# Nodes
The Nodes screen displays all devices visible on your mesh network.
## Node List
The node list shows every node your radio has heard, including:
- **Node name** — user-configured long name
- **Short name** — 4-character identifier
- **Signal quality** — last heard signal strength
- **Last heard** — time since last communication
- **Distance** — estimated distance (if positions are shared)
- **Battery** — remote node battery level (if telemetry is enabled)
### Node Status Indicators
Badge | Meaning |
---------- | ----------------------------------- |
🟢 Online | Node heard within the last 2 hours |
⚪ Offline | Node not heard for over 2 hours |
⭐ Favorite | Node marked as favorite by the user |
A node is considered **online** if it was heard within the last 2 hours, and **offline** otherwise — there is no separate "away" tier.
### Node Roles
Nodes can be configured with different roles that affect their mesh behavior:
Role | الوصف |
-------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
Client | Standard end-user device |
Client Base | Treats favorited-node traffic as Router Late priority; all other traffic as Client |
Client Mute | Receives but doesn't retransmit |
Client Hidden | Like Client Mute, plus hides from node list |
Router | Prioritizes message forwarding; stays awake to relay |
Router Late | Infrastructure node that rebroadcasts once, but only after all other modes (provides supplemental coverage) |
~~Router Client~~ | ⚠️ **Deprecated** (removed in firmware 2.3.15) — no longer selectable; use Router or Client instead |
~~Repeater~~ | ⚠️ **Deprecated** (removed in firmware 2.7.11) — no longer selectable; use Router instead |
Tracker | Optimized for position reporting at regular intervals |
Sensor | Optimized for telemetry reporting |
TAK | Interoperates with TAK systems (sends/receives CoT) |
TAK Tracker | TAK position reporting only |
Lost & Found | Continuous position beacon for recovery |
### Choosing a Role
Most users should keep the default **Client** role. Consider a different role when:
- **Router** — You have a node in a fixed, elevated location with reliable power (rooftop, hilltop). Routers stay awake continuously to relay messages for others and are essential for extending mesh coverage. Don't use Router on battery-powered handheld devices.
- **Router Late** — An infrastructure node that always rebroadcasts packets once but only after all other routing modes have had their turn. Provides supplemental coverage for local clusters without competing with primary routers.
- **Client Base** — Treats traffic from/to your favorited nodes with Router Late priority (ensuring those messages get extra relay coverage) while handling everything else as a normal Client.
- **Client Mute** — You want to receive mesh traffic but not contribute to relaying. Useful for monitoring-only devices or to reduce congestion in dense areas.
- **Tracker** — An unattended device whose sole purpose is broadcasting its GPS position (e.g., a vehicle, pet, or asset). Sleeps between broadcasts to conserve battery.
- **Sensor** — An unattended device reporting environmental telemetry (temperature, humidity, air quality). Similar power profile to Tracker.
- **TAK / TAK Tracker** — Only needed if interoperating with ATAK/WinTAK systems. See [TAK Integration](tak) for details.
> 💡 **Tip:** The mesh works best when most nodes are **Client** or **Router**. Too many Mute nodes reduces mesh resilience; too many Routers in a dense area can cause congestion. A good rule of thumb: one Router per 5–10 Clients in your area.
### Encryption Indicators
Nodes display encryption status icons next to their name:
Icon | Meaning |
----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
🔒 Locked | Communication uses PKI (public key infrastructure) — end-to-end encrypted with verified identity |
🔓 Unlocked | Communication uses shared channel PSK — encrypted but identity not individually verified |
⚠️ Mismatch | Public key mismatch — the node's key has changed since last seen (investigate before trusting) |
> 💡 **Tip:** PKI encryption (firmware 2.5+) provides stronger security than channel PSK because each node has a unique key pair. If you see a key mismatch warning, the node may have been reset or compromised.
## Quick Actions
From the node list, you can:
- **Tap** a node to view its detail page
- **Long-press** for quick actions:
- Mark/remove favorite
- Mute/unmute notifications
- Send a direct message
- Trace route
- Ignore/unignore
- Remove node
## Filtering & Sorting
### Text Search
Type in the search field to filter nodes by name or short name. The filter updates in real time as you type.
### Filter Toggles
عربي | الوصف |
-------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
**Only online** | Show only nodes heard within the last 2 hours |
**Only direct** | Show only nodes with direct (non-relayed) connections |
**Include unknown** | Show nodes that haven't sent user info yet |
**Exclude infrastructure** | Hide infrastructure-role nodes (Router, Router Late, Client Base) |
**Exclude MQTT** | Hide nodes heard only via MQTT internet bridge |
**Show ignored** | Show nodes you've previously dismissed or muted |
### Sort Options
Sort | الوصف |
------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
**Last heard** (default) | Most recently heard nodes first |
**Alphabetical** | Sorted by node long name |
**Distance** | Nearest nodes first (requires position sharing) |
**Hops away** | Fewest relay hops first |
**Channel** | Grouped by channel index |
**Via MQTT** | Grouped by MQTT vs. radio-heard |
**Favorites** | Favorited nodes first |
## Nodes per Hop
Tap the hop-histogram icon in the node list's app bar to open a bar chart of how many nodes sit at each hop distance (0 = direct, 1 = one relay away, and so on). Filter the chart to a **last heard** window — All time, 1 hour, 8 hours, or 24 hours — to see how the mesh looks right now versus over a longer period. It's a quick way to gauge how busy and spread out your local mesh is.
## Node Detail
Tapping a node opens the detail view with comprehensive information. See [Node Metrics](node-metrics) for full details on metrics and telemetry.
The detail screen includes device info, position, and action buttons:
Inline status indicators show key metrics at a glance:
Indicator | Screenshot |
-------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
Signal quality |  |
Battery level |  |
Hop count |  |
آخر ظهور |  |
المسافة |  |
### Device Links ("I want one")
When a node's hardware is recognized, the detail view shows a collapsible **"I want one"** section linking to places to buy or learn more about that device: the vendor's product page, product variants, and regional marketplace listings (such as AliExpress, Amazon, and supported retailers), filtered to your country. Each link opens through the `msh.to` redirect service. Devices with no matching links don't show the section.
A full, browsable directory of every link is also available under **Settings → Help & Documentation → Device Links**.
## Related Topics
- [Node Metrics](node-metrics) — detailed telemetry dashboards for each node
- [Messages & Channels](messages-and-channels) — send a direct message to a node
- [Map & Waypoints](map-and-waypoints) — view node positions geographically
- [Discovery](discovery) — traceroute and neighbor info for topology exploration
- [Signal Meter](signal-meter) — understand what the signal bars mean
---