You gateway can have different antennas connected. The software has to know about which antenna is configured to adapt the output power adequately.

By default, antenna type is not configured at all.

If the antenna type is not configured, most of the packet forwarders will not run.

Setting a bad antenna type will not damage the gateway.

Available antenna types

Antennas vary in two parameters : ingress protection and gain.

Ingress protection

Indoor and outdoor antennas are available. Whether it's one or the other, this has no impact on the software and is therefore not to be configured.

Gain

The antennas are available in two different sizes corresponding to the gain:

  • 200mm (7,87 inches) : ~2dBi
  • 500mm (19,68 inches) : ~4dBi

The gain has to be configured.

Check the antenna type

The antenna type is shown on the LoRa > Status page, in the "Hardware widget".

manager lora hardware antenna
BASH

Example output

4dBi antenna
BASH


Antenna type is stored at /etc/manager/antennaType

Set the antenna type

You can change the antenna type through the LoRa > Settings page, on the "Hardware" tab:

Syntax

sudo manager lora hardware antenna set <2dbi|4dbi>
BASH

Example

sudo manager lora hardware antenna set 4dbi
BASH