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MeshCore Wardrive - Quick Start

Build and Install

The app has been successfully built! You can install it on your Android device.

Install on Connected Device

cd /home/chuck/Desktop/meshcore_wardrive
flutter install

Or Install APK Manually

The APK is located at:

/home/chuck/Desktop/meshcore_wardrive/build/app/outputs/flutter-apk/app-debug.apk

Transfer this file to your Android device and install it.

First Launch

  1. Grant Permissions: When you first open the app, grant:

    • Location permissions (choose "Allow all the time" for best results)
    • Storage permissions (for exporting data)

  2. Start Tracking: Tap the green play button (bottom right)

    • The button will turn red when tracking is active
    • Your position will update automatically every 5 meters

  3. View Your Coverage: As you move:

    • GPS samples are collected automatically
    • Coverage areas appear as colored rectangles
    • Colors indicate signal quality (default) or data age

Key Features

Map Controls

  • My Location Button (small blue button): Centers map on your current position
  • Start/Stop Button (large green/red): Toggles location tracking
  • Settings Icon (top right): Access display options

Settings Options

  • Show Samples: Toggle individual GPS point visibility
  • Show Edges: Toggle repeater connection lines
  • Color Mode:
    • Quality: Green (excellent) → Red (poor)
    • Age: Green (fresh) → Red (old)

Data Management

  • Export: Saves all collected samples as JSON file

    • Files saved to app's external storage
    • Named with timestamp: meshcore_export_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.json

  • Clear: Deletes all collected data (with confirmation)

Tips for Wardriving

  1. Battery Optimization: Disable battery optimization for this app in Android settings
  2. Keep GPS Clear: Ensure device has clear view of sky for best accuracy
  3. Regular Exports: Export data periodically to avoid data loss
  4. Background Tracking: The app can track in the background on Android 10+

Data Format

Exported JSON contains an array of samples:

[
  {
    "id": "timestamp_geohash",
    "lat": 47.7776,
    "lon": -122.4247,
    "timestamp": "2024-01-01T12:00:00.000Z",
    "path": null,
    "geohash": "c23nb2q2"
  }
]

Troubleshooting

Location Not Updating

  • Check Location Services are enabled
  • Grant "Allow all the time" permission
  • Restart the app

Map Not Loading

  • Check internet connection (needed for map tiles)
  • Verify INTERNET permission is granted

Export Fails

  • Grant storage permissions
  • Check available storage space

Technical Details

  • Sample Rate: Every 5 meters of movement
  • Location Accuracy: High (GPS)
  • Coverage Precision: ~0.61km × 1.22km grid
  • Sample Precision: ~19m × 19m grid
  • Center Point: 47.7776, -122.4247 (Puget Sound area)
  • Max Distance: 60 miles from center

Development

To make changes:

  1. Edit source files in lib/
  2. Run flutter pub get if you add dependencies
  3. Test with flutter run
  4. Build release with flutter build apk --release

Credits

Based on mesh-map.pages.dev by Kyle Reed for MeshCore network coverage mapping.