¶ Frequently Asked Questions
¶ What is this?
Meshtastic is an open-source, off-grid communication system that uses low-power LoRa radios to create a long-range, decentralized mesh network. At Burning Man, it can help people stay connected across miles of playa without relying on cell service or the internet. Participants use it to share location pins, send text messages, coordinate meetups, and relay information between camps — all in real time — even when conventional networks are overloaded or unavailable.
How it works is there is a Meshtastic device that connects to your phone via Bluetooth. Through the Meshtastic app, you can use the device to send texts and share location throughout the playa. The devices create their own network - this does not use cellular, wifi, or Bluetooth. This does not give your phone internet access - just a insular texting/location sharing network localized to the burn.
¶ How do I get started?
- Buy or build a Meshtastic node.
- Wait for the BurningMesh firmware to be released.
- We will publish a full quick start guide closer to the burn with setup instructions, firmware guidance, and recommended configuration steps.
¶ What is this group doing to organize the mesh on the playa?
- We are creating documentation and guides to help regular users and artists utilize the mesh more easily.
- We are facilitating the creation of custom firmware for Burning Man, which is necessary for the mesh to function with this many users.
- We are organizing the deployment of reliable, well-placed backbone hardware in order to better cover the event and manage traffic flow between users at the burn.
¶ What if I do not use the BurningMesh firmware?
Meshtastic's default presets are designed for normal mesh use, not extremely dense event environments. In 2025, there were roughly 1,700 Meshtastic nodes at Burning Man. If all of those nodes were using default settings, the mesh would have become unusable, and even nodes physically next to each other may have had trouble sending messages.
BurningMesh firmware and configuration guidance are intended to help the network operate better in this unusually dense environment.
¶ Will this be a reliable form of communication?
This is all an experiment. Reliability of the network, since it is a mesh, depends on many factors out of our control. Where people are located, what device you have, what antenna is connected, and where you are relative to everyone else will play a large role in how reliably you are able to send and receive messages.
¶ Is BurningMesh a product or company or camp?
No. BurningMesh is not a product, company, manufacturer, or hardware vendor. We do not manufacture any of the hardware. BurningMesh is a volunteer-run effort supported by community members, open source developers, and radio nerds.
¶ What is Meshtastic?
Meshtastic is free and open source software (FOSS). You can learn more about the project at meshtastic.org and view the source code through the Meshtastic open source repositories.