Guide · beginner · 20–40 minutes the first time
Flash a companion
Write companion firmware to your radio with the official web flasher, then pair the MeshCore app. This is the beginner path onto the mesh.
What you need
- A board listed on the official MeshCore flasher
- USB data cable (not charge-only)
- Antenna for the board
- Computer with Chrome or Edge
- Phone with the official MeshCore app
Warnings
- Put the antenna on before you power the board.
- Use Chrome or Edge. Other browsers often cannot use Web Serial.
- Do not invent a frequency. Use [ADMIN: confirm the current local recommended preset].
- This mesh is not a substitute for 911.
- 1
Gather the kit and read the warnings
Lay out the board, antenna, and a cable you know can transfer files, not just charge. If you have to borrow a cable from a printer or a phone that syncs photos, that is a better bet than a dollar-store charge lead.
- 2
Attach the antenna, then the USB cable
Thread the antenna on until it is snug. Then plug USB into the board and the computer. Power without an antenna is the step people skip and regret.
- 3
Open the official flasher
In Chrome or Edge, open https://flasher.meshcore.io. The same tool is linked from https://meshcore.io/flasher. If a site asks you to install a random desktop driver pack from an ad, you are in the wrong place — go back to the official URL.
- 4
Choose your board and companion firmware
Pick the exact board name you are holding. Choose the companion role, not repeater and not room server. For the regional preset, use the one local operators have confirmed. Until that is published on Local radio settings, treat it as: [ADMIN: confirm the current local recommended preset].
- 5
Connect serial and write firmware
Click the flasher's connect control, pick the USB serial device, and allow the browser to talk to it. Then flash. Do not unplug until it says it is done. If no device appears, try another cable and another USB port. Some boards need a boot button held while plugging in — follow the note on the flasher for your board, not a memory of a different brand.
- 6
Pair the app
Install the MeshCore app from meshcore.io. Power the companion, open the app, and pair. Give it a neighborly name. You are ready for a short outdoor hello, not for a coverage boast.
How to tell it worked
The flasher reported success, the app sees the companion, and you can send a short test message outdoors. If the computer never listed a serial device, replace the cable before you replace the board.
Last updated 8/30/2026