Wi-Fi HaLow
Wi-Fi HaLow is sub-GHz Wi-Fi based on 802.11ah. OpenMANET uses it for the long-range wireless links between mesh nodes.
OpenMANET 101 • Complete beginner
OPENMANET 101. START HERE.
Think of OpenMANET as building a long-range wireless local network instead of a tiny-message radio network.
You do not need to understand 802.11s, BATMAN-V, OpenWrt or subnetting before you begin. This page explains what the pieces are, what hardware is supported and what your first small OpenMANET setup should look like.
Plain English first
WHAT ARE ALL THESE WORDS?
Four ideas are enough to understand the basic architecture.
MANET
A mobile ad-hoc network can form routes dynamically instead of depending on one fixed access point or one permanent path.
Mesh Point
A normal OpenMANET node participating in the HaLow mesh. It can provide local Wi-Fi or Ethernet access for nearby devices while forwarding traffic through the mesh.
Mesh Gate
A node that provides the mesh with an upstream connection such as Internet access. Local DHCP still runs on individual mesh points, so nearby clients can keep getting addresses and communicating even if the gate disappears.
What actually happens
YOUR PHONE DOES NOT NEED HALOW.
The OpenMANET node handles the HaLow side. Your normal client device can connect to that node using ordinary Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
Phone / laptop / tablet → local Wi-Fi or Ethernet → OpenMANET node → Wi-Fi HaLow mesh → another OpenMANET node → destination
The current OpenMANET network design places mesh clients in a flat 10.41.0.0/16 address space while BATMAN-V and 802.11s handle changing multi-hop paths in the background.
Hardware choices
YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE BUILD PATH.
OpenMANET started heavily around Raspberry Pi builds, but current official support includes several integrated and SBC-based options.
Raspberry Pi
Supported platforms include Raspberry Pi 4, CM4, Pi 3B and Zero 2 W with compatible Morse Micro Wi-Fi HaLow hardware. SDIO HaLow builds can conflict with onboard Wi-Fi, while SPI builds can retain onboard Wi-Fi for local client access.
HaLowLink2
Morse Micro's integrated HaLowLink2 uses the MM8108 radio and combines HaLow, local 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi plus gigabit WAN/LAN in one device.
Heltec HT-HD01 V2
Only the HT-HD01 V2 is supported. It uses the MM6108 radio, has 100 Mbps Ethernet and a modest CPU, so web UI loads can be slower. V1 is not supported.
Gateworks Venice
OpenMANET also supports Gateworks Venice boards for more expandable and advanced builds. This is the path to look at when you need additional interfaces, more robust hardware or a more modular platform.
First build
KEEP YOUR FIRST TEST SMALL.
Two compatible nodes teach you more than buying a pile of hardware before you know whether the basics work.
Identify your exact hardware
OpenMANET firmware is hardware specific. Confirm the board, HaLow chipset and interface type before downloading anything.
Use the correct image
Firmware filenames identify target platform, Morse Micro chipset and SPI/SDIO interface type. Do not guess, and verify the published SHA256 checksum before flashing.
Flash and configure one node
Follow the device-specific setup guide. Get one node reachable locally before trying to troubleshoot a multi-node RF mesh.
Build the second node
Use matching HaLow mesh settings so the two nodes can form a link. Keep the first test close and simple before attempting distance.
Connect a normal client
Join a node through its local Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. If your client receives a 10.41.x.x address, it is on the OpenMANET mesh.
Test normal IP traffic
Start with simple reachability between clients or nodes. Prove the mesh works before adding cameras, ATAK, BLOS links or other advanced services.
After the flash
WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN NEXT?
This is the part most beginner guides skip.
Fresh flash
A newly flashed OpenMANET node starts at 10.41.254.1. That is your initial foothold before the setup process assigns the node its long-term mesh address.
Automatic addressing
After the setup wizard, openmanetd listens for other nodes, reserves an unused static node address and local DHCP range, then reboots to apply the new configuration.
The easy sanity check
If your phone, laptop or tablet gets a 10.41.x.x address, it is attached to the mesh. After the node reboots, reconnect Wi-Fi or renew DHCP if your client is still holding the old lease.
Quick troubleshooting checks
- Try the node's
hostname.localaddress on clients that support mDNS. - Use
batctl dcto inspect BATMAN mesh visibility when troubleshooting from the node. - If addressing changed after setup, disconnect/reconnect the client or renew its DHCP lease.
- Do not start with 8 MHz or Auto bandwidth/channel selection; current OpenMANET setup guidance specifically recommends against those choices for initial setup.
What makes the mesh work?
YOU DO NOT NEED TO MASTER THE ROUTING YET.
802.11s
This provides the Wi-Fi mesh link layer between compatible OpenMANET radios. It gives the radios a way to participate in a mesh instead of acting only like ordinary access points.
BATMAN-V
BATMAN advanced handles route selection across the mesh. The goal is to let traffic find useful paths as the network topology changes without the end user manually choosing every hop.
Beginner mistakes
AVOID THE EASY FACEPLANTS.
Do this
- Verify the exact board revision and HaLow chipset.
- Use the firmware image made for that hardware.
- Verify the release checksum.
- Start with two nodes at short range.
- Keep mesh SSID, password and channel settings aligned.
- Test basic IP connectivity before advanced services.
- Read current release notes before upgrading existing nodes.
Not this
- Do not assume every Wi-Fi HaLow device is automatically supported.
- Do not assume HT-HD01 V1 and V2 are interchangeable.
- Do not treat OpenMANET like Meshtastic or MeshCore; it is an IP network, not a LoRa text-messaging protocol.
- Do not start by changing every networking option.
- Do not assume the widest channel or automatic channel selection is best; current setup guidance recommends avoiding 8 MHz and Auto when getting started.
Real-world expectations
RANGE IS NOT ONE MAGIC NUMBER.
OpenMANET publishes field-test results, but they are examples from a specific location, channel width, antennas and terrain — not guaranteed performance.
About 0.38 mile
One published 2 MHz field test measured about 2.84 Mbps down / 1.10 Mbps up.
About 0.42 mile
Another point in the same test measured roughly 2.77 Mbps down / 1.37 Mbps up.
About 0.96 mile
The nearly one-mile point measured about 0.37 Mbps down / 0.21 Mbps up.
Those numbers came from OpenMANET's Pulpit Rock test using a 2 MHz channel and Muzi Works whip antennas. Terrain, antenna placement, interference and hardware can change results dramatically.
After the basics
THEN THE FUN STUFF STARTS.
Once ordinary IP traffic moves reliably across two nodes, the network can support much richer applications than tiny LoRa messages.
Beyond line of sight
OpenMANET can bridge separated mesh segments over an Internet connection using its BLOS features.
Cameras & RTSP
Supported Raspberry Pi builds can integrate CSI cameras and MediaMTX RTSP streaming, with ATAK Sensor CoT support on documented configurations.
ATAK, GPS & CoT
OpenMANET documents workflows involving GPS, TAK/CoT and other IP services. Keep these in the advanced bucket until basic mesh connectivity is solid.
You made it through OpenMANET 101
BUILD TWO NODES. PROVE THE LINK. THEN EXPAND.
You do not need to become a network engineer before your first experiment. Understand the hardware, flash the right firmware, form a simple mesh, confirm your 10.41.x.x client address and test ordinary IP traffic. Everything else can come later.