Meshtastic MQTT & Gateways
Migrated from the legacy SA:MUG Wiki.js Meshtastic page. Meshtastic is included for historical/community completeness; SA Mesh's current primary documentation path remains MeshCore. Validate firmware/app behaviour against current Meshtastic docs before treating settings as universal defaults.
Meshtastic nodes can use MQTT to bridge map/telemetry data and, depending on configuration, selected messaging between local RF meshes and internet-connected services.
Gateways can affect shared community visibility and traffic patterns. MQTT uplinks can expose traffic metadata, map reports and location information beyond local RF range. Coordinate in the SA:MUG community before running public or always-on gateway infrastructure.
Why use an MQTT uplink?
- Share location/telemetry data with community maps.
- Connect isolated node clusters for monitoring and dashboards.
- Integrate with tools such as Node-RED, Grafana or custom dashboards.
- Support RF measurement/visibility workflows.
Legacy SA:MUG broker details
The legacy Wiki.js page listed these public MQTT details:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Broker | mqtt.peeringsa.net |
| Port | 1883 |
| Username | uplink |
| Password | uplink |
| Root topic | msh/ANZ/SA |
| Protocol | MQTT v3.1.1 |
The old page also noted that standard Meshtastic default credentials were accepted.
App configuration outline
- Open Settings → MQTT in the Meshtastic app.
- Enable MQTT.
- Enter the broker, username, password and root topic for the mesh you are joining.
- Enable map reporting if you deliberately want public map visibility.
- Enable client proxy only when using a phone/internet-backed client for the uplink.
- Save and reboot the node if the app/firmware requires it.
CLI example from the legacy page
meshtastic --set mqtt.enabled true
meshtastic --set mqtt.address mqtt.peeringsa.net
meshtastic --set mqtt.username uplink
meshtastic --set mqtt.password uplink
meshtastic --set mqtt.rootTopic msh/ANZ/SA
meshtastic --set mqtt.mapReportingEnabled true
meshtastic --set mqtt.clientProxyEnabled true
The legacy page referenced Meshtastic firmware v2.2.0 or newer for full MQTT functionality. Check current upstream docs for present-day option names and requirements.
Position reporting for maps
Example legacy settings for public map reporting:
meshtastic --set position.fixed_position true
meshtastic --set mqtt.mapReportingEnabled true
meshtastic --set mqtt.mapReportPositionPrecision 5
meshtastic --set mqtt.mapReportPublishInterval 300
A five-minute report interval was used as the example. Choose precision carefully so you do not publish sensitive private locations.
Gateway practices
For more reliable gateway nodes:
- use stable power;
- place the antenna where it has useful RF visibility;
- use a dedicated Wi-Fi/LTE-capable node when appropriate;
- avoid creating unnecessary rebroadcast or downlink traffic;
- document the role and purpose of always-on infrastructure.
The legacy page suggested router-style roles for 24/7 gateways. Confirm current Meshtastic role guidance before copying that into production community defaults.