Mesh Chat has been in a difficult state since October 2024. It would not operate in AREDN nodes with any firmware release after 3.24.10.0. Mesh Chat 2.12.1 in a node with a nightly build would not sync with Mesh Chat in other nodes.
KN6PLV remedied this situation about 2025-02-07 by publishing new Mesh Chat releases. I have his meshchat_2.13_all.ipk running in a hAP ac2 and meshchat-api_2.13_all.ipk running in a hAP ac lite with an RPi 5 service computer with meshchat_1.02. Both 2.13 nodes synchronize with several other Mesh Chat 2.12.1 services on our mesh island.
The new Mesh Chat apps are available at https://github.com/kn6plv/meshchat . Click the version that you want, then click the download button near the right end of the bar labeled CODE. It appears that you need to be running a current nightly build (after NB 20250207) in your node for the new Mesh Chat to work. For me, the new versions picked up the previous-messages log as if nothing had changed.
A tip of my hat and many thanks to KN6PLV for this accomplishment.
I noticed that installing the new package actually installed three packages, not just the one. Is there anything related to other packages affected by these changes?
Ed
Ed -
If you go to your node's Status screen, click to the right of the installed packages area, then click the view button to the right of the "Remove Package" field, you will see names of your meshchat app and two other packages which are necessary for meshchat to run. I think these were no longer provided in the nightly builds. To clear, just click "Done" in the lower right without selecting any package.
Tim K5RA
Downloading http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/targets/ath79/mikr...
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
*** Failed to download the package list from http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/targets/ath79/mikr...
Downloading http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc...
*** Failed to download the package list from http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc...
Downloading http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc...
*** Failed to download the package list from http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc...
Downloading http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc...
*** Failed to download the package list from http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc...
Downloading http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc...
*** Failed to download the package list from Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
Failed to send request: Operation not permitted
Collected errors:
* opkg_download: Failed to download http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/targets/ath79/mikr..., wget returned 4.
* opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.
* opkg_download: Failed to download http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc..., wget returned 4.
* opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.
* opkg_download: Failed to download http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc..., wget returned 4.
* opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.
* opkg_download: Failed to download http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc..., wget returned 4.
* opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.
* opkg_download: Failed to download http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc..., wget returned 4.
* opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.
* opkg_download: Failed to download http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc..., wget returned 4.
* opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.
* opkg_download: Failed to download http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc..., wget returned 4.
* opkg_download: Check your network settings and connectivity.
http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc...
Downloading http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc...
*** Failed to download the package list from http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc...
Downloading http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc...
*** Failed to download the package list from http://downloads.arednmesh.org/releases/3/24/3.25.2.0/packages/mips_24kc...
The node I can't get to work is an SXT5 HP. It's running 3.25.2.0. Weird thing is when I attempted (again) to install 2.13.0 it did not give me the error messages, but when done and rebooted the node reports it has package 2.12.1 installed. The two extra packages are not in place.
I'll leave everything on other nodes un updated for a while until this is resolved.
Ed
I have put Meshchat_2.13 and Meshchat-api_2.13 in three Mikrotik nodes (two hAP ac Lites and one hAP ac2) with no issues.
Since the two support packages are not in your node, I think your attempt to load 2.13 was not successful. Meshchat_2.13 does work for several of us here running 3.25.2.0 and later nightly builds., so have confidence.
I suggest you uninstall whatever Meshchat and supporting packages you have in one or more of the nodes. Reboot. Get a copy of Meshchat_2.13 in your service computer. Install stable release 3.25.2.0 in the node(s), and ensure that it is (they are) working.
Then use the package install function in the (each) node to bring Meshchat_2.13 to the node(s). Next you will have to advertise your Meshchat service in each node with the name of the Meshchat zone that you and your fellow operators will use. Reboot. I think this causes creation of chat and file directories in the node. The Meshchat zone name should appear in your node's Local Services pane. There may be service names like Meshchat-8792. Delete those. Click your service announcement. Enter your call sign in the Chat box. You should be good from there.
For now I've rolled everything I can back to 3.24.10.0 and everything installs fine including MC2.13 so I'm leaving 3.25.2.0 alone until I get more definitive information. I've lost control of one remote node rolling the firmware back so I'll have to revisit it and do a fresh install. None of this addresses the simultaneous loss of use of Waterfall when switching to 3.25.2.0 so there is something in the new release that does not play well with packages.
Ed
I installed 3.25.2 and the pkg file, I see 3 pkgs when listing pkgs to remove.
So I went on to install 3.24.10 directly without removing pkgs.
Meshchat works!
Then I installed 3.25.2 on top, and Meshchat still works.
So now I am confused but happy :-)
will try again on some radio nodes like the Nanobeam's
Frank
I looked at your info above, and it looks like the error messages were from 3.25.2.0, not from attempt to install Meshchat. Meshchat is not sourced from AREDN. Go to
https://github.com/kn6plv/meshchat
You will see the names of the two versions of Meshchat slightly left and slightly below center of the screen. Click the one you want. Look on the right edge of the screen somewhat above the middle and see a symbol with a down-pointing arrow (for download). Click that, and a copy of the code you selected will come to you.
Good luck!
--Tim K5RA
The limitations of Meshchat being well-known, is there an established alternative? The closest I've gotten is Mumble. It works for VOIP and also has text chat. It's alot easier to install than a phone switch and is part of most linux distributions.
Orv W6BI
Is Mattermost still free? I don't see it as part of the Fedora distribution.
I've tried jabber, it wasn't too bad to install. I don't think there's a simple-to-install IRC server, I don't want to set up a separate MariaDB or LDAP server.
Mumble has some advantages: It's a very lightweight install, is built for all major distributions, and requires almost no configuration. Default mode is a default group chat and group VOIP. It doesn't require authentication by default, and authentication can be set up without a central authentication server (you hand out certificates instead.)
I've got a mumble server running at kf6iiu-services.local.mesh if anyone wants to see if they can connect to it. The IP address is 10.21.75.107 if the DNS isn't propagating.
73
Orv W6BI
- Rocket.Chat: While Rocket.Chat offers end-to-end encryption (E2EE), it is not enabled by default and is currently in beta. Users must manually enable it in their workspace settings .
- Mattermost: Mattermost uses encryption-in-transit (TLS) and encryption-at-rest but does not provide end-to-end encryption by default. It focuses on securing data between clients and servers rather than encrypting messages end-to-en
- Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Teams encrypts data in transit and at rest using TLS and SRTP, but it does not provide end-to-end encryption for all communications by default. However, it does offer end-to-end encryption for certain types of calls
- Flock: Flock encrypts all traffic between clients and servers using TLS but does not provide end-to-end encryption by default
- Lark: Lark encrypts data in transit using HTTPS/WSS but does not explicitly mention end-to-end encryption as a default feature
- Pumble: Pumble encrypts data in transit and at rest by default but does not specify if it offers end-to-end encryption
- Chanty: Chanty does offer end-to-end encryption for messages and files, making it one of the platforms that mandates encryption for sensitive data
Orv W6BII've been interested in other chat programs, and might implement others at some time. However the real attraction of MeshChat for me is that it can be hosted on the node itself, and does not require a server/client relationship on a Pi or an X86 machine. This allows us to have the message database be redundantly protected. We assume parts of our network will go down in a disaster so we want a resilient app and MeshChat does that easily.
It has been challenging to keep it going but TIm has been working on updates. So long as the patches work we will continue to use it. FWIW all the coms packages including Winlink have continuous maintenance required as browsers, OS, and hardware continues to change.
Ed
There are two kinds of MeshChat:
Each AREDN node version depends upon which release range of AREDN node firmware.
Of course the Debian (Linux) version(s) do not run on AREDN nodes.
Of course the perl and lua versions written for AREDN nodes do not run on Linux.
You will need an appropriate meshchat-api.ipk installed on the AREDN node hosting the meshchat service.
I think the appropriate meshchat-api will resolve all (lua) dependencies on the node hosting the meshchat service.
73, Chuck
If you use the api version, you will have to install Meshchat_1.02 in your service computer and set up the configuration file and service announcement. All that is much easier now than it was just a few years ago.
If you will provide an e-mail, I can send you the procedure that we used to use which may be helpful.
--Tim K5RA
I still fail to see how the dependencies on Luci are fulfilled in a non-Openwrt based distribution, so I'm eager to see what you did. There are various repos on github. The repo at https://github.com/hickey/meshchat says "Installable on AREDN firmware and most any Linux distribution" but then says "The current distribution of MeshChat does not currently support Linux. In order to run MeshChat on a Linux machine, one needs to download MeshChat v1.0.2 and install it on the Linux machine" - this makes no sense to me.
Some of the repos say there was a Perl version at one time but I haven't been able to find it.
I just want to get a server running. Since the REST interface is documented I can just write my own client rather than bother with all the Lua client stuff. I suppose I could use the REST interface to connect to someone else's meshchat daemon/ service/whatever it is.
Wiley -
There are at least three versions of Meshchat. The first was written by Trevor Paskett K7FPV in Perl. I think the last Perl version was Meshchat_1.02. I believe that Meshchat_1.02 and current AREDN firmware are not compatible. Then there was an AREDN developer team version which used LUA. Then Gerard Hickey WT0F took it over, and brought it to release 2.12.2. Last October, there were changes in AREDN firmware that removed LUA files needed by Meshchat, and Meshchat would not longer work with latest stable releases and Nightly Builds. This was fixed in February 2025 by KN6PLV. He was able to make changes to a Meshchat code base that he had, then build it and test it. The result was Meshchat-api_2.13_all and Meshchat_2.13_all. Both of these Meshchat versions run in your AREDN node, not in your service computer. They are .ipk files, so they will not load into an R-Pi with R-Pi OS (Debian). Maybe that was a source of the reported error messages.
There are two ways to run AREDN. You can put Meshchat-api in your node and run Meshchat_1.02 in your R-Pi, OR put full Meshchat in your node and access the service with a browser. The luci and lua packages (one of each) that are needed to run Meshchats 2.13 and 2.15 with current AREDN firmware are loaded into your node when you load Meshchat. You need do nothing to get them.
When Meshchat is in, you will set up the Service Announcement on your node. It may happen that the Meshchat upload (you can not get Meshchat from AREDN - upload it from computer memory) will provide a prototype announcement so that you only have to edit the Meshchat Zone name. I found that I used port 80 with the api version and port 8080 with the full version, but the api version may be a result of the way we set up the Meshchat config file for Meshchat_1.02 in our R-Pis.
Now the biggest issue. If you want to have Meshchat in your R-Pi, where to get Meshchat_1.02??? Most of the instructions that you find on line reference https://s3.aws-something. That link no longer works. Chuck NC8Q has said he has a directory that has it. I thought I saw his post about it in AREDN Forum, but can no longer find it. I will keep after it, and post here if I find it.
Once you get it, Meshchat_1.02 has a config file that you have to edit in a few places to make Meshchat_1.02 work with the api in your node.
--Tim K5RA
If you want to run Meshchat in your R-Pi, a source for Meshchat_1.02 is found in
https://www.arednmesh.org/content/meshchat-debian-package-where-else-dow...
The two versions of Meshchat 2.15 are available at
https://github.com/kn6plv/meshchat
-Tim K5RA