Module RAK3172 + RUI3 4.2.0 dead

[beegee (Bernd Giesecke)]

Only suggestion I have is to go back to RUI3 V4.1.1

LA915 is very difficult, we do not have gateways that support these region, so we cannot really test much.

[IGtti (Iaran Gadotti)]

Hi @beegee , just to inform you.
About a week running the previous version: RUI3 V4.1.1, no issues.

I will follow the next releases, looking for a fix in the V4.2.0.

[IGtti (Iaran Gadotti)]

Hi @beegee ,

I see there is a new firmaware release, 4.2.1. But, on the release notes I could not find anything related to the LA915 issue.
Please, can you confirm this was really not treated in these update?

I guess the problem is only in the LA915 region…
In case I set AU915 and change the RX delays, and may be other parameters… would that be the same as LA915? Please, give me some indication on what to do.

Thank you,
Iaran

[beegee (Bernd Giesecke)]

Correct, we did not investigate into the LA915 problems.
I do not know how to change AU195 to work as LA915.
The whole LA915 support was implemented by supporters, not by us.

[IGtti (Iaran Gadotti)]

@beegee ,

What can we do to have an official review/release for the LA915?
Otherwise users of the public network in Brazil will have to keep using the old FW 4.1.1.

Here is the LA915 content:
https://ns.docs.everynet.io/channel_plans/LA915A.html

Or, at least point where in the code this configuration is implemented.

Thank you.

[beegee (Bernd Giesecke)]

We cannot test LA915, we do not have gateways or LoRaWAN server that supports it.

LA915 is a unofficial LoRaWAN region only supported by Everynet (afaik).

RUI3 is open source and its code is published in our Github repo ==> GitHub - RAKWireless/RAK-STM32-RUI: RUI3 BSP for RAK3172 modules

[IGtti (Iaran Gadotti)]

Unfortunatelly I do not have the knowledge of your system to perform this kind of debug.
I believe the issue should be simple, since it is working on the FW 4.1.1. Maybe some parametrization conflict after the introduction of the stack 1.0.4.

Please, do you have the contacts of this “supporters” who implemented the LA915?

[beegee (Bernd Giesecke)]

Not sure if I remember, it was in one of these posts:

RAK3172 Difficulty joining

My problem is that we have neither gateways nor a LoRaWAN server that supports LA915, so it is difficult to test and check what the problem could be. +EVT:JOIN_FAILED_RX_TIMEOUT Means that the device didn’t receive the JOIN accept message from the LNS within the two RX windows. What you can try is to change the join delay 1 and 2 with the AT commands AT+JN1DL/ AT+JN2DL commands. The message combination 19:13:19.178 → Receiving MLME_JOIN 19:13:19.223 → DevAddr:00000000 means that the devic…

LA915A on RAK3172

Wow, Sorry that you answered 2 months late. Then I canceled to use rak sdk and I rebuild the stm32 sdk to port la915, version loramac 1.0.4 But, please, wich rak wireless at version firmware did you use ? And exactly wich sequence did you use ? Did you try the everynet la915 certification software?

RAK3172 crashing

Hi, @beegee We conducted the same test using the same code, but compiled with versions 4.2.0 and 4.1.1. With version 4.2.0 and ACK disabled, the hardware does not crash. However, with version 4.1.1 and ACK enabled, the device crashes. The dev board we are working with has an LED on the SWCLK pin. The device sends a message with ACK and retry every hour to the LNS. When the device crashes, the LED stays ON at half brightness, similar to when the device is in BOOT mode. This is the last message…

RUI3 urgently needs a configuration for LA915

We are having several problems when using the AU915 on the Brazilian network (Everynet LoRaWAN) configured as LA915. Although the LA915 is based on the AU915, the LA915 is slightly different as can be seen at LA915 · Everynet Network Server Among the problems are: ADR malfunction, incorrect number of channels, it is not possible to deactivate the uplink and downlink dwell time, among others. Please, is it possible to include the LA915 definitions in the next RUI build? ASAP! https://ns.docs.…

[tcpipchip (MIGUEL ALEXANDRE WISINTAINER)]

Hi, @beegee @IGtti

I tested in Brazil the LA915…but…with STM32LoRaWAN and STM32CubeIDE…

I had to change two files…la915.h and la915.c

I spent 9 weeks to make it work.

I can sent you those files, if you want…

[IGtti (Iaran Gadotti)]

Hi @tcpipchip (Olá Miguel),

first of all thanks for the support. Sure, I would like to receive your modified files. (www.gadotti.eng.br)

I am working in a new board and my intention was to use the RUI3 firmware and follow the oficial releases from Rak Wireless. But, after FW 4.1.1, I am facing a severe crash. Unfortunatelly the LA915 implementation was not further maintained.

I will take a look on the STM32LoRaWAN option as well.

I read in other module documentation about selecting AU915 and just change the RX delays, this would be the LA915. As I can see, it is not that simples, right?

Thanks!

[tcpipchip (MIGUEL ALEXANDRE WISINTAINER)]

I sent an e-mail for you @IGtti

Miguel Wisintainer

[diogobranquinho]

Hi @beegee and @IGtti

The Tecsus team assisted the RAKWireless team in including LA915 in the RUI. We followed Everynet’s specifications (LA915 · Everynet Network Server).

Our system has been working well with RUI versions 4.2.0 and 4.2.1. Occasionally, we encounter minor issues with downlinks, but nothing critical.

Our company has been using the LoRaWAN network with the RAK3172 module on the LA915 plan in several cities, including São Paulo, São José dos Campos, Campinas, and Rio de Janeiro, and we haven’t encountered any issues so far

Thanks,
Diogo

[beegee (Bernd Giesecke)]

Hello @diogobranquinho

Can you create a merge request with your changes on RAK-STM32-RUI

We will be more than happy to merge it.

[diogobranquinho]

Hi @beegee,

Just to clarify: we didn’t make any code changes ourselves. The RAKWireless team has already included LA915 support in the official RUI firmware. We’re currently using it with the RAK3172 module and RUI versions 4.2.0 and 4.2.1, and it’s working as expected.

So there’s nothing we need to merge — we’re simply using the existing support already available in the latest RUI version.

Best regards,
Diogo

[beegee (Bernd Giesecke)]

Hi @diogobranquinho

Interesting, so it works for you. But others report problems with LA915.

Wondering why. But again, we still don’t have any LA915 environment for testing.
Setting up a gateway would be no problem, but I can’t find a LoRaWAN server that supports LA915 (beside of Everynet, which is not free to use).

[diogobranquinho]

Hi @beegee

Most of the issues were actually opened by our team. There was a misunderstanding due to the fact that both LA915 and AU915 are technically supported by networks in Brazil, which sometimes caused commissioning errors. In June 2024, Everynet Brazil published a guideline called “Política de Dispositivos - Conformidade Mandatória” (https://iot-labs.io/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Politica-de-Dispositivos-Conformidade-Mandatoria.pdf), which clearly directed everyone to use LA915 correctly. Since then, we haven’t had any further issues.

There are still a few minor issues related to downlink reception failures, but these are directly tied to coverage and device RX sensitivity — not related to the LA915 implementation itself.

Don’t worry about not being able to test LA915 in the field — we’ve tested it extensively, and it works. We have dozens of devices deployed across different cities in Brazil, running perfectly.

If other developers are struggling to implement their code, the root cause is likely elsewhere.

We’re happy to support our fellow developers in Brazil with tips or benchmarks if needed.

Best regards,
Diogo Branquinho

[beegee (Bernd Giesecke)]

@diogobranquinho

That is a very generous offer.
Thank you for your support for RAKwireless.

[IGtti (Iaran Gadotti)]

@diogobranquinho

Hi Diogo, this is really good to hear the latest versions are working fine under LA915 region. Hopefully the problem is on my side.
I am using the RAK3172 module with a host controller, communicating via AT commands. Not sure you have the same setup.

FW 4.1.1 is working, close to one year in the field and no issues. When FW was updated to 4.2.0 the module died after a reset. I could repeat it in different modules.

Here you can see the steps I did when problem happened:

Module RAK3172 + RUI3 4.2.0 dead

@beegee , UPDATE - After less than 2 hours testing the problem happened again. The external pull up resistor was removed. This time I have logged the serial line. Initial module configuration, right after FW updated to V4.2.0, this is done only once: ATR AT+ATM AT+BAUD=115200 AT+NWM=1 AT+BAND=12 (My location is Brazil) AT+NJM=1 AT+ADR=1 AT+PNM=1 AT+LPMLVL=2 AT+LPM=1 Board switched on, and the sequence bellow was communicated between host controller and RAK3172: [Fail log] As the …

Any idea about possible reason for this behavior?

Thank you

[diogobranquinho]

Hi @IGtti,

We’re using the RAK3172 in API mode, not with AT commands.

How did you configure the device on your LoRaWAN server (provider)?

Here we’re still using LoRaMAC 1.0.3 and it’s working fine.

Maybe it’s something related to the network setup.

Thanks,
Diogo

[IGtti (Iaran Gadotti)]

Hi @diogobranquinho

I guess the problem is not related to the network configuration, because in some tests the issue happened even before a connection to the NS.

My configuration is same as your screen:
Activation: OTAA
Cryptography: NS
ADR: ON
Class: A

Maybe this issue is not related to LA915, but with the module operating in AT commands mode! Probably most of the users are in API mode.
@beegee , have you experienced any similar problem when in AT commands?

I did not test yet the latest FW 4.2.1, want to check it as well.

Thanks,
Iaran