Update meshtastic docs and remove stale mqtt-proxy service

README.md

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ home/            # kitchenowl, donetick, shlink, qui, dakboard bridges, doris-da
 dev/             # gitea, rackpeek
 ai/              # ollama, openwebui
 headscale/       # pilot self-hosted tailnet control plane + Headplane UI on PD
-meshtastic/      # meshmonitor, mqtt-proxy, tileserver, meshtastic-map
+meshtastic/      # meshmonitor, tileserver, meshtastic-map, and MeshCore/MeshMonitor integration notes
 automation/      # planned: gotify, n8n
 search/          # planned: qdrant
 docs/            # all homelab documentation

docs/architecture/SERVICES_DIRECTORY.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 All homelab services, their hosts, ports, and current status.
 
-*Last updated: 2026-05-27*
+*Last updated: 2026-06-13*
 
 ## Shared Databases (PD)
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ OpenClaw is no longer treated as an active PD service in the operator inventory.
 
 | Service | Host | Port | Status |
 |---------|------|------|--------|
-| MeshCore to MQTT relay | N.O.M.A.D. (10.5.30.7) | outbound MQTT only | ✅ Running as Docker container `mctomqtt` (`mctomqtt:latest`); config bind-mounted from `/etc/mctomqtt` |
+| MeshCore companion observer | N.O.M.A.D. (10.5.30.7) | outbound MQTT only | ✅ Running as systemd service `meshcore-capture`; install root `/home/fizzlepoof/.meshcore-packet-capture`; direct serial connection to the Heltec companion node |
 
 ## Local file intake
 

docs/reference/MESHTASTIC.md

@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
 # Meshtastic Stack
 
 ## Overview
-Self-hosted Meshtastic monitoring and management stack running on PlausibleDeniability.
+Self-hosted MeshMonitor stack running on PlausibleDeniability, plus the current operator note for the separate NOMAD-side MeshCore companion observer.
 
-Related NOMAD-side bridge note: a separate MeshCore-to-MQTT relay is running on N.O.M.A.D. as Docker container `mctomqtt` (`mctomqtt:latest`), with config bind-mounted from `/etc/mctomqtt`. The package also includes a systemd unit under `/opt/mctomqtt`, but that is not the active runtime on this host.
+Related NOMAD-side bridge note: the legacy `mctomqtt` Docker relay was retired on 2026-06-13. N.O.M.A.D. now uses the LetsMesh companion observer flow via `meshcore-capture.service`, running from `/home/fizzlepoof/.meshcore-packet-capture` and connecting directly to the Heltec over `/dev/serial/by-id/...`.
+
+Important split:
+- **PD** hosts the MeshMonitor web/UI stack.
+- **NOMAD** owns the USB-attached Heltec companion observer via `meshcore-capture.service`.
+- Do not assume MeshMonitor and the companion observer are the same runtime path.
 
 ## Stack Location
 `/mnt/docker-ssd/docker/compose/meshtastic/`
@@ -12,29 +17,32 @@ Related NOMAD-side bridge note: a separate MeshCore-to-MQTT relay is running on
 
 | Container | Image | Port | Purpose |
 |-----------|-------|------|---------|
-| meshmonitor | ghcr.io/yeraze/meshmonitor:4.2.0 | 8081→3001 | Main UI + backend |
+| meshmonitor | ghcr.io/yeraze/meshmonitor:latest | 8081→3001, 4404→4404 | Main UI + backend; live compose publishes the virtual-node port directly from this container |
-| meshmonitor (virtual node) | — | 4404 | TCP virtual node server |
+| meshmonitor (virtual node) | — | 4404 | TCP virtual node server exposed directly by the meshmonitor container |
-| meshmonitor-tileserver | maptiler/tileserver-gl-light | 8082→8080 | Offline map tiles |
+| meshmonitor-tileserver | maptiler/tileserver-gl-light:latest | 8082→8080 | Offline map tiles |
-| meshmonitor-mqtt-proxy | ghcr.io/ln4cy/mqtt-proxy:master | — | MQTT→TCP bridge |
 | meshmonitor-upgrader | docker:latest | — | Auto-upgrade watchdog |
 
+Live runtime verified on 2026-06-13:
+- `docker compose ps` on PD showed `meshmonitor`, `meshmonitor-tileserver`, and `meshmonitor-upgrader` running.
+- Repo compose and live runtime now agree that there is no separate `meshmonitor-mqtt-proxy` sidecar in the active stack.
+
 ## Architecture
 ```
-Meshtastic Node (10.5.1.172)
+Trusted-LAN mesh node (10.5.1.120)
-        ↓ MQTT
+        ↓ direct node connection configured by MESHTASTIC_NODE_IP
-meshmonitor-mqtt-proxy
+meshmonitor backend on PD
-        ↓ TCP (port 4404)
-meshmonitor virtual node server
-        ↓
-meshmonitor backend
         ↓
 PostgreSQL (shared-postgres, db: meshmonitor)
+
+Separate path:
+NOMAD Heltec companion observer (`meshcore-capture.service`)
+        ↓ upstream MQTT brokers (LetsMesh US / EU + NashMe)
 ```
 
 ## Node Connection
-- Node IP: `10.5.1.172`
+- PD MeshMonitor compose is currently configured with `MESHTASTIC_NODE_IP=10.5.1.120`
-- Connection type: MQTT via mqtt-proxy (not direct TCP)
+- MeshMonitor itself publishes port `4404` for the virtual-node path; there is no separate `meshmonitor-mqtt-proxy` service in the active stack
-- mqtt-proxy connects to meshmonitor's virtual node server on port 4404
+- NOMAD's companion observer is a different ingest path and should not be documented as a MeshMonitor sidecar
 
 ## Storage
 - Appdata: `/mnt/tank/docker/appdata/meshmonitor/data` → `/data`
@@ -60,7 +68,7 @@ mkdir -p /mnt/docker-ssd/docker/compose/meshtastic/scripts
 
 ## Known Warnings
 - Node `!dd972536` has a low-entropy public key — this is a device configuration issue, not a meshmonitor bug
-- Frequent connect/disconnect cycles in logs are normal when the MQTT proxy reconnects
+- MeshMonitor logs can still show noisy reconnect/admin-session churn during node or radio instability; do not confuse that with the retired NOMAD `mctomqtt` path
 
 ## Tiles
 Map tiles stored in `./tiles/`. Currently includes `zurich_switzerland.mbtiles` (34MB).
@@ -68,5 +76,4 @@ Tiles directory is gitignored. To add new tiles, download `.mbtiles` files and p
 
 ## TODO
 - [ ] Document all running meshtastic-map container config
-- [ ] Document meshtastic-map-mosquitto and meshtastic-mqtt containers
 - [ ] Add healthcheck to meshmonitor container

docs/servers/NOMAD.md

@@ -226,43 +226,26 @@ These are expected to be managed by Wings/Pelican rather than a local compose fi
 - Sorter service: `minerva-localsend-autosort.service`
 - Sorter script: `/home/fizzlepoof/.local/bin/minerva-localsend-autosort.py`
 
-### MeshCore to MQTT relay
+### MeshCore companion observer
-- Install date: 2026-05-18
+- Current runtime: `meshcore-capture.service` (systemd)
-- Install root: `/opt/mctomqtt`
+- Install root: `/home/fizzlepoof/.meshcore-packet-capture`
-- Config root: `/etc/mctomqtt`
+- Service unit: `/etc/systemd/system/meshcore-capture.service`
-- Service account: `mctomqtt:mctomqtt`
+- Runtime command: `/home/fizzlepoof/.meshcore-packet-capture/venv/bin/python3 /home/fizzlepoof/.meshcore-packet-capture/packet_capture.py`
-- Installer metadata: `.version_info` reports `installer_version: 1.3.0.0-preview`, repo `Cisien/meshcoretomqtt`, branch `main`, commit `10f7c0e`
+- Connection mode: direct serial on the Heltec via `/dev/serial/by-id/usb-Espressif_Systems_heltec_wifi_lora_32_v4__16_MB_FLASH__2_MB_PSRAM__441BF670B684-if00`
-- Detected install type marker: `/opt/mctomqtt/.install_type` contains `docker`
+- Observer role:
-- Runtime model:
+  - NOMAD now uses the LetsMesh companion observer flow instead of the legacy `mctomqtt` relay
-  - Active runtime is a standalone Docker container named `mctomqtt`
+  - The companion process connects to the Heltec locally, signs JWTs on-device, and publishes packet capture data upstream to MQTT brokers
-  - Image: `mctomqtt:latest`
+- Service health observed on 2026-06-13:
-  - Command: `python3 /opt/mctomqtt/mctomqtt.py`
+  - `systemctl status meshcore-capture` shows the service active/running
-  - User: `mctomqtt`
+  - Logs confirm successful serial connection to device name `Peachtree Mesh Monitor`
-  - Restart policy: `unless-stopped`
+  - Logs confirm MQTT connectivity to LetsMesh US, LetsMesh EU, and NashMe
-  - Network mode: `bridge`
+  - Packet capture mode is enabled and waiting for packets
-  - Config bind mount: `/etc/mctomqtt:/etc/mctomqtt:ro`
+- Initial-start caveat:
-  - Device passthrough: the Heltec serial device is mapped directly into the container at the same `/dev/serial/by-id/... ` path
+  - One installer-start attempt failed with `No such file or directory` for the `/dev/serial/by-id/...` path
-- Systemd note:
+  - A subsequent manual `systemctl start meshcore-capture` succeeded once the device path was present again
-  - The packaged repo also includes `/opt/mctomqtt/mctomqtt.service`, but it is not the active runtime on NOMAD
+- Legacy relay retirement:
-  - No installed unit was present in `/etc/systemd/system` or `/lib/systemd/system`
+  - The old standalone Docker container `mctomqtt` was retired on 2026-06-13
-  - The bundled unit expects `/opt/mctomqtt/venv/bin/python3`, but no `venv/` directory exists under `/opt/mctomqtt`
+  - Backup of the retired relay files/config was saved under `/home/fizzlepoof/private/backups/mctomqtt-retire/20260613-174536`
-  - Treat the systemd unit as an unused package artifact for this host unless the deployment model changes later
-- Config layering:
-  - Base reference: `/etc/mctomqtt/config.toml`
-  - Preset overlay: `/etc/mctomqtt/config.d/10-meshmapper.toml`
-  - Local overrides: `/etc/mctomqtt/config.d/99-user.toml`
-- Current local overrides observed:
-  - IATA region code set to `BNA`
-  - Serial device pinned to `/dev/serial/by-id/usb-Espressif_Systems_heltec_wifi_lora_32_v4__16_MB_FLASH__2_MB_PSRAM__441BF670B684-if00`
-  - Enabled broker targets include MeshMapper, LetsMesh US, and NashMe
-  - Credentials/secrets are stored inline in `99-user.toml`; do not mirror them into git-backed docs
-- Container health observed during inspection:
-  - Logs show the relay loading all three config layers, opening the Heltec serial device, and connecting successfully to MeshMapper, NashMe, and LetsMesh US after restart
-  - The current container had been up about 5 minutes during inspection with `MQTT: 3/3`, zero failures, and live RX air-time reported
-  - An earlier start logged one DNS resolution failure for a broker label shown as `custom-2`, but the current running container recovered and all three named brokers connected cleanly
-- Container logs / inspection:
-  - Use `docker logs mctomqtt` for runtime output
-  - Use `docker inspect mctomqtt` for bind mounts, device mappings, and restart policy
 - Documentation linkage:
   - Related mesh stack notes live in [MESHTASTIC.md](../reference/MESHTASTIC.md)
 

meshtastic/docker-compose.yaml

@@ -68,28 +68,6 @@ services:
     networks:
       - default
       - pangolin
-  mqtt-proxy:
-    image: ghcr.io/ln4cy/mqtt-proxy:master
-    container_name: meshmonitor-mqtt-proxy
-    restart: unless-stopped
-    environment:
-      - INTERFACE_TYPE=tcp
-      - TCP_NODE_HOST=meshmonitor
-      - TCP_NODE_PORT=4404
-      - LOG_LEVEL=INFO
-      - TCP_TIMEOUT=300
-      - CONFIG_WAIT_TIMEOUT=60
-      - HEALTH_CHECK_ACTIVITY_TIMEOUT=300
-    depends_on:
-      - meshmonitor
-    healthcheck:
-      test: ["CMD-SHELL", "test -f /tmp/healthy && find /tmp/healthy -mmin -1 | grep -q healthy"]
-      interval: 30s
-      timeout: 10s
-      retries: 3
-      start_period: 60s
-    networks:
-      - default
 networks:
   ix-databases_shared-databases:
     external: true