What we collect

squatchmesh.com is a set of static pages served from a small home server. Like almost every web server, it keeps a short access log: the address that requested a page, the page, the time and the browser's name. The log exists to spot problems, is capped at a few megabytes and overwrites itself, and is never shared or used to identify anyone.

Messages you type into the helper on the help page are sent to this site's server and answered by Claude, an AI model from Anthropic, which receives the conversation to write each reply. See Anthropic's privacy policy. The server keeps a log of questions and answers for 30 days so problems can be fixed, with your IP address replaced by a scrambled code. If you send a conversation to the developer, it arrives by email together with the name and email address you chose to leave, and is only used to answer you. The conversation is kept in your browser tab until you close it; it is not a cookie.

Cloudflare	carries all traffic to this site and protects it from attacks; it sees your IP address like any network provider. See Cloudflare's privacy policy.
Google Fonts	the page fonts load from Google, which receives a normal web request. See Google's privacy policy.
GitHub	the release list, the version number and the firmware files come from GitHub. See GitHub's privacy statement.
Anthropic	writes the help chat's answers; it receives only what is typed into the chat.
unpkg	the install page loads the open-source ESP Web Tools flasher from unpkg.

The installer talks to your pager or T-Deck over USB inside your own browser. Firmware is downloaded to your computer and written to the device. To check the install worked, it reads the device's short status line (firmware version, whether the radio started, how many contacts) - that stays in your browser. When an install finishes, the page sends this site one line: which device, which version, and whether it worked, so we know how many installs succeed. If an install fails in a way worth fixing, it also sends the device's last startup lines and your browser's name to the help desk, whose AI helper summarises them for the developer; those lines can include the device's name on the mesh, never messages or keys. The releases page keeps the release list in your browser for ten minutes so it doesn't ask GitHub again on every visit. That is not a cookie, and it never leaves your computer. Closing the privacy notice is remembered the same way, in your browser, so it doesn't show again.

Squatch Mesh only uses the internet when Wi-Fi is on: checking GitHub for updates, map tiles from OpenStreetMap if you enabled that, and problem reports. If the device crashes or hits an error, it sends this site a short report: the firmware version, why it restarted, where it crashed, memory and battery, and the last lines of its own log with Wi-Fi names and channel names taken out. From pager 1.2.5 on, and on every T-Deck release, a report also carries the name your device uses on the mesh, so the developer knows whose it is and can ask you about it; earlier versions send no name. Once a day it also checks in with just its board, its version and a random number, with no name, so we know how many are in use. Never messages, contacts, keys or your position. Reports are emailed to the developer and kept for 30 days; the counts are kept with your IP address replaced by a scrambled code. Turn both off under Settings → System → send problem reports (pager 1.2.3 and later, and the T-Deck). Messages travel over LoRa radio, not the internet. Channels are readable by anyone who knows the channel name; direct messages are encrypted end to end. Your position is only shared if you turn position sharing on.

Open an issue on GitHub.