🐾 PUNK & CATZ

Level 2: Connect Your Own Device

Experience what it's really like to have your own mesh node!

← Back to Mesh Memory Wall
1

Download Meshtastic App

Get the app on your personal device

First, you'll need the Meshtastic app on your phone or tablet. This is the same app used by mesh network enthusiasts worldwide!

🤖

Android

Google Play Store

Download for Android devices 🍎

iOS

App Store

Download for iPhone/iPad
2

Choose A Physical Node

Find PUNK or CATZ - they're identical twins!

Look around the makerspace for our two roaming nodes (they should be labeled and close by the tablet). Both work exactly the same way, so pick whichever one is available!

🎸

PUNK

Currently plugged in and ready to connect
🐱

CATZ

Currently plugged in and ready to connect
To identify the nodes, look for the label on the back of the node. You can also click the black button on the node to scroll through message history and node information

🔌 Keep Them Powered!

You can unplug the nodes to test their range, but please plug them back in when you're done so the next person can find them easily. Thanks for helping keep the mesh alive!

3

Connect Via Bluetooth

Pair your device with your chosen node

Now for the exciting part - connecting your personal device directly to the mesh network!

📱 Connection Process:

1
Open Meshtastic app on your device
2
Tap the Cloud icon ☁️ (connections on the bottom-right)
3
Make sure you're on the Bluetooth tab (should be default)
4
Select "Scan"
5
Look for "PUNK" or "CATZ" in the device list and connect!
5
Look at your physical node, it should show a number to enter in order to pair
✅ Success! When connected, you'll see the node name and a green status indicator

🔧 Not seeing PUNK or CATZ?

  • Check Bluetooth: Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your device
  • Wait a moment: Sometimes nodes take a few seconds to appear in the scan
  • Try again: Refresh the device list or close and reopen the connection screen
  • Check availability: Someone else might be connected - ask around!
  • Get help: Ask around for help!
4

Experience the Mesh

Send messages and feel the network come alive

Congratulations! You're now directly connected to the mesh network. This is what it feels like to have your own node communicating with others.

🌐 You're Now Part of the Mesh!

Your device is talking directly to the PROM node and can send messages to the Protomesh channel. You're experiencing true peer-to-peer communication - no internet, no cell towers, just radio waves creating community connections!

💬 Sending Your Message:

📱
Navigate to messages - Look and tap on the chat/message icon (top left or bottom left)
🎊
Select "Protomesh" channel - Same community board as Level 1
✍️
Type your message - Under 230 characters, be kind!
📡
Send! - It will travel through the mesh from YOUR device

🚶‍♀️ Optional: Test the Range!

Want to see how far mesh networking can reach? You can carefully unplug your node and walk around the makerspace while staying connected. See how the mesh network maintains your connection even as you move!

Remember: Please plug it back in when you're done so others can find it easily.

5

Disconnect & Share

Leave the mesh open for the next explorer

🤝 Please Disconnect When Done

Go back to your Bluetooth settings in the Meshtastic app and disconnect from the node. This allows the next curious maker to have their own mesh networking experience!

🎉 What You Just Experienced

You connected your personal device directly to a mesh network and sent messages through decentralized radio communication. This is exactly what thousands of people worldwide are doing to build resilient, community-owned communication networks!

🚀 Ready to Have Your Own?

You've just experienced what it's like to have your own mesh node! The next step is getting your own hardware and joining the global mesh networking community.

Ready to build networks that can't be censored, surveilled, or shut down?

🔧 Get Your Own Node (Level 3) 📱 Try the Tablet Experience