RNode and Reticulum setup

Overview

Reticulum is a cryptography-based networking stack. It runs over many media: LoRa, TCP, UDP, serial, I2P, Wi-Fi and Ethernet, and works at speeds down to about 5 bit/s. It does not replace IP and does not give you web browsing by itself. Apps built on it (Sideband, NomadNet, MeshChat) do messaging, file transfer and similar tasks. See Clients and apps.

An RNode is a LoRa board running the RNode firmware, so Reticulum can use it as a radio interface. Reticulum itself is software; the legality of an RNode depends on the radio band and power you configure.

This guide is the most hands-on of the three flashing guides. If you only want a simple phone-to-phone mesh, Flash Meshtastic or Flash MeshCore is easier. For why you might pick Reticulum, see Which mesh is right for you and Privacy and encryption.

Which boards work

The Reticulum manual's hardware page lists these as RNode-capable: T-Beam Supreme, T-Beam, T3S3, RAK4631, OpenCom XL, T-Deck, T-Echo, Heltec T114, and Heltec LoRa32 v2, v3 (SX1262/SX1268) and v4 (SX1262). The RNode firmware repository adds the XIAO ESP32S3 with Wio-SX1262 and notes that on the T-Deck the display is currently disabled. The Seeed T1000-E is not on the supported list.

The web flashers disagree about coverage, which is why you should check the one you use:

• Liam Cottle's flasher (liamcottle.github.io/rnode-flasher) uses WebSerial. Its README names the RAK4631 and DFU mode, and did not list the Heltec V3 explicitly. It does not flash bootloaders or softdevices for nRF boards, and does not set the firmware hash automatically.
• RMAP's flasher (rmap.world/flasher) says it supports Heltec V3 and V4, the T-Beam and others. It works in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox with dom.serial.enabled switched on.
• rnodeconf on a computer is the primary install route in the Reticulum manual.

A Heltec V3 or V4 works as an RNode per the manual, so it is a sensible first board.

Option A: install with rnodeconf

You need Python and pip on a laptop or Raspberry Pi.

1. Fit the antenna and connect the board by USB.
2. Install or upgrade Reticulum:

   pip install rns --upgrade
   

3. Run the auto-installer and follow its prompts. Choose your board and the 868 MHz band when asked:

   rnodeconf --autoinstall
   

4. When it finishes, configure Reticulum to use the RNode (below).

Option B: web flasher

Use this if you would rather not install Python first. You need Chrome or Edge.

1. Fit the antenna and connect the board by data-capable USB-C cable.
2. Open rmap.world/flasher or liamcottle.github.io/rnode-flasher.
3. On the RMAP flasher: select the device and frequency or model (choose an 868 MHz option), choose a firmware version, connect the USB device by pressing Connect, then press Flash now.
4. On Liam Cottle's flasher: pick the device, enter DFU mode where needed, choose a firmware, and flash. Then use "Provision" and "Set Firmware Hash" as the README describes.
5. Wait for completion and leave the board connected.

Install Reticulum and connect the RNode

1. Install Reticulum on your computer with pip install rns --upgrade, if you have not already.
2. Configure an interface for the RNode in Reticulum's config file. The manual's interfaces page is the reference for the RNode LoRa interface settings. Whatever frequency and power you configure there, keeping them legal is your responsibility.
3. Start Reticulum or an app that uses it (Sideband, NomadNet or MeshChat).

Reticulum without a radio

You can try Reticulum over the internet with no LoRa hardware. The manual does not hard-code public entry points. It points to community directories as places to find interface definitions: directory.rns.recipes and rmap.world. RMAP's "Copy Config" gives interface snippets for ~/.reticulum/config. Some older guides quote specific host and port pairs for public servers; we could not confirm they are still current, so we do not repeat them. Pick one from a live directory. See also Zero-hardware start.

Useful tools

Reticulum ships utilities such as rncp (authenticated file transfer), rnsh (remote shell) and rnx (remote commands). Applications include Sideband and NomadNet. LXMF propagation nodes provide store-and-forward for people who are offline.

Limits and cautions

• Over LoRa, speeds are in kilobits per second at best. Do not expect video, browsing or large transfers.
• Reticulum's README warns about LLM-generated fake implementations; install from the official repository.
• The relationship between third-party clients (including Ratspeak) and Reticulum's author is not stated in what we read; see Clients and apps.
• Other routes onto a mesh exist: Find a local mesh, and how routing works in How mesh routing works.