Does ADR require the use of confirmed uplinks?

[arjanvanb (Arjan)]

@dbrgn

unfortunately 64 packets is every 16h since we only send data every 15min

Even worse:

@arjanvanb

The network is required to respond with a downlink frame within the next ADR_ACK_DELAY frames, any received downlink frame following an uplink frame resets the ADR_ACK_CNT counter.

…where for LoRaWAN 1.0 ADR_ACK_DELAY is 32 for EU-868, during which the backend can wait for some other downlink to piggy back its ADR command… So even if you’d somehow decrease the 64 to become much lower, it might still take another 32 uplinks to get the ADR downlink.

But how would a custom implementation in the end-device know when to increase the data rate (decrease the SF)…? Maybe somehow triggering the ADRACKReq yourself while asking for a confirmation at the same time might be your best bet?