to review and consider including it.. Probably with some kind of config option to enable/disable it.

[dpaschal]

That is what I was thinking too. "Enable MeshCore Functionality". I like it.

[Yeraze]

Does the Meshcore data persist in any database? OR is it just managed in the client/browser?

[dpaschal]

Awesome, I'll put together a PR!

To answer your question: Yes, MeshCore data persists server-side in the SQLite database alongside Meshtastic data. The backend has a meshcoreManager that maintains the
connection to the MeshCore device and stores nodes/contacts/messages. It's not browser-only - the client just fetches from the API like it does for Meshtastic data.

I'll add a config option to enable/disable MeshCore support (disabled by default so it doesn't affect existing users). Will get that PR up soon.

[dpaschal]

Maybe you could put it under expiramental-features? Just a thought.

[gendebeat]

First of all, I would like to thank you for the development you are doing. @Yeraze I appreciate the improvements almost 2 days!. Right now I am using meshmonitor with ble-bridge for an outdoor node. I would like to try meshcore, but also with a BLE connection. At this moment, is it possible to use meshmonitor with meshcore-ble or only USB-serial or TCP connections? Thank you