Local/Event User Settings

What Other Mesh Users Must Enable for Their Data to Appear

Mesh-Plug can only display what nearby Meshtastic nodes actively transmit. For another user’s node to appear correctly in your dashboard, the following requirements must be met on their device.

Required Hardware

  • GPS module installed; onboard or external
  • Adequate satellite lock; typically 5+ satellites for stable position reporting

Required Device Settings

  • Position reporting enabled in the Meshtastic app
  • User Info broadcasting enabled; node name and ID are not shared by default
  • Correct channel participation; nodes must be on the same channel or allowed via routing
  • Reasonable broadcast interval; extremely long intervals may appear as offline

Connectivity & Network Conditions

  • Node must be powered and online; sleeping or low-powered solar nodes may update infrequently
  • Mesh hops and terrain affect delivery; distant nodes may report intermittently
  • MQTT or gateway access must exist somewhere in the mesh; direct LoRa-only nodes still rely on routing

Common Reasons a Node Does Not Appear

  • GPS installed but no satellite lock yet
  • Position or User Info sharing disabled
  • Node recently rebooted and has not re-broadcast
  • Low battery or power-saving mode suppressing transmissions

Important Note

Mesh-Plug does not force data collection. All data shown in the dashboard is voluntarily broadcast by each node owner according to their own device settings and hardware.

For temperature and humidity readings to appear, Mesh-Plug users need to have atmospheric sensors on their Node.

Restricting Live Mode Access (Recommended)

Live mode connects the browser directly to your MQTT broker and should only be accessible to trusted operators. The safest approach is to treat live dashboards like an admin console, not a public page.

Below are proven ways to restrict access.

Option 1) WordPress Role / Capability Gating (Most Common)

Create a private page for live operations and restrict it to administrators (or a custom role).

Example Live Ops page shortcode

[mesh_plug mode="live" height="700px"]

Best practices

  • Set page visibility to Private or Password Protected
  • Limit access to the Administrator role
  • Use a membership or capability plugin if finer control is needed

This keeps live mode entirely inside WordPress’s permission system.

Option 2) Observer Lock on Public Pages (Strongly Recommended)

For any page that may ever be shared publicly, hard-lock observer mode.

[mesh_plug mode="observer" force="1" height="600px"]

Even if:

  • An admin is logged in
  • Credentials are configured
  • Auto mode is enabled

…the page will never attempt an MQTT connection.

This is the safest configuration for:

  • Share links
  • Community dashboards
  • Informational embeds

Option 3) HTTP Basic Auth (High-Security / Ops-Only)

For advanced setups, protect the live dashboard at the server level.

Use this when:

  • The page is used for troubleshooting
  • Multiple operators need access
  • You want protection outside WordPress

Typical setup:

  • Password-protect the page or directory via .htaccess or NGINX
  • Use Mesh-Plug live mode only behind that auth wall

This is ideal for staging, NOC screens, or field testing.

Option 4) Separate Environments (Best Practice for Power Users)

Run observer dashboards on production, and live dashboards on staging.

  • Production site: observer mode only
  • Staging or internal site: live mode enabled
  • Same MQTT backend; different UI exposure

This eliminates the risk of accidentally exposing live credentials.

Golden Rules

  • Never embed live mode on public pages
  • Always use force="1" on shareable dashboards
  • Keep live dashboards isolated and intentional
  • Treat MQTT credentials like API keys

Mesh-Plug is intentionally conservative; observer mode exists so you can safely share mesh data without exposing your infrastructure.