update to lora-network-server – impact on classB emission?

[Brian Wyld]

Hi folks,

We are using the MTCT mLinux for our lorawan deployments (since 2015!) and have been using the feature of the embedded LNS to emit classB beacon frames à la v1.0/1.0.1/1.0.2 LoraWAN specs.
(since we’re using the gateways indoors we don’t have GPS timing, but we just run the beaconning anyway as there’s only 1 gateway per site).

However, we recently had to update the LNS version we used to be able to support the new lora hardware cards, and although our config for the classB beaconning hasn’t changed, and doesn’t generate any error logs, our devices (certified 1.0.1/1.0.2) don’t seem to see the classB beacon frame!

I have searched on the forum and the site, but not found anything about a change to this feature?
[I’m suspecting an update to 1.0.3 LW which changes completely the beacon frame format and signal polarity… but I’m hoping for a way to configure this back to the 1.0.1/1.0.2 format….]

any help?

thanks

Brian

[Jason Reiss]

Prior to LW 1.0.3 Class B specification and functionality was experimental and subject to change for official release.

Unfortunately the final specification is not compatible with the previous definitions and the experimental features were not maintained.

In the latest releases with official Class B support as defined in LW 1.0.3 the packet forwarder schedules the beacon frames.
The forwarder could be customized to adjust the beacon format and polarity. Also the scheduling would need to function without GPS in your case.
http://git.multitech.net/cgi-bin/cgit.cgi/meta-mlinux.git/tree/recipes-connectivity/lora

[Brian Wyld]

Hi Jason,

Does this mean that there is no way in the latest LNS to use the old functionality (it seems from the logs its still working as before)?

Or is it the new pkt-forwarder that is blocking the emission?

Is there any way for us to use a new hardware module, but have the existing functionality?

thanks

Brian

[Jason Reiss]

The network server will add a beacon to the scheduling queue to block other packets from being scheduled in the beacon time. It will not send a beacon to the packet forwarder to be transmitted.

The forwarder could be modified to adjust the beacon.

See lines 1963-2053 for beacon format code and lines 2093-2192 for GPS time used for scheduling.
https://github.com/Lora-net/packet_forwarder/blob/master/lora_pkt_fwd/src/lora_pkt_fwd.c

[Brian Wyld]

Ok Jason, thanks for the info.

We’ll take a look at the code but not sure if we’ll be able to do this now…

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