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Haven 2 is Here

Most of the build — components, assembly, field tests, mesh config — is shared across Haven 1 and Haven 2. Where they diverge, look for the 🟦 Haven 1 and 🟪 Haven 2 waypoints throughout this manual.

What's new in Haven 2?

• Raspberry Pi 5 — quad-core ARM @ 2.4 GHz, up to 16 GB RAM
• Morse Micro MM8108 — ~33% more throughput, better range, native multi-region support
• 4-cell battery hat — doubles field runtime over the previous 2-cell Waveshare hat
• Mesh VPN — WireGuard + Tailscale built in, Headscale-compatible for fully self-hosted control
• LoRa sidecar support — connect a Meshtastic / Reticulum RNode board (Heltec, RAK4631, Seeed XIAO, Walter, Muzi Works Base Duo, Null Hop Mesh Toad) and the drivers are already there

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<aside> 🗒️

See the full change log at the bottom of this manual.

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<aside> ✅

Living Field Manual

This guide evolves with every Haven update. You get lifetime access to all future improvements, fixes, and mission builds — automatically.

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<aside> 👉🏻

Start Here — How Haven Networks Actually Work

Haven is a mesh networking system, which means it requires at least TWO compatible devices to create a working link.

Think of it like walkie-talkies:

One device alone cannot form a network — you need at least two nodes to communicate.

Advanced users can extend Haven further by adding sovereign routing layers like Reticulum, enabling encrypted identity-based networking on top of the mesh.

Minimum Setup

To build your first Haven network you will need any two compatible Wi-Fi HaLow devices. These do NOT both need to be full Haven builds.

Examples that work:

✅ Two Haven nodes

✅ One Haven node + a Morse Micro USB dongle

✅ One Haven node + a Heltec HaLow dongle

✅ Two HaLow client devices (no Haven required)

✅ Multiple mixed HaLow nodes — any combination should interoperate

Haven is simply a fully packaged, ready-to-deploy node — but it speaks standard Wi-Fi HaLow mesh (802.11s), so you are not locked into a single hardware type.

Once two compatible devices are active, they automatically connect and create a self-healing mesh network.

Why Two Devices?

Haven uses true mesh networking (802.11s):

• Each node connects directly with others
• No central router required
• The network expands as you add more nodes

A single device is useful for setup and learning, but real testing and communication require at least two nodes.

👍 Pro Tip (Cheaper Way to Start)

You don’t need two full Haven builds.

Many builders start with:

• 1 Haven node
• 1 lightweight HaLow client (Morse Micro USB, Heltec dongle, XIAO-based build, etc.)

This lets you test range and performance while keeping costs low.

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<aside> 🎁

Haven Builder Rebate Program

Document your build, share proof, and earn your money back.

Apply here: https://tally.so/r/44rlgk

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📘 What’s Inside This Field Manual

Table of Contents

How to Use This Guide

• 📼 FYI — video playback

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Demonstration Of What We’re Looking to Build

See Haven in action before you build it — two nodes, one self-healing mesh, zero middlemen.

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modern-radio1.mp4

<aside> ⚡

Why Haven hits different

A $8,000+ MPU5 replacement built from ~$106 of commodity parts. Overclocked HaLow radio, true 802.11s mesh, sovereign routing, and zero recurring fees.

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