Configuration

lnsd reads the same INI-style configuration file as Python Reticulum (rnsd). The format is a drop-in: a config that rnsd accepts, lnsd accepts, and the two share the shared-instance IPC socket so client tools (rnstatus, rncp, lns diag, Sideband, Nomadnet) attach to either daemon without changes. Keys lnsd does not implement are tolerated, not rejected — an unknown key never makes lnsd refuse a config a current rnsd would load (ini_config.rs:193-198).

File location and lookup order

Pass an explicit config directory with --config DIR (lnsd.rs, -c/--config). With no flag, lnsd resolves the directory using the same order as Python Reticulum (config.rs:360-391):

/etc/reticulum — if /etc/reticulum/config exists
$HOME/.config/reticulum — if that directory’s config exists
$HOME/.reticulum — fallback, used even if absent

The config file is always named config inside that directory (config.rs:369-371). The storage directory defaults to <config_dir>/storage and can be overridden with --storage (lnsd.rs, -s/--storage).

This order is why the Debian package can install a system-wide config under /etc/reticulum and have Python clients connect to the live daemon with no extra flags (config.rs:354-359).

INI vs TOML detection

lnsd accepts both the Python INI format and native TOML. Detection is by content, not just extension (config.rs:315-338):

An explicit .toml extension forces TOML.
A file containing [[ (the ConfigObj subsection marker Python uses for interfaces) is parsed as INI.
Otherwise TOML is tried first, then INI as a fallback.

In practice your config file uses the Python INI form shown throughout this page. Boolean values accept Yes, yes, True, true, 1, on (and their false counterparts); anything else is read as false (ini_config.rs:255-257).

The `[reticulum]` section

Core daemon settings. Every key below is parsed in ini_config.rs:153-199; defaults come from config.rs:137-155.

Key	Type	Default	Meaning
`enable_transport`	bool	`true`	Route announces and serve paths for other peers. `lnsd` defaults this to `true` (it is a daemon); the Python library default is `false`. (`config.rs:27-28`, `140`)
`use_implicit_proof`	bool	`true`	Use implicit proof for link identification. (`config.rs:30-31`, `141`)
`share_instance`	bool	`false`	Listen on the abstract Unix socket `\0rns/<instance_name>` for local clients. Required for `lns diag`, `rnstatus`, Sideband etc. to attach. (`config.rs:32-35`, `142`; key `share_instance` → `shared_instance`, `ini_config.rs:158-159`)
`instance_name`	string	`default`	Names the shared-instance socket: `\0rns/<instance_name>`. Use a unique name to run two daemons side by side. (`config.rs:36-39`, `143`; `ini_config.rs:161-163`)
`shared_instance_type`	`unix`/`tcp`	unset	Parsed for `rnsd` compatibility. Only `tcp`/`unix` are stored; `tcp` clears `shared_instance_socket` (tcp disables AF_UNIX upstream). `lnsd` currently serves only the abstract AF_UNIX socket. (`config.rs:40-47`; `ini_config.rs:164-173`, `126-128`)
`shared_instance_socket`	path	unset	Explicit AF_UNIX socket path (RNS 1.3.x). Parsed for compatibility; cleared when `shared_instance_type = tcp`. (`config.rs:48-53`; `ini_config.rs:174-176`)
`respond_to_probes`	bool	`false`	Answer `rnprobe` requests by signing a proof for each probe packet. (`config.rs:54-60`, `146`; `ini_config.rs:177-179`)
`remote_management_enabled`	bool	`false`	Enable remote management. (`config.rs:61-63`, `147`; `ini_config.rs:180-182`)
`storage_path`	path	unset	Storage path, relative to the config dir or absolute. (`config.rs:64-66`, `148`)
`flush_interval`	u64 (sec)	`3600`	Seconds between periodic storage flushes. Crash protection only — normal shutdown always flushes. (`config.rs:67-73`, `149`; `ini_config.rs:183-187`)
`control_channel_capacity`	usize	`256`	Capacity of the lossless control-plane event channel (announces, paths, link/resource lifecycle). Raise on servers under heavy announce load. (`config.rs:74-82`, `150`)
`data_channel_capacity`	usize	`128`	Capacity of the droppable data-plane event channel; full means normal backpressure (silent drop). (`config.rs:83-90`, `151`)
`keepalive_interval`	u64 (sec)	unset	Override link keepalive interval. When set, every link uses this interval and the stale-link timeout scales with it (stale after twice the keepalive). Local timing only, no wire change. Useful for slow links. (`config.rs:91-98`, `152`; `ini_config.rs:188-192`)

use_implicit_proof, storage_path, control_channel_capacity, and data_channel_capacity are read from TOML only; they have no INI key in apply_reticulum_key (ini_config.rs:155-199 parses just the nine keys above) and are best set in a TOML config or left at their defaults. storage_path is also settable from the command line via lnsd --storage.

flush_interval and keepalive_interval are Leviculum tuning extensions — Python Reticulum ignores them. Battery-powered or SD-card deployments may want a longer flush_interval; slow links benefit from a fixed keepalive_interval:

[reticulum]
  # Seconds between periodic storage flushes (crash protection only,
  # normal shutdown always flushes). Default: 3600.
  flush_interval = 3600

  # Link keepalive interval in seconds. When set, every link uses this
  # interval instead of the RTT-derived default. Default: unset.
  keepalive_interval = 360

The `[interfaces]` section

Interfaces are ConfigObj subsections under [interfaces], each named in double brackets [[Name]]. The name is free-form; the type key selects the interface implementation. Six types are supported (ini_config.rs:133-145):

TCPServerInterface, TCPClientInterface, UDPInterface, AutoInterface, RNodeInterface, SerialInterface.

An interface of any other type is skipped with a log line, not an error (ini_config.rs:136-143).

All interface keys are parsed in ini_config.rs:202-247; struct defaults are in config.rs:259-305.

Keys common to every interface

Key	Type	Default	Meaning
`type`	string	(required)	Interface type, one of the six above. (`ini_config.rs:204`)
`enabled`	bool	`true`	Bring this interface up. (`ini_config.rs:205`; `config.rs:164-165`)
`outgoing`	bool	`true`	Allow sending outgoing packets. (`ini_config.rs:206`; `config.rs:167-168`)
`bitrate`	u64 (bps)	`62500`	Advertised link bitrate, used for airtime accounting. (`ini_config.rs:218-222`; `config.rs:170-171`, `253`)
`buffer_size`	usize	per type	Channel buffer size. (`ini_config.rs:223`; `config.rs:200-201`)

TCP server (`TCPServerInterface`)

Key	Type	Default	Meaning
`listen_ip`	string	unset	Address to bind. (`ini_config.rs:207`)
`listen_port`	u16	unset	Port to listen on. (`ini_config.rs:208`)

[interfaces]
  [[Loopback TCP]]
    type = TCPServerInterface
    enabled = Yes
    listen_ip = 127.0.0.1
    listen_port = 45999

TCP client (`TCPClientInterface`)

Key	Type	Default	Meaning
`target_host`	string	unset	Remote host to connect to. (`ini_config.rs:209`)
`target_port`	u16	unset	Remote port. (`ini_config.rs:210`)
`reconnect_interval`	u64 (sec)	`5`	Delay between reconnect attempts. (`ini_config.rs:224`; `config.rs:202-203`)
`max_reconnect_tries`	u64	unlimited	Give up after this many attempts; unset means never. (`ini_config.rs:225`; `config.rs:204-205`)

[interfaces]
  [[RNS TCP Node Germany 002]]
    type = TCPClientInterface
    enabled = Yes
    target_host = 193.26.158.230
    target_port = 4965

UDP (`UDPInterface`)

Key	Type	Default	Meaning
`listen_ip`	string	unset	Local bind address. (`ini_config.rs:207`)
`listen_port`	u16	unset	Local bind port. (`ini_config.rs:208`)
`forward_ip`	string	unset	Broadcast/forward address. (`ini_config.rs:211`)
`forward_port`	u16	unset	Broadcast/forward port. (`ini_config.rs:212`)

AutoInterface (`AutoInterface`)

Discovers other Reticulum nodes on the same broadcast domain via multicast. No router or DHCP needed; the link must carry multicast.

Key	Type	Default	Meaning
`group_id`	string	unset	Multicast group identifier; isolate co-located meshes by setting different IDs. (`ini_config.rs:232`; `config.rs:208-209`)
`discovery_scope`	string	unset	Multicast scope: `link`, `admin`, `site`, `organisation`, `global`. (`ini_config.rs:233`; `config.rs:210-211`)
`discovery_port`	u16	`29716`	Discovery (announce) port. (`ini_config.rs:234`; `config.rs:212-213`)
`data_port`	u16	`42671`	Data port. (`ini_config.rs:235`; `config.rs:214-215`)
`devices`	string (CSV)	unset	Whitelist of NIC names to use. (`ini_config.rs:236`; `config.rs:216-217`)
`ignored_devices`	string (CSV)	unset	Blacklist of NIC names to skip. (`ini_config.rs:237`; `config.rs:218-219`)
`multicast_loopback`	bool	unset	Enable multicast loopback (same-machine testing). (`ini_config.rs:238`; `config.rs:220-221`)

RNode and Serial (`RNodeInterface`, `SerialInterface`)

RNodeInterface drives an RNode LoRa modem; SerialInterface is a raw serial KISS link. They share the serial-port and (for RNode) LoRa keys.

Serial keys:

Key	Type	Default	Meaning
`port`	string	unset	Serial device path, e.g. `/dev/ttyACM0`. (`ini_config.rs:213`; `config.rs:188-189`)
`speed` / `baudrate`	u32	unset	Serial baud rate (either spelling). (`ini_config.rs:214`; `config.rs:190-191`)
`databits`	u8	unset	Data bits. (`ini_config.rs:215`; `config.rs:192-193`)
`parity`	string	unset	`none`, `even`, or `odd`. (`ini_config.rs:216`; `config.rs:194-195`)
`stopbits`	u8	unset	Stop bits. (`ini_config.rs:217`; `config.rs:196-197`)

LoRa keys (RNode), derived from source — the meanings below describe the RNode radio parameters the interface configures (config.rs:231-249):

Key	Type	Default	Meaning
`frequency`	u64 (Hz)	unset	LoRa centre frequency. (`ini_config.rs:226`; `config.rs:232-233`)
`bandwidth`	u32 (Hz)	unset	LoRa bandwidth. (`ini_config.rs:227`; `config.rs:234-235`)
`spreadingfactor` / `spreading_factor`	u8	unset	LoRa spreading factor (either spelling). (`ini_config.rs:228`; `config.rs:236-237`)
`codingrate` / `coding_rate`	u8	unset	LoRa coding rate (either spelling). (`ini_config.rs:229`; `config.rs:238-239`)
`txpower` / `tx_power`	i8 (dBm)	unset	Transmit power (either spelling). (`ini_config.rs:230`; `config.rs:240-241`)
`flow_control`	bool	unset	Wait for the RNode’s `CMD_READY` before the next TX. (`ini_config.rs:239`; `config.rs:242-243`)
`airtime_limit_short`	f64 (%)	unset	Short-term airtime cap, percent (0.0–100.0). (`ini_config.rs:240`; `config.rs:244-245`)
`airtime_limit_long`	f64 (%)	unset	Long-term airtime cap, percent (0.0–100.0). (`ini_config.rs:241`; `config.rs:246-247`)
`csma_enabled`	bool	unset	Enable CSMA/CA on the T114 LoRa interface (needs CAD-capable firmware). (`ini_config.rs:242`; `config.rs:248-249`)

IFAC (Interface Access Codes)

IFAC keys apply to any interface and authenticate / isolate a virtual network on the link. They are common to all interface types (ini_config.rs:243-245):

Key	Type	Default	Meaning
`networkname` / `network_name`	string	unset	Network name for IFAC (either spelling). (`ini_config.rs:243`; `config.rs:224-225`)
`passphrase`	string	unset	IFAC passphrase. (`ini_config.rs:244`; `config.rs:226-227`)
`ifac_size`	usize (bits)	unset	IFAC size, specified in bits in the file and stored as bytes (`bits / 8`). (`ini_config.rs:245`; `config.rs:228-229`)

networkname and passphrase are secrets: lns diag redacts them before serialising a bundle (see the lns diag section).

Example configurations

Simple AutoInterface node

A node that talks to other Reticulum peers on the same LAN, no transport routing:

[reticulum]
  enable_transport = No
  share_instance = Yes

[interfaces]
  [[Default Interface]]
    type = AutoInterface
    enabled = Yes

TCP-server transport node

A routing entrypoint that accepts inbound TCP peers and bridges them with the local LAN:

[reticulum]
  enable_transport = Yes
  share_instance = Yes
  instance_name = entrypoint

[interfaces]
  [[Public TCP]]
    type = TCPServerInterface
    enabled = Yes
    listen_ip = 0.0.0.0
    listen_port = 4965

  [[Local LAN]]
    type = AutoInterface
    enabled = Yes

LoRa RNode node

A node on a LoRa RNode modem (radio values below are an EU 868 MHz example; set them for your region and hardware):

[reticulum]
  enable_transport = Yes
  share_instance = Yes

[interfaces]
  [[LoRa RNode]]
    type = RNodeInterface
    enabled = Yes
    port = /dev/ttyACM0
    frequency = 867200000
    bandwidth = 125000
    spreadingfactor = 8
    codingrate = 5
    txpower = 14

See the upstream Reticulum Manual for the protocol-level meaning of the radio and IFAC parameters.

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