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Packet Format
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Packet Format
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Version 1 Packet Format
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Packet Format
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< h1 id = "packet-format" > Packet Format</ h1 >
< p > This document describes the MeshCore packet format.</ p >
< ul >
< li >< code > 0xYY</ code > indicates < code > YY</ code > in hex notation.</ li >
< li >< code > 0bYY</ code > indicates < code > YY</ code > in binary notation.</ li >
< li > Bit 0 indicates the bit furthest to the right: < code > 0000000X</ code ></ li >
< li > Bit 7 indicates the bit furthest to the left: < code > X0000000</ code ></ li >
</ ul >
< h2 id = "version-1-packet-format" > Version 1 Packet Format</ h2 >
< p > This is the protocol level packet structure used in MeshCore firmware v1.12.0</ p >
< pre >< code > [header][transport_codes(optional)][path_length][path][payload]
</ code ></ pre >
< ul >
< li >< a href = "#header-format" > header</ a > - 1 byte< ul >
< li > 8-bit Format: < code > 0bVVPPPPRR</ code > - < code > V=Version</ code > - < code > P=PayloadType</ code > - < code > R=RouteType</ code ></ li >
< li > Bits 0-1 - 2-bits - < a href = "#route-types" > Route Type</ a >< ul >
< li >< code > 0x00</ code > /< code > 0b00</ code > - < code > ROUTE_TYPE_TRANSPORT_FLOOD</ code > - Flood Routing + Transport Codes</ li >
< li >< code > 0x01</ code > /< code > 0b01</ code > - < code > ROUTE_TYPE_FLOOD</ code > - Flood Routing</ li >
< li >< code > 0x02</ code > /< code > 0b10</ code > - < code > ROUTE_TYPE_DIRECT</ code > - Direct Routing</ li >
< li >< code > 0x03</ code > /< code > 0b11</ code > - < code > ROUTE_TYPE_TRANSPORT_DIRECT</ code > - Direct Routing + Transport Codes</ li >
</ ul >
</ li >
< li > Bits 2-5 - 4-bits - < a href = "#payload-types" > Payload Type</ a >< ul >
< li >< code > 0x00</ code > /< code > 0b0000</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_REQ</ code > - Request (destination/source hashes + MAC)</ li >
< li >< code > 0x01</ code > /< code > 0b0001</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_RESPONSE</ code > - Response to < code > REQ</ code > or < code > ANON_REQ</ code ></ li >
< li >< code > 0x02</ code > /< code > 0b0010</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_TXT_MSG</ code > - Plain text message</ li >
< li >< code > 0x03</ code > /< code > 0b0011</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_ACK</ code > - Acknowledgment</ li >
< li >< code > 0x04</ code > /< code > 0b0100</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_ADVERT</ code > - Node advertisement</ li >
< li >< code > 0x05</ code > /< code > 0b0101</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_GRP_TXT</ code > - Group text message (unverified)</ li >
< li >< code > 0x06</ code > /< code > 0b0110</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_GRP_DATA</ code > - Group datagram (unverified)</ li >
< li >< code > 0x07</ code > /< code > 0b0111</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_ANON_REQ</ code > - Anonymous request</ li >
< li >< code > 0x08</ code > /< code > 0b1000</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_PATH</ code > - Returned path</ li >
< li >< code > 0x09</ code > /< code > 0b1001</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_TRACE</ code > - Trace a path, collecting SNR for each hop</ li >
< li >< code > 0x0A</ code > /< code > 0b1010</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_MULTIPART</ code > - Packet is part of a sequence of packets</ li >
< li >< code > 0x0B</ code > /< code > 0b1011</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_CONTROL</ code > - Control packet data (unencrypted)</ li >
< li >< code > 0x0C</ code > /< code > 0b1100</ code > - reserved</ li >
< li >< code > 0x0D</ code > /< code > 0b1101</ code > - reserved</ li >
< li >< code > 0x0E</ code > /< code > 0b1110</ code > - reserved</ li >
< li >< code > 0x0F</ code > /< code > 0b1111</ code > - < code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_RAW_CUSTOM</ code > - Custom packet (raw bytes, custom encryption)</ li >
</ ul >
</ li >
< li > Bits 6-7 - 2-bits - < a href = "#payload-versions" > Payload Version</ a >< ul >
< li >< code > 0x00</ code > /< code > 0b00</ code > - v1 - 1-byte src/dest hashes, 2-byte MAC</ li >
< li >< code > 0x01</ code > /< code > 0b01</ code > - v2 - Future version (e.g., 2-byte hashes, 4-byte MAC)</ li >
< li >< code > 0x02</ code > /< code > 0b10</ code > - v3 - Future version</ li >
< li >< code > 0x03</ code > /< code > 0b11</ code > - v4 - Future version</ li >
</ ul >
</ li >
</ ul >
</ li >
< li >< code > transport_codes</ code > - 4 bytes (optional)< ul >
< li > Only present for < code > ROUTE_TYPE_TRANSPORT_FLOOD</ code > and < code > ROUTE_TYPE_TRANSPORT_DIRECT</ code ></ li >
< li >< code > transport_code_1</ code > - 2 bytes - < code > uint16_t</ code > - calculated from region scope</ li >
< li >< code > transport_code_2</ code > - 2 bytes - < code > uint16_t</ code > - reserved</ li >
</ ul >
</ li >
< li >< code > path_length</ code > - 1 byte - Encoded path metadata< ul >
< li > Bits 0-5 store path hash count / hop count (< code > 0-63</ code > )</ li >
< li > Bits 6-7 store path hash size minus 1< ul >
< li >< code > 0b00</ code > : 1-byte path hashes</ li >
< li >< code > 0b01</ code > : 2-byte path hashes</ li >
< li >< code > 0b10</ code > : 3-byte path hashes</ li >
< li >< code > 0b11</ code > : reserved / unsupported</ li >
</ ul >
</ li >
</ ul >
</ li >
< li >< code > path</ code > - < code > hop_count * hash_size</ code > bytes - Path to use for Direct Routing or flood path tracking< ul >
< li > Up to a maximum of 64 bytes, defined by < code > MAX_PATH_SIZE</ code ></ li >
< li > Effective byte length is calculated from the encoded hop count and hash size, not taken directly from < code > path_length</ code ></ li >
< li > v1.12.0 firmware and older only handled legacy 1-byte path hashes and dropped packets whose path bytes exceeded < a href = "https://github.com/meshcore-dev/MeshCore/blob/e812632235274ffd2382adf5354168aec765d416/src/Dispatcher.cpp#L144" > 64 bytes</ a ></ li >
</ ul >
</ li >
< li >< code > payload</ code > - variable length - Payload Data< ul >
< li > Up to a maximum 184 bytes, defined by < code > MAX_PACKET_PAYLOAD</ code ></ li >
< li > Generally this is the remainder of the raw packet data</ li >
< li > The firmware parses this data based on the provided Payload Type</ li >
< li > v1.12.0 firmware and older drops packets with < code > payload</ code > sizes < a href = "https://github.com/meshcore-dev/MeshCore/blob/e812632235274ffd2382adf5354168aec765d416/src/Dispatcher.cpp#L152" > larger than 184</ a ></ li >
</ ul >
</ li >
</ ul >
< h3 id = "packet-format_1" > Packet Format</ h3 >
< table >
< thead >
< tr >
< th > Field</ th >
< th > Size (bytes)</ th >
< th > Description</ th >
</ tr >
</ thead >
< tbody >
< tr >
< td > header</ td >
< td > 1</ td >
< td > Contains routing type, payload type, and payload version</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td > transport_codes</ td >
< td > 4 (optional)</ td >
< td > 2x 16-bit transport codes (if ROUTE_TYPE_TRANSPORT_*)</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td > path_length</ td >
< td > 1</ td >
< td > Encodes path hash size in bits 6-7 and hop count in bits 0-5</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td > path</ td >
< td > up to 64 (< code > MAX_PATH_SIZE</ code > )</ td >
< td > Stores < code > hop_count * hash_size</ code > bytes of path data if applicable</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td > payload</ td >
< td > up to 184 (< code > MAX_PACKET_PAYLOAD</ code > )</ td >
< td > Data for the provided Payload Type</ td >
</ tr >
</ tbody >
</ table >
< blockquote >
< p > NOTE: see the < a href = "../payloads/" > Payloads</ a > documentation for more information about the content of specific payload types.</ p >
</ blockquote >
< h3 id = "header-format" > Header Format</ h3 >
< p > Bit 0 means the lowest bit (1s place)</ p >
< table >
< thead >
< tr >
< th > Bits</ th >
< th > Mask</ th >
< th > Field</ th >
< th > Description</ th >
</ tr >
</ thead >
< tbody >
< tr >
< td > 0-1</ td >
< td >< code > 0x03</ code ></ td >
< td > Route Type</ td >
< td > Flood, Direct, etc</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td > 2-5</ td >
< td >< code > 0x3C</ code ></ td >
< td > Payload Type</ td >
< td > Request, Response, ACK, etc</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td > 6-7</ td >
< td >< code > 0xC0</ code ></ td >
< td > Payload Version</ td >
< td > Versioning of the payload format</ td >
</ tr >
</ tbody >
</ table >
< h3 id = "route-types" > Route Types</ h3 >
< table >
< thead >
< tr >
< th > Value</ th >
< th > Name</ th >
< th > Description</ th >
</ tr >
</ thead >
< tbody >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x00</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > ROUTE_TYPE_TRANSPORT_FLOOD</ code ></ td >
< td > Flood Routing + Transport Codes</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x01</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > ROUTE_TYPE_FLOOD</ code ></ td >
< td > Flood Routing</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x02</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > ROUTE_TYPE_DIRECT</ code ></ td >
< td > Direct Routing</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x03</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > ROUTE_TYPE_TRANSPORT_DIRECT</ code ></ td >
< td > Direct Routing + Transport Codes</ td >
</ tr >
</ tbody >
</ table >
< h3 id = "path-length-encoding" > Path Length Encoding</ h3 >
< p >< code > path_length</ code > is not a raw byte count. It packs both hash size and hop count:</ p >
< table >
< thead >
< tr >
< th > Bits</ th >
< th > Field</ th >
< th > Meaning</ th >
</ tr >
</ thead >
< tbody >
< tr >
< td > 0-5</ td >
< td > Hop Count</ td >
< td > Number of path hashes (< code > 0-63</ code > )</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td > 6-7</ td >
< td > Hash Size Code</ td >
< td > Stored as < code > hash_size - 1</ code ></ td >
</ tr >
</ tbody >
</ table >
< p > Hash size codes:</ p >
< table >
< thead >
< tr >
< th > Bits 6-7</ th >
< th > Hash Size</ th >
< th > Notes</ th >
</ tr >
</ thead >
< tbody >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0b00</ code ></ td >
< td > 1 byte</ td >
< td > Legacy / default mode</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0b01</ code ></ td >
< td > 2 bytes</ td >
< td > Supported in current firmware</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0b10</ code ></ td >
< td > 3 bytes</ td >
< td > Supported in current firmware</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0b11</ code ></ td >
< td > 4 bytes</ td >
< td > Reserved / invalid</ td >
</ tr >
</ tbody >
</ table >
< p > Examples:</ p >
< ul >
< li >< code > 0x00</ code > : zero-hop packet, no path bytes</ li >
< li >< code > 0x05</ code > : 5 hops using 1-byte hashes, so path is 5 bytes</ li >
< li >< code > 0x45</ code > : 5 hops using 2-byte hashes, so path is 10 bytes</ li >
< li >< code > 0x8A</ code > : 10 hops using 3-byte hashes, so path is 30 bytes</ li >
</ ul >
< h3 id = "payload-types" > Payload Types</ h3 >
< table >
< thead >
< tr >
< th > Value</ th >
< th > Name</ th >
< th > Description</ th >
</ tr >
</ thead >
< tbody >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x00</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_REQ</ code ></ td >
< td > Request (destination/source hashes + MAC)</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x01</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_RESPONSE</ code ></ td >
< td > Response to < code > REQ</ code > or < code > ANON_REQ</ code ></ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x02</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_TXT_MSG</ code ></ td >
< td > Plain text message</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x03</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_ACK</ code ></ td >
< td > Acknowledgment</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x04</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_ADVERT</ code ></ td >
< td > Node advertisement</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x05</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_GRP_TXT</ code ></ td >
< td > Group text message (unverified)</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x06</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_GRP_DATA</ code ></ td >
< td > Group datagram (unverified)</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x07</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_ANON_REQ</ code ></ td >
< td > Anonymous request</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x08</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_PATH</ code ></ td >
< td > Returned path</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x09</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_TRACE</ code ></ td >
< td > Trace a path, collecting SNR for each hop</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x0A</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_MULTIPART</ code ></ td >
< td > Packet is part of a sequence of packets</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x0B</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_CONTROL</ code ></ td >
< td > Control packet data (unencrypted)</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x0C</ code ></ td >
< td > reserved</ td >
< td > reserved</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x0D</ code ></ td >
< td > reserved</ td >
< td > reserved</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x0E</ code ></ td >
< td > reserved</ td >
< td > reserved</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x0F</ code ></ td >
< td >< code > PAYLOAD_TYPE_RAW_CUSTOM</ code ></ td >
< td > Custom packet (raw bytes, custom encryption)</ td >
</ tr >
</ tbody >
</ table >
< h3 id = "payload-versions" > Payload Versions</ h3 >
< table >
< thead >
< tr >
< th > Value</ th >
< th > Version</ th >
< th > Description</ th >
</ tr >
</ thead >
< tbody >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x00</ code ></ td >
< td > 1</ td >
< td > 1-byte src/dest hashes, 2-byte MAC</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x01</ code ></ td >
< td > 2</ td >
< td > Future version (e.g., 2-byte hashes, 4-byte MAC)</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x02</ code ></ td >
< td > 3</ td >
< td > Future version</ td >
</ tr >
< tr >
< td >< code > 0x03</ code ></ td >
< td > 4</ td >
< td > Future version</ td >
</ tr >
</ tbody >
</ table >
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