v1.16.0mu5

This is a custom firmware build based on the original Mescore firmware 1.16 (DEV branch) and the Powersaving16 firmware with some additional enhancements included.

See the list below, what additional PRs are included in this custom firmware version.

All new CLI commands are described in this document.

Let me know if you need a build for additional hardware.

Attention: If you switch from a non-MU firmware version, it is highly recommended to do a full erase before flashing or at least check all parameters again and correct them if necessary!

What's New since v1.16.0.mu4:

• Updated to most current MeshCore DEV branch (https://github.com/meshcore-dev/MeshCore/tree/dev) by 2026-07-06
• Updated to most current version of Powersaving16 (https://github.com/IoTThinks/MeshCore/tree/PowerSaving-v16) by 2026-07-05
• Fixed hibernate / poweroff for BLE companions and repeaters to stay at uA (meshcore-dev#2895)
• Allow repeaters to restrict Flooded REQ, ANON_REQ, and RESPONSE packets (meshcore-dev#2797)
• feat: use RAK hardware crypto on advert processing (meshcore-dev#2824)

Already included in past versions:

• Default values for repeater configuration have been adapted to meet the criteria in https://urspringer.de/mc-rpt-config.
  So you do no longer need to set all preferences manually for new repeaters. Upgrading an existing repeater without erase will NOT change the existing settings! In addition all radio settings for newly installed devices now have been changed to the default values for "EU narrow"
• [Heltec V3 companion only] wifi companion handling robustiness improvement (meshcore-dev#2706)
• [Heltec V3 companion only] wifi companion configuration via cli rescue (meshcore-dev#2720)
  Configure Wifi SSID and Password for a ESP32 companion via the rescue command line interface. So you just can flash the Bluetooth version of the ESP32-based firmware and then configure your WiFi parameters to use the companion via Wifi.
• Allow setting RTC clock backwards and fix elapsed-time underflow (meshcore-dev#1349)
• fix(nrf52): fix poweroff CLI command for T114 and RAK4631 (meshcore-dev#2701)
• Keep time in RTC slow memory, prevents date dropping to 1970 date after crash/watchdog/brownout reset on ESP32 (meshcore-dev#1896)
  When the repeater is restarted, the time is temporarily saved and then restored, even if no RTC is installed. For nRF52-based hardware this is already part of "Powersaving v16".
• Power saving v16 (https://github.com/IoTThinks/MeshCore/tree/PowerSaving-v16)
  Significantly lower power consumption. This applies to both Companions and Repeaters, and especially to ESP32-based devices (such as Heltec).
• Use hardware channel activity detection (meshcore-dev#1727)
  If “Listen before talk” is enabled, that is, before a packet is sent, the system first checks whether the channel is currently in use and, if so, defers the transmission. This feature is already included in the latest DEV version of the original firmware. However, in this firmware it also shows how often the repeter needed to wait before it could sent.

v1.16.0.mu4

This is a custom firmware build based on the original Mescore firmware 1.16 (DEV branch) and the Powersaving16 firmware with some additional enhancements included.

See the list below, what additional PRs are included in this custom firmware version.

All new CLI commands are described in this document.

Let me know if you need a build for additional hardware.

What's New since v1.16.0.mu3:

• Complete rebuild from scratch
• Updated to most current MeshCore DEV branch (https://github.com/meshcore-dev/MeshCore/tree/dev) by 2026-07-03
• Updated to most current version of Powersaving16 (https://github.com/IoTThinks/MeshCore/tree/PowerSaving-v16) by 2026-06-29
• Default values for repeater configuration have been adapted to meet the criteria in https://urspringer.de/mc-rpt-config.
  So you do no longer need to set all preferences manually for new repeaters. Upgrading an existing repeater without erase will NOT change the existing settings! In addition all radio settings for newly installed devices now have been changed to the default values for "EU narrow"

Already included in past versions:

• [Heltec V3 companion only] wifi companion handling robustiness improvement (meshcore-dev#2706)
• [Heltec V3 companion only] wifi companion configuration via cli rescue (meshcore-dev#2720)
  Configure Wifi SSID and Password for a ESP32 companion via the rescue command line interface. So you just can flash the Bluetooth version of the ESP32-based firmware and then configure your WiFi parameters to use the companion via Wifi.
• Allow setting RTC clock backwards and fix elapsed-time underflow (meshcore-dev#1349)
• fix(nrf52): fix poweroff CLI command for T114 and RAK4631 (meshcore-dev#2701)
• Keep time in RTC slow memory, prevents date dropping to 1970 date after crash/watchdog/brownout reset on ESP32 (meshcore-dev#1896)
  When the repeater is restarted, the time is temporarily saved and then restored, even if no RTC is installed. For nRF52-based hardware this is already part of "Powersaving v16".
• Power saving v16 (https://github.com/IoTThinks/MeshCore/tree/PowerSaving-v16)
  Significantly lower power consumption. This applies to both Companions and Repeaters, and especially to ESP32-based devices (such as Heltec).
• Use hardware channel activity detection (meshcore-dev#1727)
  If “Listen before talk” is enabled, that is, before a packet is sent, the system first checks whether the channel is currently in use and, if so, defers the transmission. This feature is not already included in the latest DEV version of the original firmware. However, in this firmware it also shows how often the repeter needed to wait before it could sent.

Removed:

• Halo direct path retries (meshcore-dev#2367)
  Too many merge conflicts with original firmware now.

1.16.0.mu3

This is a custom firmware build based on the original Mescore firmware 1.16 (DEV branch) and the Powersaving16 firmware with some additional enhancements included.

See the list below, what additional PRs are included in this custom firmware version.

All new CLI commands are described in this document.

What's New since 1.16.0.mu2:

• Updated to most current MeshCore DEV branch (https://github.com/meshcore-dev/MeshCore/tree/dev) by 2026-06-29
• Updated to most current version of Powersaving16 (https://github.com/IoTThinks/MeshCore/tree/PowerSaving-v16) by 2026-06-29

Already in 1.16.0.mu2:

• [Heltec V3 companion only] wifi companion handling robustiness improvement (meshcore-dev#2706)

• [Heltec V3 companion only] wifi companion configuration via cli rescue (meshcore-dev#2720)
  Configure Wifi SSID and Password for a ESP32 companion via the rescue command line interface. So you just can flash the Bluetooth version of the ESP32-based firmware and then configure your WiFi parameters to use the companion via Wifi.

• Allow setting RTC clock backwards and fix elapsed-time underflow (meshcore-dev#1349)

• fix(nrf52): fix poweroff CLI command for T114 and RAK4631 (meshcore-dev#2701)

• Keep time in RTC slow memory, prevents date dropping to 1970 date after crash/watchdog/brownout reset on ESP32 (meshcore-dev#1896)
  When the repeater is restarted, the time is temporarily saved and then restored, even if no RTC is installed. For nRF52-based hardware this is already part of "Powersaving v16".

• Power saving v16 (https://github.com/IoTThinks/MeshCore/tree/PowerSaving-v16)
  Significantly lower power consumption. This applies to both Companions and Repeaters, and especially to ESP32-based devices (such as Heltec).

• Use hardware channel activity detection (meshcore-dev#1727)
  If “Listen before talk” is enabled, that is, before a packet is sent, the system first checks whether the channel is currently in use and, if so, defers the transmission.

• Halo direct path retries (meshcore-dev#2367)
  Adds direct-retry behavior for direct-path traffic when an expected downstream echo is not overheard. The feature is intended to improve reliability for direct-routed path traffic without increasing normal flood behavior.

Full Changelog: 1.16.0.mu2...1.16.0mu3

1.16.0.mu2

This is a custom firmware build based on the original Mescore firmware 1.16 (DEV branch) from 2026-06-20 with some additional enhancements included.

See the list below, what additional PRs are included in this custom firmware version.

All new CLI commands are described in this document.

What's Changed

• [Heltec V3 companion only] wifi companion handling robustiness improvement (meshcore-dev#2706)
• [Heltec V3 companion only] wifi companion configuration via cli rescue (meshcore-dev#2720)
  Configure Wifi SSID and Password for a ESP32 companion via the rescue command line interface. So you just can flash the Bluetooth version of the ESP32-based firmware and then configure your WiFi parameters to use the companion via Wifi.
• Allow setting RTC clock backwards and fix elapsed-time underflow (meshcore-dev#1349)
• fix(nrf52): fix poweroff CLI command for T114 and RAK4631 (meshcore-dev#2701)
• Keep time in RTC slow memory, prevents date dropping to 1970 date after crash/watchdog/brownout reset on ESP32 (meshcore-dev#1896)
  When the repeater is restarted, the time is temporarily saved and then restored, even if no RTC is installed. For nRF52-based hardware this is already part of "Powersaving v16".

Already in 1.16.0.mu1:

• Power saving v16 (https://github.com/IoTThinks/MeshCore/tree/PowerSaving-v16)
  Significantly lower power consumption. This applies to both Companions and Repeaters, and especially to ESP32-based devices (such as Heltec).
• Use hardware channel activity detection (meshcore-dev#1727)
  If “Listen before talk” is enabled, that is, before a packet is sent, the system first checks whether the channel is currently in use and, if so, defers the transmission.
• Halo direct path retries (meshcore-dev#2367)
  Adds direct-retry behavior for direct-path traffic when an expected downstream echo is not overheard. The feature is intended to improve reliability for direct-routed path traffic without increasing normal flood behavior.

Full Changelog: 1.16.0.mu1...1.16.0.mu2

1.16.0.mu1

What's Changed

• Power saving v16 (https://github.com/IoTThinks/MeshCore/tree/PowerSaving-v16)
• Use hardware channel activity detection (meshcore-dev#1727)
• Halo direct path retries (meshcore-dev#2367)