MeshCore · field note
Flood scope × direct messages
Does flood scope
affect DMs?
Sometimes.
It depends on how the DM is routed.
Known path → direct route
No path → flood
Case 1 · path known
Direct route
Private, but still multi-hop. Only the listed next hop repeats it.
Flood scope: not checked
Case 2 · no path
Flood
Any repeater that hears it may repeat it.
+ default scope: nl-nh
Each repeater checks
Scope vs. its region list
✓Match + flood allowed: forwards
✕No match: branch stops
?Every branch stops: DM may not arrive
Regions are names operators configure. Not circles on a map.
scope nl-nh path: A › D › G › H ILLUSTRATIVE LABELS
Two settings
Which scope applies?
Channel scope
# that channel's messages
Overrides the default for that channel.
✕Never applies to DMs
Default scope
Your other flood traffic
Adverts
Logins
Requests
DMs without a known path
Return traffic
Replies need a way back too
DM · SCOPED → ← REPLY / ACK · SCOPED WORKS TODAY YOU A D ✕ OFFLINE E NEW PATH? → FLOOD → SCOPE APPLIES CONTACT
A route that works today doesn't prove a new one can be found.
Setup advice
Choose the default with care
01
Your community's exact region name broad enough for you, your contacts and the repeaters between
02
Narrower scopes per channel
03
None = unscoped and some repeaters block it
04
Scope adds no range and guarantees no delivery
Default scope: companion firmware v1.15+ · app v1.43+ (per MeshCore's announcement; menus may differ)
In short
Channel scope
No effect on DMs
Default flood scope
Yes, when a DM floods
Known path → direct → not filtered
No path → flood → scope filtered
Sources · blog.meshcore.io/2026/04/17/default-scope · blog.meshcore.io/2026/01/20/region-filtering
github.com/meshcore-dev/MeshCore · src/Mesh.cpp · region labels in this video are illustrative
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