Range Test, between gateway and node

Dear all,

For conducting long-range test, with TTN, with an RN2483 based device (LoRaWAN), I would like to ask for your experience. I will set up a gateway myself and force the device to the highest output power and to SF12 and send a couple of packets. If my gateway picks up the messages will it always show in the backend of TTN although other gateways are closer an have a better RSSI and SNR? Or are their limitations to consider?

Looking forward to your reply and thanks in advance.


Firstly, if you monitor your GW status in the TTN Console & if you look at the ‘Traffic’ tab you will see all packets successfully received by the device…so you should be able to identify your node from any other traffic. Secondly, if you set up an Application in the TTN backend that reflects your device type then again if you look at node (device) traffic to that application, you should see your node data and RX metadat listed - the back end will dedupe for onward use but again if you look at any specific packet from your node and expand the metadata shown there you will see a list of all the GW’s that received that specific packet with associated Rx info…

…good luck :slight_smile:

@Jeff-UK Thanks that is really helpful. Wanted to know if this would work. Perfect!

Generally it should work. As to your specific concern, if your node has ADR enabled, and it is closer to another gateway, then it is possible that the network could use that strong gateway connection as a basis to command your node to reduce power level and/or switch to a faster shorter range SF, potentially meaning that your test gateway could no longer hear it.

So for the test you need to make sure you really stay at the desired settings - something that would be considered “antisocial behavior” if done in routine usage.

@cslorabox Thanks, also noted about the the anti social behavior, will not be structural.

@cslorabox is right to call out potential breach of the TTN FUP for anything other than short development period use and a few packets :wink:

Also is right to call out ADR as a potential overide and ‘fly-in the ointment’ for your plan as closer GW’s may hijack activity - suggest disable ADR initially also IIR ADR on TTN analyses approx 20 msgs to calculate appropriate ADR values for downlink to node so if you are only sending ‘a few packets’ each time, then potentially reseting/checking and clearing count in app etc. then it shouldnt trouble you…good luck :slight_smile:

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The answer is in the usual place: https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/docs/lorawan/frequency-plans.html

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