Gateway Mesh Solution
Struggling to Expand Your LoRaWAN® Network Due to Backhaul Connectivity Costs?
Whether you're aiming to provide full network coverage in a building or across a 1,000-hectare farm, the Gateway Mesh solution is designed to extend your LoRaWAN network beyond the limits of standard single-hop gateways.
Gateway Mesh Solution
Struggling to Expand Your LoRaWAN® Network Due to Backhaul Connectivity Costs?
Whether you're aiming to provide full network coverage in a building or across a 1,000-hectare farm, the Gateway Mesh solution is designed to extend your LoRaWAN network beyond the limits of standard single-hop gateways.
Why Do I Need A Gateway Mesh for My Network?
When faced with LoRaWAN coverage issues, the common approach is to add more gateways. However, backhaul connectivity for each gateway poses challenges such as:
Expensive installations for cables- Cellular plans that may not be available everywhere
- High-cost satellite data plans
Gateway Mesh Network Application Scenarios
The Gateway Mesh solution offers an alternative by acting as a repeater in your network, extending coverage in scenarios such as:
Outdoor Deployment
Building Deployment
Customers ONLY need to configure the relay and connect the gateway to power.
This component aims to extend LoRaWAN coverage by adding LoRa gateways that are not connected to the internet, which will repeat uplink and downlink LoRaWAN payloads. This can be useful in remote areas where internet coverage is sparse. This solution is different from the LoRa Alliance Relay Protocol, as no software implementation changes are required in the device stack.
Gateway Mesh Protocol Advantages
Extends LoRaWAN coverage through relay gateways
Supports multi-hop mesh networking
No modifications needed for end devices
Works for end devices that move between gateways
LoRa Alliance Relay Protocol vs. Gateway Mesh Protocol
In summary:
The LoRa Relay Protocol supports 16 devices with specific firmware and single-hop; the Gateway Mesh Protocol supports unlimited devices, no special firmware, multi-hop, and broader frequency coverage.
How Does Gateway Mesh Work?
The Gateway Mesh protocol relays LoRaWAN payloads via gateways in remote areas where backhaul internet is sparse. Relay gateways forward data to border gateways, which connect to the network server (LNS). This process supports uplink and downlink messages and requires no changes to end devices.
Get Started Easily!
Setting up your Gateway Mesh is simple and quick. Follow these steps to get started:
- Choose your hardware (Refer to the guide above)
- Install ChirpStack OS (Check the quick start guide for easy installation)
- Set date and time
- Configure the concentrator
- Set up your gateway mesh as either a relay gateway or a border gateway
With just a few easy steps, you'll be ready to expand your LoRaWAN network quickly!
Together, We Build Better:
Shaping the Future through Collaboration
We’ve solved many early-stage challenges, but there’s still more to do. The Gateway Mesh solution has evolved through feedback and collaboration, and now, we invite you to help us take it to the next level.
This is not just another product—it’s a collective effort to create the best possible solution for expanding LoRaWAN coverage.
Security
We've implemented payload validation using signing keys to ensure secure communication.
Latency
While relays naturally add latency, we’ve fine-tuned the system to ensure minimal delays.
Efficiency
We’ve minimized overhead with compressed payloads (14 bytes for uplinks and 15 bytes for downlinks), optimizing performance without compromising data integrity.
Reliability
The protocol was designed with LoRaWAN Proprietary MType (111) for compatibility and minimal impact on device functionality.
RAK Gateway Mesh Solution Roadmap
Join the Beta
To send feedback or to report a bug, please email us at [email protected] and provide as much detail as possible.
How to Choose the Right Hardware for Your Trial
Notes
- The WisGate Connect and Developer gateways are the only ones capable of hosting the latest version of ChirpStack LNS with Gateway Mesh support. They can also be mixed with Edge Gateways. Using Edge Pro, Edge Lite or Soho Pro as relay gateways and Connect as a border gateway with ChirpStack LNS embedded can be a good setup for an off-the-grid mesh network. Otherwise you will have to have an instance of ChirpStack LNS 4.9.0 or higher running somewhere else.
- If you don’t need cellular connectivity on the Border Gateway you can choose the versions without LTE modem.
- All outdoor gateways come with solar battery options.
How to Choose the Right Hardware for Your Trial
Notes
- The WisGate Connect and Developer gateways are the only ones capable of hosting the latest version of ChirpStack LNS with Gateway Mesh support. They can also be mixed with Edge Gateways. Using Edge Pro, Edge Lite or Soho Pro as relay gateways and Connect as a border gateway with ChirpStack LNS embedded can be a good setup for an off-the-grid mesh network. Otherwise you will have to have an instance of ChirpStack LNS 4.9.0 or higher running somewhere else.
- If you don’t need cellular connectivity on the Border Gateway you can choose the versions without LTE modem.
- All outdoor gateways come with solar battery options.
