---
title: Settings — Radio & User
parent: User Guide
nav_order: 7
last_updated: 2026-05-20
description: Configure your radio hardware, LoRa presets, user profile, position sharing, power management, and security.
aliases:
  - settings
  - radio-config
  - user-config
  - lora
---

# Settings — Radio & User

Configure your radio hardware and user identity parameters.

## User Settings

### User Profile

| Setting | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Long Name | Your display name (up to 39 characters) |
| Short Name | 4-character abbreviated name |
| Licensed Operator | Enable if you hold an amateur radio license (enables higher power) |

### Applying Changes

After modifying settings, tap **Save** to write the configuration to your radio. The device may reboot to apply changes.

## Radio Configuration

### Device Config

| Setting | Description | Default |
|---------|-------------|---------|
| Role | Node behavior (Client, Router, etc.) | Client |
| Rebroadcast Mode | How the node retransmits messages | All |
| Node Info Broadcast (s) | Interval for broadcasting node info | 10800 |
| Double-tap Button | Action for double-tap button press | Disabled |

### LoRa Config

| Setting | Description | Default |
|---------|-------------|---------|
| Region | Regulatory region for frequency bands | Unset (must configure) |
| Modem Preset | Speed/range tradeoff | LongFast |
| Hop Limit | Maximum retransmit hops | 3 |
| TX Power | Transmission power (dBm); 0 = max allowed for region | 0 (region max) |
| Frequency Offset | Fine-tune frequency (MHz) | 0 |
| Channel Bandwidth | Bandwidth setting | Default for preset |

> ⚠️ **Important:** You **must** set your region before transmitting. Operating without the correct region may violate local radio regulations. See the [region configuration guide](https://meshtastic.org/docs/getting-started/initial-config) on meshtastic.org for details.

### Modem Presets

> 💡 **Tip:** The **SNR Limit** values are negative on purpose. LoRa can decode signals *below* the noise floor, so a more-negative limit means the preset tolerates a weaker, noisier signal (more range). See [How the Signal Meter Works](signal-meter) for the full explanation.

| Preset | Range | Speed | SNR Limit | Best For |
|--------|-------|-------|-----------|----------|
| Short Turbo | ~1 km | 21.9 kbps | −5 dB | Dense urban with line-of-sight; data-heavy applications |
| Short Fast | ~3 km | 10.9 kbps | −7.5 dB | Urban neighborhoods; buildings within a few blocks |
| Short Slow | ~5 km | 5.5 kbps | −10 dB | Suburban short-range; moderate building density |
| Medium Fast | ~5 km | 5.5 kbps | −10 dB | Suburban areas; moderate building density |
| Medium Slow | ~8 km | 1.1 kbps | −12.5 dB | Suburban/rural; moderate range with slower speed |
| Long Turbo | ~10 km | 4.4 kbps | −10 dB | Similar range to Long Fast but with 500 kHz bandwidth; faster throughput |
| Long Fast | ~10 km | 1.1 kbps | −12.5 dB | **General use (default)** — balanced range and speed |
| Long Moderate | ~20 km | 0.34 kbps | −15 dB | Rural with some terrain; occasional use |
| Lite Fast | ~5 km | 5.5 kbps | −10 dB | EU 866 MHz SRD band (125 kHz BW); comparable to Medium Fast |
| Lite Slow | ~10 km | 1.1 kbps | −12.5 dB | EU 866 MHz SRD band (125 kHz BW); comparable to Long Fast |
| Narrow Fast | ~5 km | 2.7 kbps | −10 dB | EU 868 MHz band (62.5 kHz BW); avoids interference with other devices |
| Narrow Slow | ~10 km | 1.1 kbps | −12.5 dB | EU 868 MHz band (62.5 kHz BW); comparable to Long Fast |
| ~~Long Slow~~ | ~30 km | 0.18 kbps | −17.5 dB | ⚠️ **Deprecated** — still selectable but may be removed in a future firmware release |
| ~~Very Long Slow~~ | ~40+ km | 0.09 kbps | −20 dB | ⚠️ **Deprecated** — still selectable but may be removed in a future firmware release |

#### Choosing a Modem Preset

The modem preset controls the fundamental tradeoff between **range** and **data rate**:

- **Slower presets** use more spreading, making signals decodable at weaker signal levels (lower SNR limit). This means longer range but fewer bytes per second.
- **Faster presets** pack more data per transmission but require a stronger signal to decode.

**Practical guidance:**

- **Urban mesh (many nodes, short distances):** Use **Long Fast** (default) or **Short Fast**. Higher speed means less airtime congestion when many nodes share the channel.
- **Rural/sparse mesh (few nodes, long distances):** Use **Long Moderate**. Range matters more than speed when nodes are far apart.
- **EU 866/868 MHz regulatory compliance:** Use **Lite Fast**, **Lite Slow**, **Narrow Fast**, or **Narrow Slow** — these are optimized for the EU SRD/868 MHz bands with narrower bandwidths.
- **Fixed infrastructure links:** Use **Short Turbo** or **Long Turbo** for dedicated point-to-point links with good antennas and line-of-sight.
- **Mixed environments:** Stick with **Long Fast** — it's the community default and ensures compatibility with others in your area.

> ⚠️ **Important:** All nodes on the same channel **must** use the same modem preset. Nodes with mismatched presets cannot communicate even if they share the same frequency and encryption key.

> 💡 **Tip:** The range estimates above assume flat terrain and modest antennas. Elevation advantage (hilltop, rooftop) dramatically increases effective range. A well-placed Router with Long Fast can often outperform a ground-level node with Long Slow.

### Display Config

| Setting | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Screen Timeout | Time before display sleeps |
| Display Units | Metric or Imperial |
| OLED Type | Auto, SSD1306, SH1106, SH1107 |
| Compass Orientation | Rotation offset for compass display (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) |
| ~~Compass North~~ | ⚠️ **Deprecated** — replaced by Compass Orientation; still visible in older firmware |

### Position Config

| Setting | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| GPS Enabled | Enable/disable GPS |
| GPS Update Interval | How often to acquire GPS fix |
| Position Broadcast (s) | How often to share position |
| Smart Position | Enable movement-based broadcasting |
| Fixed Position | Use a manually set position |

### Power Config

| Setting | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Power Saving | Enable low-power sleep mode |
| Shutdown After (s) | Auto-shutdown idle timer |
| ADC Multiplier | Battery voltage calibration factor |
| Wait Bluetooth (s) | Time to wait for BLE connection at boot |
| Mesh SDS Timeout (s) | Super-deep-sleep timeout |

### Network Config

| Setting | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| WiFi Enabled | Enable WiFi radio (ESP32 devices) |
| WiFi SSID | Network name to connect to |
| WiFi PSK | Network password |
| NTP Server | Time synchronization server |
| Syslog Server | Remote logging server |

![IP address field](../../assets/screenshots/settings_ipv4_field.png)

### Bluetooth Config

| Setting | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Bluetooth Enabled | Enable/disable BLE radio |
| Pairing Mode | Fixed PIN, Random PIN, or No PIN |
| Fixed PIN | PIN code for pairing (default: 123456) |

### Security Config

| Setting | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Public Key | Your node's public key (read-only) |
| Admin Key | Key for remote administration |
| Private Key | Your node's private key (handle securely) |
| ~~Admin Channel Enabled~~ | ⚠️ Removed — now configured automatically when an admin key is set |
| Debug Log | Output live debug logging over serial/bluetooth | 
| Serial Enabled | Enable serial console access (moved from Device Config) |
| Managed Mode | Restrict non-admin channel changes |

![Password field](../../assets/screenshots/settings_password_field.png)

Settings use standard preference controls — dropdowns, toggles, and sliders:

| Control | Screenshot |
|---------|------------|
| Dropdown | ![Dropdown](../../assets/screenshots/settings_dropdown.png) |
| Toggle | ![Toggle](../../assets/screenshots/settings_switch.png) |
| Slider | ![Slider](../../assets/screenshots/settings_slider.png) |

## Related Topics

- [Settings — Modules & Admin](settings-module-admin) — optional feature modules and device administration
- [Signal Meter](signal-meter) — how modem presets affect signal quality thresholds
- [LoRa configuration](https://meshtastic.org/docs/configuration/radio/lora) — detailed LoRa settings reference on meshtastic.org
- [Initial configuration](https://meshtastic.org/docs/getting-started/initial-config) — region setup guide on meshtastic.org

---

