From 3afdfe6e013edab93dda65e9fd7c9a09417e72dc Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: agessaman Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:46:16 -0800 Subject: [PATCH] Update Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W FAQ section with memory management tips - Expanded the guidance on running meshcore-bot on Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, detailing two steps to optimize memory usage: disabling the web viewer and tuning the Mesh Graph settings. - Included specific configuration examples to help users effectively manage resource constraints on the device. --- docs/faq.md | 28 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++-- 1 file changed, 26 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/docs/faq.md b/docs/faq.md index 5a1876a..76ef9dd 100644 --- a/docs/faq.md +++ b/docs/faq.md @@ -32,7 +32,29 @@ See [Custom command reference website](command-reference-website.md): it explain ### How do I run meshcore-bot on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W? -The Pi Zero 2 W has 512 MB of RAM, which is enough to run the bot, but the Mesh Graph can grow large on a busy mesh. Add the following to the `[Path_Command]` section of your `config.ini` to keep memory usage in check: +The Pi Zero 2 W has 512 MB of RAM. The bot and the web viewer are two separate +Python processes; together they use roughly 300 MB on a busy mesh, which leaves +little headroom. Follow the two steps below to keep things comfortable. + +#### Step 1 — Run the bot only (saves ~150 MB) + +The web viewer is optional. If you don't need the browser-based dashboard on +the Pi itself, disable it and access it from another machine instead: + +```ini +[Web_Viewer] +enabled = false +auto_start = false +``` + +The bot continues to work normally; the web viewer just won't start on the Pi. +If you still want the dashboard, run the viewer on a desktop or server that +shares the same database file (see [MeshCore Bot Data Viewer](web-viewer.md)). + +#### Step 2 — Tune the Mesh Graph (saves another 50–100 MB on busy meshes) + +Even with the web viewer off, the Mesh Graph can grow large. Add the following +to the `[Path_Command]` section of your `config.ini`: ```ini [Path_Command] @@ -51,4 +73,6 @@ graph_write_strategy = batched # graph_capture_enabled = false ``` -These settings do not affect path prediction accuracy: edges older than a few days carry negligible confidence due to the 48-hour recency half-life used by the scoring algorithm. +These settings do not affect path prediction accuracy: edges older than a few +days carry negligible confidence due to the 48-hour recency half-life used by +the scoring algorithm.