Northern Minnesota · Off-grid · No license needed
Off-grid radio for the Iron Range
Iron Range Mesh is a volunteer-built, free-to-use Meshtastic network covering northern Minnesota — from Grand Rapids and Hibbing to Virginia, Eveleth, Ely and the lakes between. No cell service, no monthly fees, no license required.
What is Iron Range Mesh?
Iron Range Mesh (IRMesh) is a decentralized — but loosely organized — group of tech enthusiasts, ham operators, preppers, hikers, and curious neighbors across Minnesota’s Iron Range who are building a community radio communication network using Meshtastic.
Meshtastic is an open-source, off-grid messaging platform built on inexpensive LoRa (Long Range) radios. Each device is a node that relays messages for every other node, so the more people who join, the further the network reaches — across town, over the next ridge, and out to the cabin. It works with no cell towers, no internet, and no amateur radio license.
No infrastructure
Messages hop device-to-device over license-free LoRa radio. No carrier, no subscription, no internet required.
Built for up north
Long-range, low-power radios are made for big distances and thin coverage — exactly what the Range and the Northwoods need.
Community run
A volunteer effort. Anyone can add a node, host a relay, or just chat. The network belongs to everyone on it.
Why a mesh on the Range?
Cell coverage gets thin fast once you leave the highway corridors. A mesh network gives the community a resilient, independent way to send text messages and share location — useful for outdoor recreation, emergency preparedness, neighborhood coordination, and plain old experimenting with radio.
It’s also just fun. You buy a small radio, flash the open-source firmware, dial in our shared settings, and you’re on the same channel as everyone else on the Range.
Get on the mesh in three steps
Get a radio
Pick up a Meshtastic-compatible LoRa device. See our hardware tips on the Get Involved page.
Apply our settings
Flash the firmware and load the Iron Range Mesh settings so you're on the same channel as the rest of us.
Say hello
Power up, watch nodes appear, and introduce yourself on Discord. Check the Mesh Map to see coverage near you.
Explore the network
- Mesh Settings → — the exact device configuration to join Iron Range Mesh.
- Get Involved → — hardware, apps, and how to participate.
- Mesh Map → — live view of nodes and coverage across the Range.
- Partners → — the local businesses and groups supporting the mesh.