Differences between KPN LoRa and TTN LoRa

1

For all of you (Dutch) guys and girls who are interested, I figured out the differences between the Dutch KPN LoRa network and the TTN network on the radio interface. Could come in handy if you are considering making dual mode nodes :sunglasses:

  • In a downstream message, when there is no user payload, KPN puts the mac commands in the Frame Payload field, encrypted with the NwkKey, while TTN puts the mac commands in the Frame Options field, unencrypted. As a result, the Fport byte and the Frame Payload are absent from such a TTN message, while they are included in a KPN message;

  • While receiving in RX1, KPN uses a RX1DRoffset of value 3. This means if you send, for instance, with SF7, you should receive with SF10. In TTN there is no offset, so in RX1 you receive with the same SF that you used for the transmit;

  • While receiving in RX2, KPN uses standard SF12, while TTN uses standard SF9;

  • KPN sends and keeps sending a number of mac commands that communicate the configuration of the channels and such. In TTN I have not seen these but it might be that they are only sent when you fire up a new node with the sequence counter on 0000;

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2

Included in the OTAA response packet.

3

Indeed, this is part of the join accept.

Also, ADR on The Things Network is continuous, so you will be seeing MAC commands if necessary.