diff --git a/src/freedombone b/src/freedombone
index 1916384a..15f13212 100755
--- a/src/freedombone
+++ b/src/freedombone
@@ -377,7 +377,6 @@ CJDNS_PORT=
 # B.A.T.M.A.N settings
 ENABLE_BATMAN="no"
 BATMAN_IPV6=
-MESH_ESSID=
 
 # social key management
 ENABLE_SOCIAL_KEY_MANAGEMENT="no"
@@ -738,9 +737,6 @@ function read_configuration {
   fi
 
   if [ -f $CONFIGURATION_FILE ]; then
-      if grep -q "MESH_ESSID" $CONFIGURATION_FILE; then
-          MESH_ESSID=$(grep "MESH_ESSID" $CONFIGURATION_FILE | awk -F '=' '{print $2}')
-      fi
       if grep -q "TOX_PORT" $CONFIGURATION_FILE; then
           TOX_PORT=$(grep "TOX_PORT" $CONFIGURATION_FILE | awk -F '=' '{print $2}')
       fi
@@ -1560,22 +1556,14 @@ function mesh_cjdns_tools {
 
 function get_batman_ipv6_address {
   if [ -f /home/$MY_USERNAME/README ]; then
-      if grep -q "BATMAN IPv6 address" /home/$MY_USERNAME/README; then
+      if grep -q "Mesh internet bridge IP address" /home/$MY_USERNAME/README; then
           if [ ! $BATMAN_IPV6 ]; then
-              BATMAN_IPV6=$(cat /home/$MY_USERNAME/README | grep "BATMAN IPv6 address" | awk -F ':' '{print $2}' | sed 's/^ *//')
+              BATMAN_IPV6=$(cat /home/$MY_USERNAME/README | grep "Mesh internet bridge IP address" | awk -F ':' '{print $2}' | sed 's/^ *//')
           fi
       fi
   fi
 }
 
-function get_mesh_essid {
-  if [ -f /home/$MY_USERNAME/README ]; then
-      if grep -q 'Mesh ESSID:' /home/$MY_USERNAME/README; then
-          MESH_ESSID==$(cat /home/$MY_USERNAME/README | grep "Mesh ESSID" | awk -F ':' '{print $2}' | sed 's/^ *//')
-      fi
-  fi
-}
-
 function mesh_batman_bridge {
   # https://sudoroom.org/wiki/Mesh/Relay_setup
   # also see http://www.netlore.co.uk/airmesh/
@@ -1625,11 +1613,6 @@ function mesh_batman_bridge {
       fi
   fi
 
-  get_mesh_essid
-  if [ ! $MESH_ESSID ]; then
-      MESH_ESSID="$(openssl rand -base64 5)"
-  fi
-
   echo '#!/bin/bash' > /usr/bin/mesh
   echo '' > /usr/bin/mesh
   echo '# stop network manager to make the mesh network work' >> /usr/bin/mesh
@@ -1643,7 +1626,7 @@ function mesh_batman_bridge {
   echo 'iwconfig wlan0 enc off' >> /usr/bin/mesh
   echo '' >> /usr/bin/mesh
   echo '# add the interface to the ad-hoc network - or create it.' >> /usr/bin/mesh
-  echo -n "iwconfig wlan0 mode ad-hoc essid mesh-$MESH_ESSID ap " >> /usr/bin/mesh
+  echo -n "iwconfig wlan0 mode ad-hoc essid mesh ap " >> /usr/bin/mesh
   echo "$BATMAN_IPV6 channel 2" >> /usr/bin/mesh
   echo '' >> /usr/bin/mesh
   echo -n '# add wlan0 to the batman-adv virtual interface(so it can ' >> /usr/bin/mesh
@@ -1669,8 +1652,8 @@ function mesh_batman_bridge {
       echo '' >> /home/$MY_USERNAME/README
       echo 'Mesh Networking (B.A.T.M.A.N)' >> /home/$MY_USERNAME/README
       echo '=============================' >> /home/$MY_USERNAME/README
-      echo "Mesh ESSID: $MESH_ESSID" >> /home/$MY_USERNAME/README
-      echo "BATMAN IPv6 address: $BATMAN_IPV6" >> /home/$MY_USERNAME/README
+      echo 'Mesh ESSID: mesh' >> /home/$MY_USERNAME/README
+      echo "Mesh internet bridge IP address: $BATMAN_IPV6" >> /home/$MY_USERNAME/README
       chown $MY_USERNAME:$MY_USERNAME /home/$MY_USERNAME/README
       chmod 600 /home/$MY_USERNAME/README
   fi
diff --git a/src/freedombone-client b/src/freedombone-client
index dd046d2c..d0a08b1e 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-client
+++ b/src/freedombone-client
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ CURR_USER=$USER
 # Version number of this script
 VERSION="1.01"
 
+# mesh networking settings
+BATMAN_IPV6=
+
 # ssh (from https://stribika.github.io/2015/01/04/secure-secure-shell.html)
 SSH_CIPHERS="chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes128-ctr"
 SSH_MACS="hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-ripemd160-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-ripemd160,umac-128@openssh.com"
@@ -79,6 +82,81 @@ function configure_ssh_client {
   echo ''
 }
 
+function mesh_batman {
+  if [ ! $BATMAN_IPV6 ]; then
+      return
+  fi
+  sudo apt-get -y install iproute bridge-utils libnetfilter-conntrack3 batctl
+  sudo apt-get -y install python-dev libevent-dev ebtables python-pip git
+
+  sudo modprobe batman-adv
+  [ $? -ne 0 ] && echo "B.A.T.M.A.N module not available" && exit 76482
+  if ! grep -q "batman_adv" /etc/modules; then
+      sudo echo 'batman_adv' >> /etc/modules
+  fi
+
+  echo '#!/bin/bash' > /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo '' > /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo '# stop network manager to make the mesh network work' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo 'service networking stop' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo '' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo -n '# configure the wlan interface to operate with ' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo 'mtus of 1532(batman requires it) and turn enc off ' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo 'to ensure it works' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo 'ifconfig wlan0 down' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo 'ifconfig wlan0 mtu 1532' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo 'iwconfig wlan0 enc off' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo '' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo '# add the interface to the ad-hoc network - or create it.' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo -n "iwconfig wlan0 mode ad-hoc essid mesh ap " >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo "$BATMAN_IPV6 channel 2" >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo '' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo -n '# add wlan0 to the batman-adv virtual interface(so it can ' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo 'communicate with other batman-adv nodes)' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo 'batctl if add wlan0' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo 'ifconfig wlan0 up' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo 'ifconfig bat0 up' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo '' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo '# get the ip address for the node from the bridge connected to the dhcp server' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo 'dhclient bat0' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo '' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  echo 'exit 0' >> /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  chmod +x /tmp/freedombone_mesh
+  sudo mv /tmp/freedombone_mesh /usr/bin/mesh
+}
+
+function show_help {
+    echo ''
+    echo 'freedombone-client --mesh-ip [mesh bridge IPv6 address]'
+    echo ''
+    exit 0
+}
+
+while [[ $# > 1 ]]
+do
+key="$1"
+
+case $key in
+    -h|--help)
+    show_help
+    ;;
+    --mesh-ip)
+    shift
+    BATMAN_IPV6="$1"
+    ;;
+    *)
+    # unknown option
+    ;;
+esac
+shift
+done
+
 echo 'Configuring client'
 configure_ssh_client
+mesh_batman
 echo 'Configuration complete'
+if [[ $BATMAN_IPV6 ]]; then
+    echo ''
+    echo 'Type "sudo mesh" to connect to the mesh network'
+fi
+exit 0
diff --git a/src/freedombone-config b/src/freedombone-config
index 8aa18c4c..c796bb0b 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-config
+++ b/src/freedombone-config
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ USB_DRIVE=/dev/sdb1
 HWRNG_TYPE=
 ENABLE_SOCIAL_KEY_MANAGEMENT=
 BATMAN_IPV6=
-MESH_ESSID=
 
 CONFIGURATION_FILE=
 
@@ -232,9 +231,6 @@ function save_configuration_file {
   if [ $BATMAN_IPV6 ]; then
       echo "BATMAN_IPV6=$BATMAN_IPV6" >> $CONFIGURATION_FILE
   fi
-  if [ $MESH_ESSID ]; then
-      echo "MESH_ESSID=$MESH_ESSID" >> $CONFIGURATION_FILE
-  fi
 }
 
 # test a domain name to see if it's valid
@@ -1388,9 +1384,6 @@ function read_configuration {
       if grep -q "ENABLE_BATMAN" $CONFIGURATION_FILE; then
           ENABLE_BATMAN=$(grep "ENABLE_BATMAN" $CONFIGURATION_FILE | awk -F '=' '{print $2}')
       fi
-      if grep -q "MESH_ESSID" $CONFIGURATION_FILE; then
-          MESH_ESSID=$(grep "MESH_ESSID" $CONFIGURATION_FILE | awk -F '=' '{print $2}')
-      fi
       if grep -q "BATMAN_IPV6" $CONFIGURATION_FILE; then
           BATMAN_IPV6=$(grep "BATMAN_IPV6" $CONFIGURATION_FILE | awk -F '=' '{print $2}')
       fi