How can I determine if two nodes go thru a repeater instead of direct connect?

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1

So I am running some tests. I have three nodes. Two are setup as clients and one that is set up as a repeater.
I have reduced the output power of the two clients to a value of 2 as well as added a 30dB attenuator between the T-Beam and the antenna.

The repeater is at full power and no attenuator (normal setup).

I have let the two clients run for 72 hours and they never connect - ever. My belief then is the two clients do not have a direct connection. Is that a correct assumption?

As soon as I add the repeater, then I’m showing all three nodes. Both clients are showing the repeater and the other client as well.

With these observations, can I safely assume that the two client nodes do not talk directly with each other, but are forced to go thru the repeater?

I have tried and tried to do the Trace Route from Node 1 to Node 2 without success. Using the Trace Route function I can go from either client node to the repeater (I see the query and response) just fine.

When I try to do a Trace Route from client to client I see the following:
Node 1 - I see the query
Repeater mode - I see the query and the forward to the other client.
Node 2 - I see the query but I never see the response.

What am I mid-assuming or doing wrong?

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2

I indeed think you made a setup where the clients do not have a direct connection and they are forced to go through the repeater.

Also, I think what you are doing should work. How did you check that for node 2 you see the query but never the response? Can you show a log of node 2 when you try that?

3

Here are three screen shots from the iPhone Meshtastic app. I tie into one node, and then clear all three Mesh Logs using the admin channels for the two remotes (repeater and client 2). I then send a Trace Route.

Node 2 Log (Remote Node)

image
image828Ă—1792 166 KB

Repeater

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image828Ă—1792 140 KB

Starting Node (Node 1)

image
image828Ă—1792 166 KB

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4

The logs you show are exactly the same, even the timestamp (except for two missing packets at the repeater). It looks like the logs are only from Node 1, because all show “Sent a Trace Route”. I think you first need to clear the app data before connecting to another node, otherwise it might still show the logs of a previously connected node.

If you are able to connect to a PC, you could also look at the serial log.

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5

Ok. Let me use Sneaker Net and tie into each one directly. That’ll take more time.

6

Well, now….all of a sudden the traceroute is working as expected. Go figure.

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