Getting Started with Meshtastic in AFT
If you are not yet familiar with what Meshtastic is or what hardware you need, start with What is Meshtastic? and Compatible Devices first.
Do this before the event. Complete all steps below at home or before the game starts. Configuring hardware in the field wastes time and is harder to troubleshoot.
Short guide
- Charge your Meshtastic device and attach the antenna before powering it on.
- Install the Meshtastic app, enable Bluetooth, pair the device.
- Verify the connection – you should see your node and be able to send a test message.
- Open AFT, join your session, go to Navigation Menu → Meshtastic.
- Confirm both status indicators show Connected.
- Tap Configure Channel and wait for the device to restart.
- No red indicators after restart = you are ready.
Step-by-step guide
How the pieces connect
Using Meshtastic with Airsoft Force Tracking involves three separate components working together: your Meshtastic device, the Meshtastic app, and Airsoft Force Tracking.
The Meshtastic device handles all radio communication. It does not connect to AFT directly — instead, it pairs with the Meshtastic app on your phone via Bluetooth. AFT then communicates with the Meshtastic app to exchange data through the radio network.
The connection chain looks like this:
AFT → Meshtastic app → Meshtastic device → mesh network
This means the Meshtastic app must be installed, up to date, and connected to your device before AFT can use the mesh network at all. If any link in this chain is broken, mesh communication will not work.
Keep both the Meshtastic app and your device firmware up to date. The Meshtastic project is actively developed and older versions can cause compatibility issues. Check for updates before each event, not during one.
Part 1/2 — Pairing your device with the Meshtastic app
Step 1 — Attach the antenna
Before powering on the device, make sure the antenna is attached. Transmitting without an antenna can damage the radio hardware.
Step 2 — Charge the device
Charge your Meshtastic device fully before the event. Most devices show battery level in the Meshtastic app once connected.
Step 3 — Power on the device
Turn on the Meshtastic device and keep it close to your phone. Bluetooth range is typically up to 10 meters, but during gameplay the device should be on your person — in a pocket or backpack — to maintain a stable connection.
Step 4 — Install the Meshtastic app
Download the official Meshtastic app from Google Play if you have not done so already.
Step 5 — Enable Bluetooth and pair the device
Enable Bluetooth on your phone. Open the Meshtastic app and follow the in-app pairing instructions to connect to your device.
Step 6 — Verify the connection
Once paired, your device should appear as a node in the Meshtastic app. To confirm everything is working:
- Check that your node is visible in the node list.
- Look for other nodes nearby if any other players are already connected.
- Send a short test message on the default channel — if it appears in the message log, your device is transmitting correctly.
If the device does not appear or the connection drops, check the Diagnostics & Status page for guidance.
Part 2/2 — Connecting Meshtastic to AFT
Step 7 — Join your AFT session
Open Airsoft Force Tracking and join the game session. A session must already be configured for Meshtastic by the administrator before this step makes sense. If you are the organizer, refer to the Admin & Event Setup guide first. If you are a player and want to use Meshtastic in AFT, contact your session administrator and ask them to enable Meshtastic in the session settings. It only takes a few minutes on their end.
Step 8 — Open the Meshtastic panel
In AFT, open the Navigation Menu and select Meshtastic from the available tools. This opens the Meshtastic control panel.
For a full description of the metrics and indicators visible in this panel, see the Diagnostics & Status page.
Step 9 — Confirm both connections
Before proceeding, check that two status indicators in the panel show Connected:
- Device connection — AFT can communicate with your Meshtastic hardware.
- Meshtastic app connection — AFT can communicate with the Meshtastic app on your phone.
Both must show Connected before you proceed. If either shows a different status, do not continue — resolve the connection issue first.
Step 10 — Configure Channel
Tap Configure Channel. AFT will automatically apply the radio configuration defined by the session administrator. This process will:
- install the required mesh channels on your device
- remove any previously configured channels
- restart the device
If you actively use Meshtastic outside of AFT, back up your existing channels before proceeding. You can do this from within the Meshtastic app by sharing your current channel configuration as a QR code or link and saving it for later. Pressing Configure Channel will permanently remove all channels currently on the device.
Wait for the device to complete the restart. This takes a few seconds.
Step 11 — Verify the result
After the restart, check the Meshtastic panel in AFT. If there are no red indicators, the device is correctly configured and ready.
To double-check, open the Meshtastic app and look at the channel list. You should see a new channel corresponding to your AFT session.
Step 12 — Understand what the session channel means
The session channel visible in the Meshtastic app can be used to send text messages. However, all players connected to the mesh network will receive those messages — including members of opposing armies.
Treat open text messaging on this channel as an emergency fallback only.
Position data is handled differently. Your location is transmitted with army-level encryption, which means enemy players cannot see your position through the mesh network — even if they are within radio range.
You are ready. Your device is configured and AFT will begin exchanging position data through the mesh network automatically.
If anything does not look right, the Diagnostics & Status page explains what each indicator means and how to resolve common issues.
What next?
- If you are an event organizer, learn how to configure your session so that other users can easily communicate using AFT.
- If you are a player and someone else has already set up the session you are joining, check out the article explaining how to join the mesh network in your session.