Novice to Lorawan

[kersing (Jac Kersing)]

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Open source LoRaWAN traffic simulator

Some of you may have seen this on Twitter a few days ago but I’m sharing here too just in case! I couldn’t find an easy-to-use LoRaWAN traffic simulator so I ended up building one. Of course, TTN traffic can be simulated by using the Gateway server MQTT endpoint but I wanted something a bit more generic, and closer to “real” traffic. For now, only ABP nodes (with FCnt starting at 0) and uplink traffic can be simulated, but OTAA support shouldn’t be too difficult to implement (happy to take pull…

LoRaWAN simulation issues

Hi there! First of all, forgive me if I am writing this new topic in the wrong place, I am newbie here and I was not able to decide where to put this. Anyway, I would like to explain as much as possible the issue I have, and it is related to the Semtech UDP Packet Forwarder communication. I am developing an application to simulate some LoRaWAN devices, and I need to comunicate them to the TTN platform. I downloaded the TTN stack (with dockers), and I was able to set it up properly, since every…

Connect to TTN with a virtual gateway on my computer for testing

Hi everyone, I have one question regarding connection between the gateway and TTN. As of now, I don’t have a gateway so, can I connect to TTN without a physical gateway or by building a virtual gateway on my computer for testing? Is there is any possible way to test the same? Please suggest me in this regards. Thank you in advance. Regards, Sagar

Is it possible to inject data from a gateway, as if it were a device/node?

I have a pi-based (PI-Supply RAK) gateway operating fine, and in it’s location it would be nice to monitor temperature and humidity and report it back to an application of mine. Naturally i feel like I should somehow be able to inject data from the gateway as if it were a node, rather than have to run a second device right next to it to TX to it. I’ve seen some gateways with sensors built in, so I assume it’s perfectly possible- but what’s the best route to doing this?

Send local gateway data as payload to TTN

We are attempting to send the gateway’s temperature, battery voltage, and a few other “sensor” style data via as LoRaWAN payload to the TTN network and preferable have it show up as a device. Is that possible without adding a 2nd LoRa radio module to the gateway, just to have it send to it’s self. We are using the Semtech Packet Forwarder.

Also I strongly recommend you read the LoRaWAN specification, pay attention to MIC and what it does and go to GitHub - Lora-net/packet_forwarder: A LoRa packet forwarder is a program running on the host of a LoRa gateway that forwards RF packets receive by the concentrator to a server through a IP/UDP link, and emits RF packets that are sent by the server. for information on the protocols the packet forwarder uses.

[LoRaTracker]

Or search the forum for;

‘Gateway simulator’

[humankey41]

There are many comments and articles all over the internet about Network Server in Lorawan. Yes, I understand why it should be. But I’m really curious and have trouble understanding this. So what happens if I don’t connect to Lorawan Network Server? So what if I only wanted to access my applications(like an HTTP server, MQTT Clients e.g.) with end-nodes and Lorawan gateways? Could you please give an example on the subject through 1-2 different scenarios?

And in addition, please be non-judgmental in your comments. I can try to explain more if my question isn’t clear, but exactly what I wanted to ask is the question I wanted to ask you above. Please, please don’t steer the subject in a different direction by saying that “you read these specifications first or you don’t understand this, etc.”. Thanks in advance for your understanding and valuable comments.

[kersing (Jac Kersing)]

This sounds suspiciously like you have been asked a question for a college course and need an answer. Can you explain why you need us to answer this question?

[humankey41]

As a strict follower, I must say that you are a good detective, but this time you did not catch me (: No, I am not trying to find the answer to the question for an exam, lecture, or college. I have friends who manufacture industrial IoT devices using different wireless technologies over Gateways and Routers. These guys are dealing with traditional wireless communication systems and data transfers. And so they want to use Lorawan technology to the same standards. I could not explain them to why Network Stack is needed in LoraWan technology. They think LNS is a burden and restrictions on the network in free usage are a big problem. They claim that they want to remove LNS and directly access the Applications or a database with Gateway devices. They believe that they can solve it faster by acting as an aggregator and a bridge with the Internet, without dealing with the Server. Maybe they are right, I don’t know. My only purpose was to provide them with scenarios with plausible and solid evidence for using the LNS.

[kersing (Jac Kersing)]

If they want to deviate from LoRaWAN by creating their own protocol using Lora they are free to do so. For LoRaWAN you need the network server is that is what makes it a network (as in what a telco provides).

For commercial parties that require advice/consulting I’m no longer providing it for free. May-be one of the other volunteers is willing to spend their valuable time.

[descartes (Nick McCloud)]

@kersing

May-be one of the other volunteers is willing to spend their valuable time.

He rather lost me at "please be non-judgmental in your comments … Please, please don’t steer the subject in a different direction by saying that ‘you read these specifications first or you don’t understand this, etc.’”.

Not wording I find in “How to win friends & influence people”.

If someone has an apparent knowledge gap that can only be resolved by learning, it is not judgemental to say that you don’t understand and you need to read more, it’s a fact, but as I learnt LoRaWAN by reading & doing and answering questions here for a fair amount of time, it’s easy to spot.

What you want is us to write the answer to your ‘friends’ question because you were unable to explain how LoRaWAN works (which is almost all about the Network Server)? Which implies a knowledge gap. Or you want to create a solution that doesn’t required a NS and want someone to tell you how? Or you want to tell your ‘friends’ how to do it - which if you can’t explain to them why the NS is important can never go well when they start using LoRaWAN devices without an NS.

@humankey41

My only purpose was to provide them with scenarios with plausible and solid evidence for using the LNS.

It appears to me that you actually wanted to know how to ditch the NS, not why the NS is pivotal to the LoRaWAN scheme. Given your ‘strategic’ approach to eliciting free consultancy, hopefully you will keep enquiries on topic for this forum which is LoRaWAN on TTS CE / TTN.

[Jeff-UK]

The Network Server can be thought of as the heart of a LoRaWAN network…cut out the heart and you don’t have a network! Sounds like you and your ‘friends’ need to understand the typical architecture and key elements and components of LoRaWAN networks…… 60 minutes watching Everything you need to know about LoRaWAN in 60 minutes - Johan Stokking (The Things Industries) - YouTube would not be a waste of your and your ‘friends’ time I feel….