Anybody here running their own LoRaWAN gateway?

[julianhigginson]

I'm keen to hear about anyone else's experience with setting up a LoRaWAN gateway, and I guess, any gotchas or things to be wary of when doing it?

Current thought is to go with a Multitech, because well, it's easily available in AU from a local distributor so I don't have to worry about it going out of band for our particular sub-G ISM spectrum allocation, and seems like a good reliable option.  Of course, something equally good but cheaper would be preferred.
:-)

[julianhigginson]

I would be tempted to buy the simple multitech LoRaWAN starter kit, but it doesn't seem available in AU form my distributor....  In that case I need at minimum a conduit gateway, an AU firmware 915MHz LoRa mCard, and an AU firmware LoRa module.

What version of the multitech conduit would be best here? Seems like one is a plain mLinux, and the other is setup with a node red install - but I have no real idea of if they are the same thing with one running the node red application on top of mLinux, or if they are actually different hardware... they are exactly the same price... would be nice if I could buy either and whatever I buy could be configured to be either....

All I really need in terms of connectivity is LoRa gateway to ethernet - I have no specific need for a built in cellular modem here, but I guess it might be handy in future to at least have it as an expansion option. and my AU distributor only seems to have cellular options available in stock.

I expect the gateway will spend most of its life linked to TTN, but I don't want to be married to TTN - I want the ability to take it off, and experiment with my own small scale local data network, too.


Also, what value does the little blue site survey box bring to the table? has anyone used it, and is it really that much more useful than what you could do with some simple application programming on a standard module? I can afford it, but it'd be nice to save the money towards a new VNA...

[mrpackethead]

I built one using the Multitech card, a USB/PCMIA adaptor and a rasperberry PI.   Don't go that way its a bit of a nightmware.

Better to just buy the multitech gateway. box.    I'm about to start back at in anger next week.

[julianhigginson]

Oooh... What kind of problems have you had?
Are you going to be grabbing the gateway box this time? Or going to butt heads with RPI again? :-)

I had seen talk of using a pi with just a standard 127x module as the gateway receiver a while ago... That didn't sound great... Didn't realise it was even possible to use the mCard with a pi. A shame it doesn't work simply.. at least an RPI would be adjustable to anything.

Are you trying to join TTN, or just doing your own thing? I've noticed TTN gateway is available to buy finally, but seems that project is having problems actually being as open source as advertised, and only does TTN out of the box. Also some real horror stories from the first release buyers with a possible consistent assembly damage issue for the gateway card it uses..

[borjam]

I had seen talk of using a pi with just a standard 127x module as the gateway receiver a while ago... That didn't sound great... Didn't realise it was even possible to use the mCard with a pi. A shame it doesn't work simply.. at least an RPI would be adjustable to anything.

That's not a real gateway. A gateway must be able to listen on several frequencies and SFs simultaneously.

Those arrangements are fine for tinkering or very limited deployments. And beware, actually you might be violating the band usage rules for that ISM segment in Europe.

[julianhigginson]

That's not a real gateway. A gateway must be able to listen on several frequencies and SFs simultaneously.

Those arrangements are fine for tinkering or very limited deployments. And beware, actually you might be violating the band usage rules for that ISM segment in Europe.

That's why I didn't want a pi with just a 127x... :-) I've done point to point plain Lora for a project before.. now I want to full lorawan experience...

But Mr packethead was talking about using the multitech multi channel lorawan gateway card with a pi through a usb adapter instead of plugged into the multitech conduit... If that worked nicely, it could be a proper gateway. I'm wanting to know more about the issues in trying that.

Have you played about with any other gateways? I'm keen to know about other options too.

[woody]

Not yet.

I am waiting patiently  since 2016 for the arrival of

https://shop.thethingsnetwork.com/index.php/product/the-things-gateway/

This was a kickstarter. I got two messages in the last month informing me that this gateway is now ready to be delivered to me, but still have not one in my hands.

If

[woody]

Not yet.

I am waiting patiently  since 2016 for the arrival of

https://shop.thethingsnetwork.com/index.php/product/the-things-gateway/

This was a kickstarter. I got two messages in the last month informing me that this gateway is now ready to be delivered to me, but still have not one in my hands.

If it ever gets delivered I can let you know how I fare, if you like.

[borjam]

Have you played about with any other gateways? I'm keen to know about other options too.

The Multitech is nice. We purchased one several months ago. It runs Linux, so you can even tinker with it.

I must admit that I like Multitech, I used their telephone modems ages ago. When in 2003 I asked for the cost of a firmware upgrade for a 10 year old modem they replied by sending a new EPROM for free.

[borjam]

I am waiting patiently  since 2016 for the arrival of

https://shop.thethingsnetwork.com/index.php/product/the-things-gateway/

This was a kickstarter. I got two messages in the last month informing me that this gateway is now ready to be delivered to me, but still have not one in my hands.

If it ever gets delivered I can let you know how I fare, if you like.

Seems it's available from Farnell.

http://es.farnell.com/search?st=lorawan

[woody]

Huh?

Thanks for pointing that out. Makes me wonder what happened with my kickstarter order.....

Well, at least it gives me some more work today :-)

[rt]

I'm working on setting up the new Laird RG186 (868MHz version).  Pretty straightforward and cheaper than TTN and Multitech for purchase here.

Looks like the RG191 (915MHz) is available in your neck of the woods:
http://au.element14.com/laird-technologies/rg191/gateway-915mhz-wifi-blu-eth/dp/2802549

rt

[julianhigginson]

If it ever gets delivered I can let you know how I fare, if you like.

that would be good! Also yo should really try to test it as soon as you get it!
It seems like a few people on TTN forum have units that bootloop... Someone fixed theirs by re-seating the lorawan gateway card. others didn't. one person noticed that the flex on their gateway card could be damaging it.

[julianhigginson]

The Multitech is nice. We purchased one several months ago. It runs Linux, so you can even tinker with it.

I must admit that I like Multitech, I used their telephone modems ages ago. When in 2003 I asked for the cost of a firmware upgrade for a 10 year old modem they replied by sending a new EPROM for free.

that sounds great! I love it when manufacturers do stuff like that!

what multitech product did you buy? did you go for the starter kit? or did you just buy a gateway? if so - "mLinux" version or the "application" version that has nodered?

[julianhigginson]

I'm working on setting up the new Laird RG186 (868MHz version).  Pretty straightforward and cheaper than TTN and Multitech for purchase here.

Looks like the RG191 (915MHz) is available in your neck of the woods:
http://au.element14.com/laird-technologies/rg191/gateway-915mhz-wifi-blu-eth/dp/2802549

rt

excellent!! I'm sure I saw a mention about and looked this up about a year ago - last time I was interested in looking into LoRaWAN.. Back then I couldn't find it anywhere.. now it's available to AU from a bunch of places!

How are you finding the setup process? are you going with TTN?

[jeremy]

I have a gateway going with a raspberry Pi and a multitech card over USB. I think I spent less than AUD $300 total on it and it works perfectly fine. It pushes to the things network. I also have a multitech gateway, but it just seems like a lot of extra money for essentially an underpowered raspberry Pi 

[mrpackethead]

https://github.com/lab11/LoraWAN-Gateway   <-- good starting point.

[julianhigginson]

well I had more of a peek at the options.

looks like the laird-tech gateway is no-go for Australia, as even though it's going to be physically capable of working in the AU ISM band, it uses the US LoraWAN frequencies, and can't be simply configured to use the AU ones... Unless I want to hack it (the instructions are available, but well... I do like having something that's actually working properly as a baseline)

This leaves me with multitech.

Of course now I see there's even 2 ways to go with the multitech 915MHz gateway radio module:
USB version (old, deprecated, soon to be obsoleted, can work with a Pi)
SPI version (new, shiny, likely to be supported further into the future, not much chance to work with a PI without some major hacking about.)

And the multitech conduit gateways for these 2 different radios have a range of options and alternatives and may or may not be post-purchase updatable if I miss something i want later:
"mLinux"/"application"
LTE/GSM
GNSS
Wifi
Bluetooth
 

so...  NEARLY THERE!
  

[jeremy]

If I had to do it again (and I might have to!) I would do none of those

I'd get a raspberry pi (if you get a 3, you get wifi and bluetooth) and a RAK831+adapters+antenna: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/RAK831-LoRa-LoRaWAN-Gateway-Module-base-on-SX1301-433-868-915MHz-range-of-up-to-49200ft/2805180_32821411294.html?spm=2114.12010608.0.0.zaMjhY%20target=
It comes with all of the hardware you need, and the software iirc is the same as the multitech (nobody actually makes their own chips, they are just repackaging the same concentrator and drivers from Semtech).

You can get these two for a smidgen over AUD$200. Add a PoE adapter and an IP67 enclosure and you have a single cable, weatherproof outdoor base station for less than AU$300. Plus, you are running a proper linux distro with prompt security updates and apt-get and all of the associated nice things.

[julianhigginson]

Well I actually have a few RPI 's lying about, so for this application the pi3 part is "free" (or already sunk cost) which is why I was planning on trying out the USB multitech radio and a pi as my first attempt, till I discovered multitech were dropping USB interface for SPI interface.

I've used Pi's for a lot of things over the years and am relatively comfortable with developing applications on them. Though have also been bitten by random incompatibilities, breaking updates, and had time wasted with missing/wrong documentation which make me a bit wary of DIYing something like this with a Pi..

I guess for this kind of price, I may as well just grab the aliexpress module, and see what happens with the Pi..  if it works without too much digging I have saved the best part of $1k for my VNA fund. if it's horrible, and I see a lot of wasted time, well, I have a bit more experience in what I want in a gateway, and the multitech will still be buyable from somewhere or other, and I've only really wasted the cost of the radio module.

thanks for the input everyone!

[jeremy]

Definitely worth keeping your money for the VNA! Check out 'kersing' in this thread: https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/the-hard-rak831-cafe-part-1/8464

[mrpackethead]

SPI version (new, shiny, likely to be supported further into the future, not much chance to work with a PI without some major hacking about.)

The SPI hack is easy. its a $4.50 adaptor card and a little bridge a couple of pins.   This is exactly what i did.

[mrpackethead]

The main reason i'm using a Mutlitech Conduit is that i'm testing devices that will be used on a commmerical network.  And the provider of that commerical network provides an 'image' for the conduti that makes everythign just appear as if its the production network..    Its a case of massive time savings..

I do like that suggestion thats just been shown, thats really good.

[julianhigginson]

The SPI hack is easy. its a $4.50 adaptor card and a little bridge a couple of pins.   This is exactly what i did.

oooh, really?

the Pi + multitech solution I read up on only used the USB link on the USB version of the multitech radio... specifically said the SPI version didn't work...

the radios look basically identical but as far as I understand, they are using different pins and protocols on the same connector to communicate. And I didn't think the SPI ones worked with the Pi (though the RAK831 also seems to be SPI now I look closely, and it's working with a pi... and as already mentioned, these radio modules are all basically the same thing - the semtech gateway receiver chip does everything and the host computer talks with that part)

[julianhigginson]

So for those watching the thread and interested - Alibaba loraWAN is going to be my first attempt at having my own LoRaWAN base station..

I got this (Kit5 - 915MHz)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/LoRa-Developer-Kit-RAK831-LoRa-LoRaWan-Module-with-WisNode-LoRa-base-on-SX1301-433-868-915MHz/32828486931.html

plus I got a GPS module and antenna for the basestation (not sure I need it, but it was only $12.) 
plus a GPS module for the remote device in the kit so i can survey locations with it.
(both these things are "colours" of various different kits the seller has listed.)

Plus I got a 2nd smaller all in one remote w/ GPS built in. 
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/RAK811-LoRa-Tracker-Board-MAX-7Q-GPS-Module-and-MEMS-Sensor-Wireless-Remote-Positioning-Solution-LoRaWAN/2805180_32844470946.html

including expedited shipping, all this was just under AU$300.  All I need in addition to this is my Pi3 and an SDcard, and I will hopefully have the basestation setup and be wandering about outside with the GPS tracker remote, logging locations I can transmit from.

And then, either Western Sydney or the lower Mountains (haven't 100% decided which, yet) will have it's first TTN gateway!