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MeshCore Aspen / Set up / New Aspen

Put a new Aspen on MeshCore

Choose your settings here, save a private image, then install it with the MeshCore browser flasher. No compiler, Python or terminal is needed.

Use a XIAO ESP32-S3R8 + Wio SX1262, an antenna and a USB data cable. Open Chrome or Edge on a computer for flashing. Get your radio profile from your local MeshCore group or an already configured companion.

New board only. This combined image erases the device, including any existing keys, settings and data. Already running Aspen? Update the application instead. Moving an existing MeshCore node? Read the migration choices first.

Your passwords and operator key stay in this page and the files you save. They are not sent to this website. Keep both private downloads out of public repositories, messages and support tickets.

1. Choose the published firmware

Download Aspen 0.1.11 ZIP About 79 MB; includes source and licenses.

Keep the ZIP intact. Select it below; this page reads the application and first-install files locally and checks them against the published release.

Starting browser setup…

2. Set up your radio

Radio, services and access

Match the frequency, bandwidth, SF and CR used by your network. Choose a frequency and power permitted where you operate. Every role uses this one radio profile.

150–960 MHz; up to six decimal places.
Services to start

The command bot and Management are included. You can change enabled services later through Management; each keeps its own identity.

Use a 2.4 GHz network on a trusted LAN. Names and passwords use printable ASCII. An empty password selects an open network.

Generated locally. Used for Management and native role administration; 1–15 printable ASCII characters.
Used if Room is enabled. Clearing it deliberately permits password-free guest access.

The private setup ZIP will contain these settings and a new operator signing key. The radio generates its own MeshCore identities after installation.

4. Flash with MeshCore, then connect

  1. Connect the new board

    Fit the antenna. Hold BOOT while plugging the XIAO into USB with a data cable, then release it. Close any serial terminal using that port.

  2. Choose Custom Firmware

    Open MeshCore flasher (new tab) in Chrome or Edge on your computer. Choose Custom Firmware, then the private aspen-VERSION-private-merged.bin downloaded above.

    The flasher warns that a merged image erases the device and selects Erase device. That is the first-install operation for this new board. Do not use it on an existing node.

  3. Flash and reset

    Click Flash!, choose the XIAO's USB serial port, and keep it connected until Flashing complete!. Press RESET if it does not restart automatically.

  4. Open Aspen and the MeshCore app

    On the same LAN, open http://aspen.local/admin, or use the address from your router's DHCP list. Sign in with the administrator password in your private setup ZIP. Confirm the intended radio profile and ready roles.

    Install the MeshCore app by Liam Cottle on your phone or computer. In the app choose Connect → WiFi, enter Aspen's IP address and port 5000, and skip the radio setup wizard. Send an advert, open the MeshCore command bot contact and send !ping. The 0.1.11 download can answer this local command with Pong. To message it across the RF mesh, connect your app to a separate companion radio on the same profile.

See Custom Firmware and the first-install screen
MeshCore flasher start screen: Custom Firmware is in the top toolbar beside Repeater Setup and Console.
Choose Custom Firmware and select the private -merged.bin from Aspen setup.
MeshCore flasher with aspen-0.1.11-private-merged.bin selected, Erase device checked, and the Flash button below.
New board only: a combined image selects Erase device. Click Flash! and choose the XIAO's USB port. These illustrations follow your browser's colour preference; the linked flasher chooses its own theme.

Open MeshCore flasher (new tab) App connection and first message

If you cancel the flasher’s port chooser, no image is written; choose Flash! again to retry. For terminal commands, or if the browser flasher is difficult to use with your keyboard or assistive technology, follow the offline USB installation guide.

No USB port, no dashboard, or no reply?
  • No USB port: use a data cable, hold BOOT during connection and close other serial apps. Browser flashing needs desktop Chrome or Edge with Web Serial; a phone can read this guide, but use a computer for USB installation. The XIAO ESP32-S3 uses native USB, so driver instructions for CH340/CP210x boards do not apply. USB permissions and recovery guide.
  • No dashboard: check the 2.4 GHz WiFi name/password and your router's DHCP list. If aspen.local does not resolve, use the DHCP address directly. Avoid guest-network client isolation: your phone or computer must be able to reach Aspen. With WiFi deliberately disabled, use a separate companion radio for Management; there is no browser dashboard.
  • Bot contact missing: in Aspen's /admin console, send role advert bot zerohop, then refresh contacts. The dashboard shows the bot's name and key.
  • No Pong over RF: match the complete radio profile, send the companion's advert, then DM the bot—not Management or the Room.
  • Setup error on USB: open the flasher's Console and read the boot message. The private combined image must include both the application and your setup. Offline setup and recovery commands.
How this page prepares the image

The selected public release ZIP is checked against its published hash. A local WebAssembly build of mkspiffs creates the same SPIFFS setup format as the offline tool. The page combines the release's bootloader, partitions, OTA initialization, application and your private setup for a new board. No radio is accessed by this page.

The saved operator seed is separate from the identities generated on the radio. The combined BIN contains passwords and the operator verification public key, not the private signing seed. The setup ZIP contains that seed. Builder source, licenses and rebuild information.

For separate role/Management passwords, an existing operator authority or an offline workflow, use the full USB setup guide. Network services and installed programs can be configured after first boot.