BYOMesh – New LoRa mesh radio offers 100x the bandwidth

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Performance & “100x bandwidth” claim

  • Claim is that 2.4 GHz LoRa configurations with very wide bandwidth (800 kHz–1.6 MHz) provide ~100× throughput vs typical Meshtastic/MeshCore settings on sub‑GHz.
  • Several comments question what baseline the “100×” is measured against and ask for clearer substantiation.
  • Higher throughput is acknowledged to come at the cost of much shorter range and higher susceptibility to interference.

Frequency, Range & Propagation

  • Multiple posts stress that LoRa’s appeal is long range at low data rates, best at 868/915 MHz or lower (e.g., 433 MHz).
  • 2.4 GHz suffers higher free-space path loss, worse penetration through buildings/foliage, and more pollution from Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth/microwaves.
  • Some note impressive long-range LoRa records, but others emphasize these are extreme setups; typical users won’t see that performance.

Use Cases & Practicality

  • Suggested uses: mesh chat, environmental/structural sensors, remote mountaineering/weather, emergency comms, campus/industrial sensor backhaul, experimental “LoRaLAN” in buildings.
  • Several argue mesh radio is mostly a hobbyist/toy technology; for “real work” the internet and satellite systems are preferred.
  • For low-power, intermittent data (e.g., tiny payloads every few minutes), many feel sub‑GHz LoRa already suffices; extra bandwidth is of limited practical value.

Mesh Protocols & Software Quality

  • Meshtastic and MeshCore are criticized as buggy and architecturally weak, especially at scale; routing and broadcasting behavior called “a mess.”
  • Reticulum/OpenMANET are cited as more “professional,” but commenters agree large-scale mesh is intrinsically hard.

Regulatory & Legal Concerns

  • Discussion of FCC Part 15 rules: bandwidth, spectral power density, duty cycles/dwell time.
  • Some current meshes allegedly violate regulations (e.g., too‑narrow channels, overuse of spectrum), though North America and EU differ on duty-cycle limits.
  • Debate over “unenforceable” rules vs real enforcement, including anecdotes about interference complaints.

Alternative Technologies

  • Wi‑Fi HaLow, ESP‑NOW, DECT NR+, Unifi AirFiber, and various newer LoRa chips (LR1121/LR2021) are mentioned as competing or superior options depending on range, cost, and bandwidth needs.

Hardware, Cost & Skepticism

  • Critiques target use of older SX1281/SX1276 chips and ~$50 price versus cheaper, newer multi‑band modules.
  • Some suspect the project and marketing may be AI‑generated or overhyped, calling it incremental (“two chips on a board”) rather than revolutionary.