Switching from goTenna Mesh to Modern LoRa Mesh

The old model and the new one, side by side

The easiest way to picture it is a direct comparison.

Old goTenna Mesh: phone → Bluetooth → goTenna radio → mesh.

Modern LoRa mesh: phone → Bluetooth → LoRa radio → mesh.

The structure is the same. The phone is still the screen and keyboard. The radio is still what actually sends and receives. What's different is that the radio now uses LoRa, runs open-source software, and you have more choice in both hardware and app.

What LoRa is, at the level you need

LoRa is a radio transmission technique designed to travel far at low power, by trading data rate. It suits short messages and location coordinates - exactly the kind of data a group needs to exchange with no signal - not photos or calls.

LoRa uses different bands by region (for example EU868 across much of Europe, US915 in North America). When you buy a device, you need to pick the right version for your region. Beyond that point, for an end user, LoRa behaves a lot like what you knew from goTenna: radios talk directly to each other, not through a tower or the internet.

Two layers: the network protocol and the app

One difference from goTenna is that a modern LoRa mesh splits into two layers. The lower layer is the network protocol - the part that decides how a message travels from node to node. The upper layer is the phone app - the part you see and touch.

There are two common protocols:

Meshtastic is the older open-source LoRa mesh project, with a large community. Every node rebroadcasts messages, forming a flooding-style mesh. It has official apps on iOS and Android, plus many other clients.

MeshCore is a newer project. Public sources say it started becoming popular in early 2025. MeshCore separates devices into roles: companion radios that each person carries, repeaters as infrastructure, and room servers that store message history. By default, companion radios don't relay traffic for other nodes - long-distance routing goes through repeaters. This reduces radio congestion as the network grows.

Nelos is an app at the upper layer, running on top of MeshCore. The guide goTenna Mesh vs Meshtastic compares Meshtastic with goTenna in more detail.

Choosing hardware

With goTenna, you bought goTenna's device. With LoRa mesh, you choose from many LoRa radio boards from makers like Heltec, RAK or Seeed. A few things to weigh:

• The right band for your region.
• Whether the board supports the protocol you plan to use (MeshCore or Meshtastic).
• Battery, size, and whether there's an external antenna.
• Whether the board comes with firmware pre-flashed, or you have to flash it yourself.

Nelos's devices guide lists MeshCore-compatible devices, including both handhelds and devices used as repeaters.

Repeaters: extending coverage

goTenna Mesh extended range by having every device relay for each other. With MeshCore, extending coverage mostly relies on a repeater - a device placed in a fixed spot high up, like a hilltop or ridge, that relays messages and locations between devices that can't reach each other directly.

For a small group moving together, you usually don't need a repeater. It's useful when you want to cover a wider area - a whole campsite, a valley, or a remote community. Either way, range still depends on terrain and device placement; there's no fixed number.

Trackers

If you used to clip a goTenna onto someone who couldn't carry a phone, a LoRa mesh has a similar option. A small battery-powered tracker with GPS reports its location over radio without a phone attached - useful for children, older adults, pets, or a bag. It doesn't message, it only shows its location on the map of people in the group carrying a full device. See the trackers section of the devices guide.

Offline maps

Location sharing is only useful with a base map to place a position on. On modern LoRa mesh systems, this is usually handled by the app. Nelos has worldwide offline maps: you download the trip area in advance while you still have a connection, then view it with no internet, and locations shared over LoRa appear on top. This is worth checking when you choose an app - not every client has built-in maps.

Messaging and location: what's the same, what's different

Most of it is the same. You still type short messages to the group, still see everyone's most recent location on a map, still don't need cell service. A few differences worth noting:

• Locations update at intervals, not continuously in real time.
• A message can take a few seconds to a few tens of seconds to arrive, depending on hops and conditions.
• With MeshCore, if two people are out of direct range and there's no repeater between them, they may not connect - different from goTenna's every-device-relays approach.

The steps to switch with Nelos

If you choose the MeshCore direction with Nelos, the process is:

1. Choose and buy a MeshCore-compatible radio device for your region - one per person in the group.
2. Install Nelos on your phone (iPhone or Android).
3. Connect the phone to the radio device over Bluetooth.
4. Create a team in Nelos, or join a team someone else created.
5. Test it: send a message and confirm locations show correctly, while you're still somewhere with signal to compare.
6. Download offline maps for the area you're heading to.

After that, day-to-day use is like goTenna: open the app, message, view the map. The Getting Started guide walks through pairing and creating a team.

A few experience differences

Compared to goTenna Mesh, you'll notice: more hardware choices (and you have to pick), a growing community to ask, and software that's updated regularly. In exchange, the initial setup can take a few more steps, and you need a rough understanding of regional bands and the role of repeaters.

If you want to see all the directions - Meshtastic, MeshCore and satellite devices - side by side before deciding, the guide Best goTenna Mesh Alternatives in 2026 is the place to start.

One note carried over from goTenna: this is a tool for a group to stay in touch with each other off the grid, not a rescue device. If a trip needs the ability to call for help from somewhere remote, a satellite communicator is still a separate thing to prepare.

Nelos is an independent product, not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by goTenna. Names mentioned belong to their respective owners.