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Troubleshoot an observer

Start with what you can see. Change one part at a time so you know what fixed it.

Observer never appears

Check these in order:

  1. Radio: confirm it is powered, connected to the observer method, and on the local mesh settings.
  2. Device or service: confirm the observer process is running.
  3. Broker: confirm the primary endpoint reports connected with TLS verification.
  4. Viewer: wait a few minutes, refresh CoreScope Observers, and search the exact observer name.

These commands only read service status:

sudo systemctl status mctomqtt --no-pager
sudo journalctl -u mctomqtt -n 80 --no-pager

sudo systemctl status meshcore-capture --no-pager
sudo journalctl -u meshcore-capture -n 80 --no-pager

sudo systemctl status pymc-repeater --no-pager
sudo journalctl -u pymc-repeater -n 80 --no-pager

Before sharing any output, follow What to share when asking for help.

For standalone firmware, run only these read commands in the device CLI:

get name
get wifi.status
get mqtt.iata
get mqtt.status
get mqtt1.preset
get mqtt2.preset
get path.hash.mode

You should see Wi-Fi and at least the primary broker connected, a three-letter location code, and the meshcore-ca-1 and meshcore-ca-2 presets.

Observer appears but no packets arrive

A connected broker is not packet proof.

  1. Confirm the radio can hear normal nearby mesh activity.
  2. Confirm packet publishing is enabled for the selected method.
  3. Confirm the location code and packet topic agree.
  4. Check CoreScope Packets after nearby activity.
Method Packet setting
MQTT firmware get mqtt.packets is on, get bridge.enabled is on, and get mqtt.rx is on
MCtoMQTT / companion capture Packet topic ends in /packets, not only /status
PyMC Broker format is letsmesh
Home Assistant Payload Mode is packet, or older Packets (Lets Mesh) is enabled
RemoteTerm Community MQTT packet topic is enabled

If the radio hears nothing, resolve the radio preset, antenna, connection, or local activity before changing broker values.

Only the backup connection fails

Compare the two entries. The backup host and token audience must both be mqtt2.meshcore.ca. A token for the primary host cannot authenticate to the backup.

Do not disable TLS verification to make the connection succeed.

Observer appears in the wrong place

Check every configured location field. Use the same real three-letter location code in both broker entries and in the observer method.

Do not use:

  • CAN as shorthand for Canada;
  • XXX or HOME; or
  • a neighbouring code merely because an older picker does not list the correct code.

Update the integration if it cannot accept the correct code.

Observer connects and disconnects repeatedly

Check in this order:

  1. stable power and USB connection;
  2. host sleep or service restarts;
  3. internet and DNS stability;
  4. system clock accuracy;
  5. repeated token, TLS, or WebSocket errors in local logs.

Record the time and time zone of one disconnect. That lets an administrator compare your report with infrastructure logs without exposing credentials.

Home Assistant screen does not match the guide

Current screens use Payload Mode and a free-text location field. Older screens may use Packets (Lets Mesh) and a picker.

Update the integration before substituting a wrong location. If the current screen still differs, record the Home Assistant and MeshCore integration versions and ask for help.

What to share when asking for help

Copy this template and fill in what you know:

Observer method:
Device or board:
Operating system / Home Assistant version:
Observer app, integration, or firmware version:
Location code:
Time checked (with time zone):
First thing that failed: radio / observer / broker / viewer
Primary connected: yes / no / unknown
Backup connected: yes / no / not supported
Observer visible: yes / no
Recent packet visible: yes / no
Exact error after redaction:
Steps already tried:

Before posting, remove:

  • Wi-Fi SSID and password;
  • MQTT passwords, JWTs, tokens, cookies, and authorization headers;
  • MeshCore private keys;
  • owner email and personal contact details;
  • exact home addresses or coordinates; and
  • unrelated lines from full config files.

Post it in the MeshCore Canada forum or your local community's support channel. Include only the small part of the log that shows the problem.

Return to Check your observer after each fix.