meshcore-analyzer/docs/user-guide/getting-started.md

Getting Started

What is CoreScope?

CoreScope is a web-based analyzer for MeshCore LoRa mesh networks. It shows you every node, packet, and signal path in your mesh — in real time.

Use it to monitor node health, debug connectivity, view decrypted channel messages, and understand how your mesh is performing.

What you need

• A running CoreScope server (Go binary + SQLite database)
• An MQTT broker feeding mesh packets into the CoreScope ingestor
• A modern web browser

Quick start

1. Configure

Copy config.example.json to config.json and edit it:

{
  "port": 3000,
  "apiKey": "pick-a-secret-key",
  "mqtt": {
    "broker": "mqtt://your-broker:1883",
    "topic": "meshcore/+/+/packets"
  }
}

See Configuration for all options.

2. Run

Start both the ingestor (reads MQTT → writes to SQLite) and the server (serves the UI + API):

./corescope-ingestor &
./corescope-server

3. Open the UI

Go to http://localhost:3000. You'll see the Home page.

• New to MeshCore? Choose "I'm new" for setup guides and tips.
• Already set up? Choose "I know what I'm doing" to jump straight in.

Search for your node by name or public key, then click + Claim to add it to your personal dashboard.

What's on each page

Page	What it does
Home	Your personal mesh dashboard — claimed nodes, health, stats
Nodes	Browse all nodes with status, role, and filters
Packets	Inspect every packet — grouped or raw, with hex breakdown
Map	See node locations on a live map
Live	Watch packets flow in real time with map animations
Analytics	Deep-dive charts: RF, topology, routes, hash stats
Channels	Read decrypted channel messages

Home page features

• Claim nodes — search and add nodes to "My Mesh" for at-a-glance status cards
• Node cards — show status (🟢 Active / 🟡 Degraded / 🔴 Silent), SNR, hops, packet count, and 24h sparkline
• Health detail — click a card to see full health: observers, recent packets, mini map
• Packet journey — click a recent packet to see sender → observer flow
• Network stats — total transmissions, nodes, observers, and 24h activity