No neighbour traces after update #54

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2026-10-04T22:58:11+02:00

adam commented

2026-10-04 22:58:11 +02:00

Hi, I just updated the web app and the ingestors, but I'm not sure why the neighbour traces are not showing. Is there any specific thing I need to do when upgrading? I'm using the container for the web app and the python scripts for int ingerstor on a separate computer (both updated)

I see the new telemetry columns are showing in the web app, but no traces between the nodes. See live here

Hi, I just updated the web app and the ingestors, but I'm not sure why the neighbour traces are not showing. Is there any specific thing I need to do when upgrading? I'm using the container for the web app and the python scripts for int ingerstor on a separate computer (both updated) I see the new telemetry columns are showing in the web app, but no traces between the nodes. See [live here](https://potato.varna.radio)

adam closed this issue

2026-10-04 22:58:11 +02:00

adam commented

2026-10-04 22:58:12 +02:00

I see Tallin instance has the same problem.

I see Tallin instance has the same problem.

adam commented

2026-10-04 22:58:13 +02:00

Sure, several reasons:

this requires neighbor info transmitted over lora - you can enable this in the meshtastic app.
some radios only update once per day, so it will take some time for the data to populate the database. currently, there are no neighbors reported yet. https://potato.varna.radio/api/neighbors
it only draws lines for neighbors who have positions. otherwise, it does not know where the end of the edge is.

Just give it 1-2 days depending on the size of the mesh.

Sure, several reasons: 1. this requires neighbor info transmitted over lora - you can enable this in the meshtastic app. 2. some radios only update once per day, so it will take some time for the data to populate the database. currently, there are no neighbors reported yet. https://potato.varna.radio/api/neighbors 3. it only draws lines for neighbors who have positions. otherwise, it does not know where the end of the edge is. Just give it 1-2 days depending on the size of the mesh.

adam commented

2026-10-04 22:58:13 +02:00

Thanks for the clarification, however:

this requires neighbor info transmitted over lora - you can enable this in the meshtastic app.

The official Meshtastic neighbour module documentation says that:

By default, neighbor info will only be sent to MQTT and a connected app. If enabled, the neighbor info will be sent on the primary channel over LoRa. Only available when the primary channel is not the public channel with default key and name.

Our default channel has the public key AQ== so it means we can never transmit neighbour information over lora. Does potatomesh ingestor depend on the transmit_to_lora option enabled, or as the documentation says, if an app is connected (e.g. the ingestor) the neighbouring info is consumed by the app?

I have changed the neighbor interval update to 4h (the lowest possible), so we'll see if it gets updated.

Thanks for the clarification, however: > this requires neighbor info transmitted over lora - you can enable this in the meshtastic app. The official Meshtastic [neighbour module ](https://meshtastic.org/docs/configuration/module/neighbor-info/) documentation says that: > By default, neighbor info will only be sent to MQTT and a connected app. If enabled, the neighbor info will be sent on the primary channel over LoRa. Only available when the primary channel is not the public channel with default key and name. Our default channel has the public key AQ== so it means we can never transmit neighbour information over lora. Does potatomesh ingestor depend on the transmit_to_lora option enabled, or as the documentation says, if an app is connected (e.g. the ingestor) the neighbouring info is consumed by the app? I have changed the neighbor interval update to 4h (the lowest possible), so we'll see if it gets updated.

adam commented

2026-10-04 22:58:14 +02:00

I don't know who wrote this documentation but even after reading it three times does not clear it up for me what this means. We don't have any MQTT, so you need to enable ✔️ Transmit-To-LoRa in Neighbor info app to get neighbor info also on PotatoMesh.

I don't know who wrote this documentation but even after reading it three times does not clear it up for me what this means. We don't have any MQTT, so you need to enable ✔️ Transmit-To-LoRa in Neighbor info app to get neighbor info also on PotatoMesh.

adam commented

2026-10-04 22:58:15 +02:00

What about the default channel, do you have a key other than the public one?

What about the default channel, do you have a key other than the public one?

adam commented

2026-10-04 22:58:15 +02:00

Can you try to create a TEST channel with the same key AQ== and see if you will get neighbor info? We have this in Berlin. Maybe that's the reason why we get so many neighbor info. Please let me know!

Can you try to create a `TEST` channel with the same key `AQ==` and see if you will get neighbor info? We have this in Berlin. Maybe that's the reason why we get so many neighbor info. Please let me know!

adam commented

2026-10-04 22:58:16 +02:00

So I've created the Channel:

Index 2: SECONDARY psk=default { "psk": "AQ==", "name": "TEST", "moduleSettings": { "positionPrecision": 14, "isClientMuted": false }, "channelNum": 0, "id": 0, "uplinkEnabled": false, "downlinkEnabled": false }

This is the config for the neighbor:

"neighborInfo": {
"enabled": true,
"updateInterval": 14400,
"transmitOverLora": true
},

I'll leave it for 12h and report back.

So I've created the Channel: > Index 2: SECONDARY psk=default { "psk": "AQ==", "name": "TEST", "moduleSettings": { "positionPrecision": 14, "isClientMuted": false }, "channelNum": 0, "id": 0, "uplinkEnabled": false, "downlinkEnabled": false } This is the config for the neighbor: > "neighborInfo": { "enabled": true, "updateInterval": 14400, "transmitOverLora": true }, I'll leave it for 12h and report back.

adam commented

2026-10-04 22:58:17 +02:00

Ok, so one of the other nodes in the mesh actually has shown its neighbours, which is good sign. Mine, however, still hasn't despite I've set 4 hours limit for emitting this data. One more thing comes to mind - does the node advertising its neighbours also need to be the one with the ingestor? I have set ingestor on another node, not the one which is emitting neighbours and I'm wondering if this is the reason why I'm not seeing my neighbours.

Ok, so one of the other nodes in the mesh actually has shown its neighbours, which is good sign. Mine, however, still hasn't despite I've set 4 hours limit for emitting this data. One more thing comes to mind - does the node advertising its neighbours also need to be the one with the ingestor? I have set ingestor on another node, not the one which is emitting neighbours and I'm wondering if this is the reason why I'm not seeing my neighbours. <img width="455" height="327" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/e97d5bdb-bdbb-401f-b3be-3b4c56ab13f9" />

adam commented

2026-10-04 22:58:17 +02:00

Ok, I think I solved the mystery 😄The same node which is connected to the ingestor has to also have neighbour module enabled. So both conditions have to be satisfied on the same node, before the lines appear on the map. Initially I thought that any node from the mesh would show its neighbours, so long the ingestor nodes receives their packets, but apparently it's not the case.

Ok, I think I solved the mystery 😄The same node which is connected to the ingestor has to also have neighbour module enabled. So both conditions have to be satisfied on the same node, before the lines appear on the map. Initially I thought that any node from the mesh would show its neighbours, so long the ingestor nodes receives their packets, but apparently it's not the case.

adam commented

2026-10-04 22:58:18 +02:00

i will fix this on Tallinn instance, thanks for the report!

i will fix this on Tallinn instance, thanks for the report!

adam commented

2026-10-04 22:58:19 +02:00

Ok, I think I solved the mystery 😄The same node which is connected to the ingestor has to also have neighbour module enabled. So both conditions have to be satisfied on the same node, before the lines appear on the map. Initially I thought that any node from the mesh would show its neighbours, so long the ingestor nodes receives their packets, but apparently it's not the case.

Oh, that could be the case! I have neighbor info enable on all my nodes. So I assumed this is available by default! Thanks for digging into this!

> Ok, I think I solved the mystery 😄The same node which is connected to the ingestor has to also have neighbour module enabled. So both conditions have to be satisfied on the same node, before the lines appear on the map. Initially I thought that any node from the mesh would show its neighbours, so long the ingestor nodes receives their packets, but apparently it's not the case. Oh, that could be the case! I have neighbor info enable on all my nodes. So I assumed this is available by default! Thanks for digging into this!

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Reference: adam/potato-mesh#54