Cross-Band Bridging via GPIO for Meshtastic Nodes

[GavinLanoe]

A while back, when I first discovered Meshtastic, I ordered a variety of nodes without much knowledge about frequency bands. I picked up some on 433MHz, thinking the lower frequency would offer better range. However, I soon realized there was no local activity on that band, so I set the project aside.

Fast forward a year, I revisited Meshtastic and found that 868MHz had a more active local network. This got me thinking—would it be possible to bridge two nodes operating on different frequency bands using the GPIO pins? This way, messages could be routed between bands, allowing for better connectivity and broader coverage.

Would this be a viable feature to implement? Could it enhance network propagation and usability for others?

Additionally, with Firmware 2.6 introducing "Meshtastic over LAN," this might be covered in areas with Wi-Fi access. However, my suggestion would enable cross-band communication even in remote locations, such as where two nodes might be deployed high up in trees or other isolated spots.

[fifieldt]

Duplicate of https://github.com/orgs/meshtastic/discussions/254