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VietnameseSonnet vs LoRa Mesh
Framing the question as "Sonnet vs LoRa mesh" can imply two mutually exclusive radio technologies. That isn't the case. The real difference is elsewhere: a single company's integrated product, versus an open ecosystem that many parties build.
First, a technical point. Sonnet used chirp spread spectrum (CSS) modulation - the same modulation family LoRa uses - in bands close to LoRa's, but it ran a network protocol proprietary to Sonnet Labs. So "Sonnet vs LoRa" is not a choice between two kinds of signal. The right comparison is:
Sonnet's single-vendor, integrated product
versus
today's broader, multi-vendor LoRa mesh ecosystem
Architecture
Sonnet was a closed block: Sonnet Labs' hardware, Sonnet Labs' radio protocol, and a web app Sonnet Labs operated. If any link stopped, the whole chain stopped with it.
Today's LoRa mesh splits into open layers: LoRa is the physical layer; an open-source mesh protocol (such as MeshCore or Meshtastic) decides how a message travels from node to node; and a phone app is the part you see. Many companies make the hardware, and several apps can talk to the same radio. See What Is MeshCore?
Comparison
| Sonnet (2017) | Today's LoRa mesh | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | One company: hardware + protocol + web app | Open layers: LoRa + a mesh protocol + several apps, many makers |
| Radio | Proprietary CSS, 915/868/433 MHz, 1 W, SMA antenna port | LoRa, region-specific bands, power varies by device |
| Phone connection | Device Wi-Fi access point + browser web app | Bluetooth + native app |
| Mesh / repeaters | Relay through other Sonnets (marketed up to 16 hops) | Relay through other devices; dedicated repeaters, some solar |
| Messaging / location | Marketed text, voice recordings, images, GPS, offline maps | Text and location on an offline map; no voice or images |
| Interoperability | Sonnet only talked to Sonnet | A device on a given protocol talks to any app/device on that protocol |
| Hardware availability | Not sold new; service gone | Many devices on sale |
One real feature difference
Sonnet was marketed with voice recordings and images alongside text. Today's LoRa mesh generally carries only short text and location coordinates - no voice, no photos - because LoRa trades data rate for reach. It's worth noting that much of Sonnet's richer feature set, including the mesh itself, did not work reliably on the devices that shipped (see Does Sonnet Mesh Still Work?).
Where Nelos fits
Nelos is an app at the upper layer of the open LoRa mesh ecosystem. It runs on MeshCore-compatible LoRa radios and gives your group messaging, location on an offline map and a "Need Help" button. It does not make radios. To pick current hardware, see off-grid communication devices; for the technology, What Is a LoRa Mesh Radio? and the off-grid communication guide.
Looking for a modern off-grid group communication app? See how Nelos works.
Nelos brings group messaging, location sharing, and a live group map to LoRa mesh — with no cell service, no server, and no account.