Meshtastic Python CLI installation

This library provides a command line interface (CLI) for Meshtastic nodes and provides an easy API for sending and receiving messages over mesh radios, in addition to changing user settings. Using the command line is currently the most powerful. Events are delivered using a publish-subscribe model, and you can subscribe to only the message types you are interested in.

The Meshtastic-python repo and API documentation are excellent sources of information.

If you wish to view the code or contribute to development of the python library or the command line interface, please visit the Meshtastic python GitHub page.

There are standalone executables for Mac, Windows and Ubuntu if you do not want to install python and/or the python libraries required to run the mestastic CLI tool. See Standalone for more information.

Installation can also be easily done through the Python package installer pip:

note

You must use pip version 20 or later. To upgrade to the latest pip, do: pip install --upgrade pip

info

Make sure that the PATH variable also gets installed by checking the box while installing python. If you don't, python may not be available and you may not be able to call meshtastic from your CLI. If you do forget to check that box, you will need to install the path environment variable for python on your operating system.

info

You may need to install a driver from Silicon Labs for the CP210X USB to UART bridge

Some newer boards may require the drivers for the CH9102 or Direct Download for Windows 7.

Linux

• Check that your computer has the required serial drivers installed

  • Connect your Meshtastic device to your USB port
  • Use the command

    lsusb
  • You should see something like:
    • ID 10c4:ea60 Silicon Labs CP210x UART Bridge for CP210X
    • ID 1a86:55d4 QinHeng Electronics USB Single Serial for CH9102

• Check that your computer has Python 3 installed.

  • Use the command

    python3 -V
  • If this does not return a version, install python

    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get install python3

• Pip is typically installed if you are using python 3 version >= 3.4

  • Check that pip is installed using this command

    pip3 -V
  • If this does not return a version, install pip

    sudo apt-get install python3-pip

• Optional: use a python virtual environment (otherwise jump to step "Install pytap2")

  • Install python-virtualenvwrapper (arch based distros as an example)

    sudo pacman -Syu python-virtualenvwrapper
  • Create a virtual environment

    source /usr/bin/virtualenvwrapper.sh
    mkvirtualenv meshtastic
    workon meshtastic

• Install pytap2

  pip3 install --upgrade pytap2

• Install meshtastic:

  pip3 install --upgrade meshtastic

macOS

• Check that your computer has the required serial drivers installed

  • Connect your Meshtastic device to your USB port
  • Navigate to Apple Menu  > About This Mac > System Report... > Hardware > USB
  • You should see something like CP210X USB to UART Bridge Controller
  • If not download the drivers from Silicon Labs.

• Check that your computer has Python 3 installed.

  • Use the command

    python3 -V
  • If this does not return a version, install python
    • The following uses Homebrew to install python3 which includes pip3.
    • Check if you have Homebrew installed with the following command

      brew -v
      If it's not installed, follow the instructions on the Homebrew website before continuing.
    • Install Python3

      brew install python3

• Pip is typically installed if you are using python 3 version >= 3.4

  • Check that pip is installed using this command

    pip3 -V
  • If this does not return a version, install pip

• Install pytap2

  sudo pip3 install --upgrade pytap2

• Install meshtastic:

  sudo pip3 install --upgrade meshtastic

Windows

• Check that your computer has the required serial drivers installed
  • Connect your Meshtastic device to your USB port
  • Open Device Manager
  • Under Ports (COM & LPT) you should see something like Silicon Labs CP210X USB to UART Bridge (COM5)
  • If not download the drivers from Silicon Labs or use the direct link below.
    danger

    You must install the CP210x Universal Windows Driver. If you do not install this driver, your device may not work and the driver may need to be uninstalled from device manager before installing the correct driver.

• Check that your computer has Python 3 installed.
  • Use the command

    py -V
  • If this does not return a version, install python
• Pip is typically installed if you are using python 3 version >= 3.4
  • Check that pip is installed using this command

    pip3 -V
  • If this does not return a version, install pip
• Install pytap2

  pip3 install --upgrade pytap2
• Install meshtastic:

  pip3 install --upgrade meshtastic

Termux for Android

note

Wifi connection is currently under development and may not be working properly just yet. If you would like to provide feedback or test this feature, please visit our forum or join our Discord server for more information.

• Install Termux from the F-Droid app store (Google play does not currently support the latest builds)
• Load Termux and update the package list

  pkg update
• Upgrade the installed packages

  pkg upgrade
• Install python

  pkg install python
• Upgrade pip and installed meshtastic and some of its dependencies

  pip install --upgrade pip pygatt pytap2 wheel mesthtastic

note

Be aware that the Meshtastic CLI is not able to control the nodes over USB through termux, but you can control devices over Wifi using the --host x.x.x.x option with the device IP address. However, only ESP32 devices can use Wifi currently.

info

You may need to close and re-open the CLI. The path variables may or may not update for the current session when installing.

Standalone

There are standalone executable files for Mac, Windows and Ubuntu. A single file is all you need to run the command line interface (CLI) Meshtastic tool. There is a zip file per operating system. To use, see the operating system specific notes below:

They can be found on the Releases page.

Ubuntu

• Download meshtastic_ubuntu

• Run the following command to make the file executable and rename it 'meshtastic':

chmod +x meshtastic_ubuntu && mv meshtastic_ubuntu meshtastic

• To run the cli:

./meshtastic

tip

Copy (or move) this binary somewhere in your path.

macOS

• Download meshtastic_mac

• Run the following command to make the file executable and to rename it 'meshtastic':

chmod +x meshtastic_mac && mv meshtastic_mac meshtastic

• Try to run it:

./meshtastic

note

You may get a dialog that says: "meshtastic" can't be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software.

• To fix, go into "System Preferences", "Security & Privacy", "General" tab, and click on the "Allow Anyway" button.

• Try to run it again:

./meshtastic

note

You may get a dialog that says: "meshtastic" can't be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software. Click "Open".

• Now when you want to run it, you can simply run:

./meshtastic

tip

Copy (or move) this binary somewhere in your path.

Windows

• Download meshtastic_windows

• Rename to meshtastic.exe

• To run, open a windows command prompt, navigate to the location of the executable and run:

meshtastic.exe