Share a gateway between several networks

In the LoRaWAN topology, the base station (gateway) is part of one single network, and therefore connected to a single LoRaWAN Network Server.

When there is a need to share the LoRa network coverage with another network, the recommended way is to configure roaming between the concerned networks.

LoRaWAN roaming

To know how to setup roaming between your networks, please take contact with your respective network server providers.

Connect multiple LNS

Although it is not supported by the LoRaWAN topology, it is technically possible to connect a gateway to multiple LNS.

However, this should only be done in a development or test setup as it can have multiple implications:

• Bad transmission time duty cycle management
• Inconsistent end node handling

Implications

Duty cycle management

Local regulation enforce RF devices to transmit data only during a limited period of time. This is enforced either on the gateway or by the LNS, depending on the forwarder and server used.

When the server has to send a packet to an end node, it will choose a gateway depending on multiple criterions, such as the quality of the transmission between the gateway and the end node, the leftover transmission time.

When using multiple servers, this scheduling will be affected as each server is not aware of the transmissions of the other networks.

Depending on the packet forwarder used, the allowed transmission time duty cycle will not be respected or the packet will be dropped.

Inconsistent end node handling

When end nodes are registered on multiple networks and use the OTAA procedure, they might randomly join one or another server.

When using ABP, the end nodes may get multiple acknowledgments for their packets if not asked and may not be handle to manage them.

Setup

As it's only intended to be used in an experimental/test setup, the connection to multiple LNS is only supported using the Semtech UDP protocol.The LORIX One does not have a packet forwarder allowing for multiple LNS server. However, you can add the ChirpStack Packet Multiplexer to do so.