No. Sending and receiving are two separate processes. While you yourself might hear a train whistle over a Kilometer, don't expect that the train hears you shouting at it.
Meshtastic
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True, but since this is license-free, the radios should be putting out about the same amount of power. I would totally understand it if this were a licensed band and the router was putting out much more power than the client, such as repeaters on amateur radio being able to put out 50 or 100 watts where my HT can only put out 5 watts.
Do you have the exact same hardware on both sides?
No, router is a WisBlock 4631 with a 2.5 wavelength antenna (according to a local) and my node is a SeeedStudio SenseCAP T1000-E with what i think is an 1/8th wave antenna.
Maybe at some point I will buy another node that will allow for an external antenna and put a full wavelength antenna on it, which should boost the radiated power pretty significantly.