With the increasing availability of ‘low cost/micro gateways’ am thinking of resurecting a project I started spring last year:
Take >50 usb powered micro USB dongle supporting WiFi (+1 Wired Enet Port) Routers:
I cleaned out Maplins stock as they went into Administration and closed down Feb - May’18
Have been using a couple of these for last 2-3 years for local GW/management access for pop-up/field test GW’s in the field either linking over Wifi or the ethernet port hooked up to e.g. Laird, RAK or Semtech IOT Starterkit GW’s, using laptop. phone or iPad over wifi etc. to manage & configure/update.
Add in a bunch of matching 3G Mobile dongles:
And some supporting SIM’s (with ~£5/mo data bundles on PAYG)
Yeh, I know numbers/volume reduced in pictures but got bored laying everything out for photo’s but you get the idea!
Throw in matching LoRaWAN compliant micro GW’s e.g.:
TTN TTIG’s (if only back end was more stable… 50+ in the field right now would be a nightmare wrt support…) technically the cheapest option, or maybe better would be Dragino LPS8’s (@edwin1 ) or perhaps RAK e.g. 7528 micro GW’s (I really need to talk with @kenyu again as they look to have been doing great things over the summer and in recent months with many GW’s, nodes and new modules of late but have been too busy to follow up…) or the new micro GW’s from e.g LpwanSpace/Maxiiot (MG6810) BIG product placement allowed topic and several others in the $80-$160 price category…
Or maybe adding in a few more of my OWL builds, more RAK pilots or other self builds - though @ $170-$230 starting to get expensive c/w the off the shelf micro builds…
Can see a path to quickly adding >50 GW’s to existing portfolio if I can secure sensible GW locations around the country…potentially far more as many site hosts willing to allow access to local Enet or WiFi vs having to provide my own 3G Backhaul using kit such as this.
Big problem is that with £6-8000 equipment spend (allowing for accessories and sundaries) and then £5 x 12 x 50 = £3000/yr just for comms costs, how to fund and deploy given TTN is already a major cash sink and doesnt generate any revenue…
Might also need to place some in outdoor rated housings (have a few already in stock) for some sites, possible adding solar power to go totally off grid or more remote sites - more cost and temp range a potential issue for the micro GW’s then…?!
Guess I will need to start asking around for appropriate sites and funds