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🚀 Getting Started & Connection

← Handbook home · 🇩🇪 Deutsche Version

Installation in 5 steps

  1. Download: Get the latest MeshhessenClient.exe from Releases — the EXE ships with the complete .NET runtime (self-contained), nothing to install
  2. Connect device: Plug in your Meshtastic device via USB (or have TCP/Bluetooth ready)
  3. Launch: Double-click MeshhessenClient.exe – the app runs directly, no installer
  4. Connect: Select connection type (Serial, TCP, or Bluetooth) → click "Connect"
  5. Start: Wait 3–10 seconds for channels to load, then send messages

Only if you build the client from source do you need the .NET 8 SDK.

The app is fully offline-capable. No cloud, no registration, no telemetry to the developer.

⚠️ Windows SmartScreen

On first launch Windows SmartScreen may warn about an "unknown publisher" — normal for unsigned open-source downloads: the EXE is not signed with a (paid) code-signing certificate. "More info" → "Run anyway" starts the app. To be safe, download only from the official GitHub releases and compare the SHA-256 checksum published there (PowerShell: Get-FileHash MeshhessenClient.exe).

What the app writes to disk

Everything stays in the EXE directory (portable, USB-stick friendly): meshhessen-client.ini (settings), telemetry.db (telemetry), maptiles/ and vectortiles/ (map cache), logs/ (message logs), traceroutes/ (saved traceroutes).

Connection types

Type Transport Notes
USB/Serial COM port, 115200 baud Wake-up sequence, device debug text detected and logged separately
TCP/WiFi TCP socket Configurable hostname/IP + port
Bluetooth BLE GATT Direct FromRadio/ToRadio packets
  • Remember last connection – connection type (Serial / BT / WiFi) and last used BT device are saved and pre-selected on next launch
  • Auto-reconnect – after settings changes that require a device reboot
  • Per-node station name – a dedicated station name per connected node (✏ button next to the Connect button)

System & UI

  • Update check – automatically checks for new versions on startup; a clickable hint appears in the status bar if an update is available (offline-safe)
  • Multi-language – German and English (switchable in settings)
  • Dark mode & ModernWPF Fluent design
  • Automatic logging of all messages (logs/)
  • Debug tab with live log for troubleshooting
  • Meshhessen quick-config – one-click Short Slow + EU868 + Meshhessen channel setup

Message logs

All messages are logged automatically under [EXE directory]/logs/:

  • Channel_0_Primary.log – channel history
  • DM_DEADBEEF_Alice.log – direct messages

Known limitations

  • Tested with firmware 2.x
  • T-Deck: channels are not always included in the config sequence (retry workaround active) – the T-Deck is barely keeping up with itself, so everything takes a bit longer there…

Further reading