D22-LB unable to send data to TTOG gateway

End Devices (Nodes) Dragino
1

I am trying to get a new Dragino D22-LB and AIS01-LB to send data.
So far I can get them to join with very good signals but I can’t get them to send data. Nothing shows up in the live data stream after the join.

My gateway is an older gateway, a TTOG. It says it’s is LoRaWAN 1.0.2 and my devices are 1.0.3. Could that be a problem? My gateway appears to be getting data from other devices, just not mine. (I can provide a sample if requested)

Gateway

D22-LB Wiki/Manual

{
  "name": "ns.up.join.process",
  "time": "2024-09-11T15:24:02.300938727Z",
  "identifiers": [
    {
      "device_ids": {
        "device_id": "davis-dragino-test4",
        "application_ids": {
          "application_id": "ucdavis-test-temperature"
        },
        "dev_eui": "A8404134B1888CA7",
        "join_eui": "A840410000000101"
      }
    }
  ],
  "data": {
    "@type": "type.googleapis.com/ttn.lorawan.v3.UplinkMessage",
    "raw_payload": "AAEBAAAAQUCop4yIsTRBQKhXwvxn2hc=",
    "payload": {
      "m_hdr": {},
      "mic": "/GfaFw==",
      "join_request_payload": {
        "join_eui": "A840410000000101",
        "dev_eui": "A8404134B1888CA7",
        "dev_nonce": "C257"
      }
    },
    "settings": {
      "data_rate": {
        "lora": {
          "bandwidth": 125000,
          "spreading_factor": 10,
          "coding_rate": "4/5"
        }
      },
      "frequency": "903100000",
      "timestamp": 1729360564,
      "time": "2024-09-11T15:23:43.998Z"
    },
    "rx_metadata": [
      {
        "gateway_ids": {
          "gateway_id": "joules-the-cow",
          "eui": "000080029C5E2EEF"
        },
        "time": "2024-09-11T15:23:43.998Z",
        "timestamp": 1729360564,
        "rssi": -95,
        "channel_rssi": -95,
        "snr": 6.8,
        "location": {
          "latitude": 38.54004,
          "longitude": -121.74689,
          "altitude": 46,
          "source": "SOURCE_REGISTRY"
        },
        "uplink_token": "ChwKGgoOam91bGVzLXRoZS1jb3cSCAAAgAKcXi7vELTlz7gGGgsIkuyGtwYQq+zhKSCgnrCvqvYTKgwI/+uGtwYQgIvx2wM=",
        "channel_index": 4,
        "gps_time": "2024-09-11T15:23:43.998Z",
        "received_at": "2024-09-11T15:24:01.936514454Z"
      }
    ],
    "received_at": "2024-09-11T15:24:02.091312102Z",
    "correlation_ids": [
      "gs:uplink:01J7GTYDNAVGYNJHYNQ66WW843"
    ],
    "device_channel_index": 4,
    "consumed_airtime": "0.370688s"
  },
  "correlation_ids": [
    "gs:uplink:01J7GTYDNAVGYNJHYNQ66WW843"
  ],
  "origin": "ip-10-101-7-152.us-west-1.compute.internal",
  "context": {
    "tenant-id": "CgN0dG4="
  },
  "visibility": {
    "rights": [
      "RIGHT_APPLICATION_TRAFFIC_READ"
    ]
  },
  "unique_id": "01J7GTYDVWD30TCQKSWSFC79GR"
}

I played around with this antenna 4 year ago and was able to get data from a sparkfun explorable kit. This is my first time trying to connect an Off The Shelf sensor so I may be doing something stupid but it seems like I should be able to trigger a data send and I’m not able to see anything after the initial join.

2

Here’s some additional info derived from questions from a similar post:

  • Using OTAA to join.
  • “Require Autenticated Connection” is disabled on the gateway.
  • I logged in locally to the TTOG gateway and confirmed the server address was correct. I also updated the firmware to the latest version I could find online, 1.01.27
  • My gateway is hearing the join request in the logs snr: 6.8 rssi: -95
  • Join request appears in the device console as well. On the device I see wht you see in the screenshot

image

  • I don’t see any sort of “Join accept” on the gateway
3

You won’t, if anything there will just be a transmit downlink message. The topmost message in your screenshot suggests the join accept was transmitted.

Ignore the LoRaWAN version quoted for a gateway, the LNS (TTN) determines the version, not the gateway.

Which antenna? The gateway antenna? The end device antenna? Or are you mistakenly (like many others) calling a gateway an antenna?

If the application shows continues join requests (and successful downlink transmission) the issue might be that the end device does not receive the answer correctly. For US frequencies the downlink power is ‘huge’ and might over modulate at the receiver. Have you tried moving further away from the gateway? (You are working with long range tech you know)

4

Thank you for the response, I sincerely appreciate it.

I just got back from a little field trip to a neighboring town where I saw there was a public gateway on TTNMapper website. I tried to join my device OTAA there and it worked and was able to send payloads no problem. I couldn’t get it to join at 3 miles away and had a similar behavior to what I was seeing with my gateway. I would get some messages but it wasn’t able to fully join. But at 1 mile away it was able to join and then I could send data. I drove a bit further and sent another packet and it was received by a different gateway.

I returned to where my gateway is, about 10 miles away, and tried to send a payload with my now joined device. I tried a few different spots with no luck. I’d say I was 0.75 mile away line of sight to my gateway.

So at this point my TTOG gateway is still not able to successfully join my device OR receive a payload from a previously joined device of mine. But it is receiving something from someone else’s devices. That’s why I’m confused as to whether it’s a version or routing issue or something like that. Re: your question about moving further way. I had been trying to join in my office about 0.5 miles away, without line of sight.

Here’s a payload from someone else’s device as seen by my gateway. (I Can also provide my end device’s payload info as it was received by a different gateway)

{
  "name": "gs.up.receive",
  "time": "2024-09-12T23:01:07.633000417Z",
  "identifiers": [
    {
      "gateway_ids": {
        "gateway_id": "joules-the-cow",
        "eui": "000080029C5E2EEF"
      }
    }
  ],
  "data": {
    "@type": "type.googleapis.com/ttn.lorawan.v3.GatewayUplinkMessage",
    "message": {
      "raw_payload": "QPfK+0SAlQWMYVy+REE5KLQML4XJ6bUE",
      "payload": {
        "m_hdr": {
          "m_type": "UNCONFIRMED_UP"
        },
        "mic": "yem1BA==",
        "mac_payload": {
          "f_hdr": {
            "dev_addr": "44FBCAF7",
            "f_ctrl": {
              "adr": true
            },
            "f_cnt": 1429
          },
          "f_port": 140,
          "frm_payload": "YVy+REE5KLQML4U="
        }
      },
      "settings": {
        "data_rate": {
          "lora": {
            "bandwidth": 125000,
            "spreading_factor": 7,
            "coding_rate": "4/5"
          }
        },
        "frequency": "902700000",
        "timestamp": 982723691,
        "time": "2024-09-12T23:00:49.581Z"
      },
      "rx_metadata": [
        {
          "gateway_ids": {
            "gateway_id": "joules-the-cow",
            "eui": "000080029C5E2EEF"
          },
          "time": "2024-09-12T23:00:49.581Z",
          "timestamp": 982723691,
          "rssi": -106,
          "channel_rssi": -106,
          "snr": 0.2,
          "location": {
            "latitude": 38.54004,
            "longitude": -121.74689,
            "altitude": 46,
            "source": "SOURCE_REGISTRY"
          },
          "uplink_token": "ChwKGgoOam91bGVzLXRoZS1jb3cSCAAAgAKcXi7vEOvYzNQDGgwIs+WNtwYQkeKurQIg+IOW98yTAyoMCKHljbcGEMC2hZUC",
          "channel_index": 2,
          "gps_time": "2024-09-12T23:00:49.581Z",
          "received_at": "2024-09-12T23:01:07.632008977Z"
        }
      ],
      "received_at": "2024-09-12T23:01:07.632008977Z",
      "correlation_ids": [
        "gs:uplink:01J7M7G3DG66HBP4J2Q2WF5C8K"
      ],
      "crc_status": true
    },
    "band_id": "US_902_928"
  },
  "correlation_ids": [
    "gs:uplink:01J7M7G3DG66HBP4J2Q2WF5C8K"
  ],
  "origin": "ip-10-101-15-0.us-west-1.compute.internal",
  "context": {
    "tenant-id": "CgN0dG4="
  },
  "visibility": {
    "rights": [
      "RIGHT_GATEWAY_TRAFFIC_READ"
    ]
  },
  "unique_id": "01J7M7G3DGF4QSP16A1MQMYCPC"
}
5

My other thought is the downlink isn’t working correctly from the gateway. But does this screenshot indicate that it is working ok? Does this mean 4 downlinks were sent and all were received? Or just that they were sent with no confirmation of receipt.
image

6

This means 4 downlinks were pushed from TTN servers to the gateway and the gateway acknowledged receiving them, not necessarily transmitting them as well. Unlike WiFi transmissions from the gateway to an end device are transmit and forget. If an acknowledgement would be requested (please don’t use acknowledged downlinks) it would be handled by the TTN servers not the gateway.

To debug your issue, let’s start at the beginning:

  • is your device configured for your region? Not accidentally for Asia or Australia?
  • is the device configured to use the right frequencies? The US915 band defines 64 + 8 frequencies and TTN uses 8 + 1 of them.
7

The device is configured to for USA. I mentioned it in the previous post, but I was able to travel to a neighboring city with a public TTN gateway and was able to join both of my devices to their gateway and send data. So wouldn’t that mostly rule out a device issue and most likely be a gateway issue?

After travelling back to within range (or what I believe to be in range approx 0.75 miles) of my gateway it was still unable to uplink even after joining.

Regardless, here are the device settings.
image

8

Those are the settings at TTN. The device has its own settings. Those should match TTN settings. However as things worked in the other town your gateway might indeed be the cause of issues. At least one of my TTOGs is almost deaf, probably due to a lightning strike close by. Could that have happened to yours?

9

Yeah, it’s possible given that it’s been up for almost 5 years now. We don’t get much lightning where I’m located, like only only one lightning storm a year, but it’s on one of our taller buildings so wouldn’t surprise me if a neighboring antenna on the same roof got hit.

I ordered an indoor gateway earlier today and plan to do some testing with that. Thanks again for your help. If I come to a conclusion I’ll update the post.

10

Can you clarify if the device is joining OK but the uplinks aren’t being received? You appear to have quoted an uplink message from the gateway console.

If so, the gateway should in theory be OK and it’s something else that’s not working as expected?

If you can run the device with a serial monitor attached that may tell you more.

11

That is indeed an uplink message on my gateway but it is from a device I do not own so I have no knowledge of where it’s coming from. That’s why I am so puzzled. It seems like the gateway is receiving uplinks from random devices, it’s not just a single device it hears. It’s heard 278 uplinks in the past day.

I have not been able to receive an uplink on my gateway from my device or get my device to join on my gateway. My devices will only complete the join process if I take it to a town nearby with a public TTN gateway.

Perhaps I just need to try some other physical locations with my devices to transmit and attempt to join. My gateway is up very high and there are a lot of buildings on our campus so I think if I can establish a better line of sight from a different angle I might be able to complete the join on my gateway and transmit some data.

It looks like these devices have BLE bluetooth serial connection so I can try to figure that out next for the serial monitor.

12

Given the DevAddr it is a comcast customers device.

What kind of antenna are you using? Antennas with high gain tend to receive devices towards the horizon well but devices below or above badly. The reception and radiation pattern is like a donut with (almost) the same hole a donut has. And the higher the gain the flatter the donut becomes and the larger the hole.

13

That’s a good question. I believe it is a 6dBi sensational antenna with 1m cable. I got the one recommended when I purchased from this site and I don’t think they’ve changed it.

I received a Browan minihub pro in the mail today. I set it up at my desk and all my devices connected right away and sent uplinks. I have no idea what’s happening with the old TTOG gateway but I think I’m at the point where I will spend more time (and money to my employer) troubleshooting it than just buying a new one.

14

To close the loop on this one…

I bought two new gateways, an indoor and outdoor. Both worked at ground level and covered about 1/2 mile range. After installing the outdoor gateway on the roof of a building it started having the same issues as before. I spoke with a colleague and he said he thinks that the noise floor is just very high for this frequency and so I’m thinkin the higher I go up the more devices I’m able to hear and it might just be that something is overwhelming that frequency.

Next steps are going to be trying to find a piece of equipment that can test the noise floor but in the meantime the indoor gateway is working just fine for testing.

15

Sounds like you need a SDR dongle. Any (cheap) SDR dongle should work if it can be tuned to the right frequency (and most should be)