How to resolve communication failure between RAK7289V2 and RAK3172

LPWAN Industrial Gateways / Concentrators
1

Hello
gateway : RAK7289V2
loRa module: RAK3172
is being tested by installing .

The installation environment is a parking lot with the first and second floors, and the gateway is installed on the first floor.

The LoRa module installed on the first floor is communicating normally, and the LoRa module installed on the second floor has poor sensitivity, resulting in poor communication.

The image below shows the communication information of the LoRa Module installed on the second floor of the parking lot, and shows poor sensitivity.

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We did everything we could with the LoRa module
The gateway is considering changing the antenna and setting values.
Is there any information I don’t know that could help?

2

What antenna are you using with the RAK3172?
What TX power did you setup?
I see you are using datarate DR0, that is already good.

Concrete with steel inside is bad for transmission. You might need to optimize the location of the nodes and gateway.

3

The antenna uses a PCB antenna, which is mounted inside the housing to prevent water and dust intrusion
link : PCB Antenna for LoRa (with an IPEX connector) – RAKwireless Store

TX power is set to 0 and is being used
“AT+TXP=0”. I’m setting it like this

And I need to optimize the gateway location, so where should I install it on the 1st and 2nd floors for network communication?

4

The FPC antenna has weak gain

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What is the enclosure material?
Did you keep the antenna clear of any metal parts, battery, PCB’s?
As an example see our warning for the integrated antenna of our Unify Enclosure:

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Even if difficult and means enclosure changes, try the 2dBi SubG Antenna on nodes that have difficulties.

For the gateway location, it is not easy to recommend something without knowing the building structure.

My first try would be in the centre on the lower flow ceiling.

If both not works (optimized antenna and gateway relocation), you might need one gateway per floor.

5

The building looks like reinforced concrete.

The enclosure material is plastic and is installed on the floor. I will show you the part placement in the picture.

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And the parking lot has the following structure.
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If you install two gateways, I would like to ask you a question because the second floor does not have an environment to install Ethernet cables.

  1. Gateways are installed on the first and second floors, and gateways on the first floor are connected to Ethernet cables to connect to the Internet.

  2. I wonder if the gateway can act as a repeater.
    I wonder if it is possible to set the 2nd floor gateway as a repeater and connect it with the 1st floor gateway to transmit and receive data.

3.If it is possible to act as a repeater, I would like to receive a product recommendation that can act as a repeater.

6

Antenna location inside the enclosure looks ok.

For the gateway questions, @velev or someone else from the gateway team can answer.

7

Should I write a new topic or should I wait for the response from the Gateway team member?

And the “AT+TXP=0” command I set is correct that it was set normally in the current situation, right?

8

They will answer here.
But it is May 1st. == holiday

9

Thank you.

If so, please let me know if the “AT+TXP=0” command is correct to send at full output

10

Correct, AT+TXP=0 sets the max transmit power.

11

Thank you.

I’ll wait for the gateway reply.