The Potential
Some of you may have read my recent post about the possibility of using meshtastic software with a LoRa radio for OTA (over the air) bitcoin transactions.
I first got excited about this technology because of this article:
Here’s a passage I really liked:
With a mesh network, we completely decentralize our communication infrastructure, as anyone can become an ISP in the network. Individuals may choose to offer mumble or matrix servers for communication or provide local access to Wikipedia, while open channels in the Lightning Network can be used to facilitate bitcoin transactions without an uplink to the broader internet. Mesh networks are also cost-efficient to deploy as already available hardware can be used to facilitate communication and provide unprecedented benefits for people who live under circumstances susceptible to disruptions of internet access.
Then I found this article, which is much more technically in depth:
I recommend you read this if you want to learn more about the network and the possibilities for bitcoin transactions.
It took me a while to actually get a radio and start to learn about this technology. I was a ham radio operator for years, though I let my license lapse. I like these unregulated bands better anyway. Also, licensed hams are prohibited from engaging in commercial transactions. My goal is to transact on the Lightning Network.
Some Useful Links
- Meshtastic github
- Mesh Map Worldwide
- Review of Lilygo T-Echo and other radios
Lilygo T-Echo setup for Meshtastic.
I decided to buy a Lilygo T-Echo. It is an out of the box ready to go radio, unlike many DIY kit choices you may decide to buy. @kepford just bought a RAK Pocket https://store.rokland.com/products/wismesh-pocket. His radio is nicer and a little higher end than mine.
The T-Echo comes fully assembled with a USB cord and detachable antenna. Be sure to attach the antenna before plugging it in. The first thing you must do is load the meshtastic firmware on the radio. Go to this site: https://store.rokland.com/pages/lilygo-t-echo-getting-started-quick-guide-meshtastic You must unlock the bootloader on your device before you can connect it to your computer. To unlock the bootloader on the T-Echo, click the reset button (top button on the left side of the device) twice. A new drive for the device will now be mounted on your computer. Next, download and flash the firmware for your radio.
I downloaded the stable version of ntf52840 for the T-Echo. Next, you simply drag the downloaded file to the new drive that appeared on your computer when you unlocked the bootloader.
Linux Issues
I had a nightmare trying to load the firmware on Linux with my Ubuntu laptop, but easily did it on my wife's windows laptop. @kepford gave me advice regarding linux, but none of the tips worked for me. He’s the guy to ask if you must flash the firmware with linux. He suggested you only use the Chrome browser, along with other advice I can't find right now. My own research led me to this one line terminal command to solve the issue
sudo usermod -a -G dialout USERbut this did not work for me.
@kepford also located a possible permission issue through a web search, which can be resolved by running
chmod a+rw /dev/ttyACM0 but, once again, it did not work for me.
Keep in mind that you may get an error signal "Not enough space on drive" or error copying file. Ignore the error notices. When the file is downloaded the radio will reboot into the meshtastic firmware.
Pairing Your Phone To Your Radio
Next, download the meshtastic app from your phone. I have a graphene pixel and don’t use Google or Apple stores, so I got the app from @franzap 's zapstore. https://github.com/zapstore/zapstore-cli By the way, I highly recommend the zap store. The app is also available on fdroid. I don't know about the Apple version.
I paired the device with bluetooth. The pin to pair the radio to your phone will appear on the Lilygo T-Echo screen once you click “pair new device” on your phone . If you are using graphene, be sure to grant the app location permission to turn on the GPS. Click the + button on the meshtastic app on your phone to connect your radio. The first thing you must do is set a geographic region. Allow the app to find connected devices, then select your radio. It will give your radio a short alpha numeric name, which you can edit.
Now your radio is operational and able to find other local devices. So far I have made no connections. I think I will need to install a high antenna to improve my range, but that’s for another post.
The Future Of Meshtastic
It quickly becomes obvious when doing some research that this is an area where the potential for bitcoin has been barely explored. There are lots of useful youtube videos that will teach you about the meshtastic network, but very few that will actually address using it as a means to transact with bitcoin. This was all I could find:
There is not much to work with, but if there are any developers out there looking for fertile ground, this might be it. I envision someone building a lightning wallet that can interface with the meshtastic firmware. I have no idea how difficult this would be, or if it’s even possible. In any event, it's probably too early. The network needs to grow to make this a practical solution.
