WarDrive — Coverage Mapping
Wardriving is the practice of moving through an area while pinging repeaters on the mesh to measure real-world signal coverage. The data is uploaded to a shared map so the whole community can see where the network is strong, where it is weak, and where new repeaters would help most.
The Inland NW Mesh wardrive map is available at wardrive.inwmesh.org.
Contents
- What Wardriving Shows
- What You Need
- Install the Inland NW Mesh Wardrive App
- Running a Wardrive Session
- Reading the Map
- Tips for Better Data
What Wardriving Shows
Each wardrive session builds a picture of real-world mesh coverage by recording:
- Your GPS location when each ping was sent
- Which repeaters responded and their signal strength (RSSI and SNR)
- Which pings received no response (coverage gaps)
Over time, contributed data builds a community coverage map that shows where the network works well, where it is marginal, and where gaps exist that a new repeater could fill.
What You Need
- An Android phone
- A MeshCore companion node connected via Bluetooth or USB
- The Inland NW Mesh Wardrive app (see below)
- GPS enabled on your phone
Install the Inland NW Mesh Wardrive App
We maintain a customized build of the MeshCore Wardrive Android app that comes pre-configured to upload data directly to the Inland NW Mesh wardrive map — no manual setup required.
Download the latest APK from our fork:
Install the APK on your Android device. You may need to allow installation from unknown sources in your phone settings under Settings → Security → Install unknown apps.
Note: This is a community-maintained fork customized for the Inland NW Mesh.
Getting Your Upload Token
To upload wardrive data to the Inland NW Mesh map, you need a personal upload token. To get one:
- Join our Discord
- Send a DM to HodgMan requesting a wardrive invite link
- HodgMan will send you an invite link — opening it will generate your upload token and finish configuring the app automatically
Keep your token private — it is tied to your contributions on the map.
Running a Wardrive Session
- Connect your MeshCore companion node to your phone via Bluetooth
- Confirm your node is using the USA/Canada (Recommended) radio preset — 910.525 MHz, SF7, BW62.5
- Open the wardrive app and tap the green Play button to start auto-pinging
- Drive or walk through the area you want to map — the app sends pings at your configured interval and uploads results automatically
- You can also send manual pings at any time by tapping the ping button
Ping interval recommendations:
| Interval | Best For |
|---|---|
| 15 seconds | Detailed mapping of small areas or specific routes |
| 30 seconds | General wardriving — balanced coverage and mesh load |
| 60 seconds | Light mapping with minimal impact on mesh traffic |
Carpeater tip: If you have a MeshCore repeater in your vehicle or pocket, it can cause false strong-signal readings. Enable the Carpeater Filter in app settings and enter its 2-character hex ID to exclude it from your data.
Reading the Map
The wardrive map at wardrive.inwmesh.org displays contributed data as a coverage grid:
- Strong signal areas show where repeaters are reliably heard
- Weak signal areas show marginal coverage that may be unreliable
- No data areas may indicate coverage gaps or simply areas that have not been wardriven yet
- The stats panel shows total samples and total repeaters heard across all contributions
Use the Measure Distance tool on the map to estimate gaps between covered areas.
Tips for Better Data
- Drive slowly through areas of interest — faster speeds mean fewer samples per area
- Cover gaps — focus on areas with no existing data rather than re-covering already-mapped areas
- Vary your routes — driving the same road repeatedly adds less value than exploring new streets
- Go rural — suburban and rural coverage gaps are where new data helps most
- Share your sessions in Discord — coordinate with others to target known gaps
View our live wardrive map at wardrive.inwmesh.org.