RAK4200(H) will not join gateway, RAK4270(H) does

LPWAN Modules / EVBs RAK4200
1

Issue:I have both the RAK4200 and RAK4270 breakout boards. Both are set with the same parameters. The RAK4270 joins our gateway, the RAK4200 returns error 99.

Setup: RAK4200(H) breakout boards (multiple fail to join gateway)
RAK4270(H) all join the gateway. More setup in the details.

Server:

Details:
Here are the version, status, and channel settings for the RAK4200(H):

MSG> lora get device status
at+get_config=device:status
OK
Board Core:RAK4200
MCU:STM32L071KB
LoRa chip:SX1276

MSG> lora get version
at+version
OK
V3.2.0.14

MSG> lora get lora status
at+get_config=lora:status
OK
Work Mode: LoRaWAN
Region: US915
MulticastEnable: false
DutycycleEnable: false
Send_repeat_cnt: 0
Join_mode: OTAA
DevEui: 60C5A8FFFE78F370
AppEui: AC1F09FFF9154270
AppKey: 3266B57DD6A808106999C5C90A8D8776
Class: A
Joined Network:false
IsConfirm: confirm
AdrEnable: false
EnableRepeaterSupport: false
RX2_CHANNEL_FREQUENCY: 923300000, RX2_CHANNEL_DR:8
RX_WINDOW_DURATION: 3000ms
RECEIVE_DELAY_1: 1000ms
RECEIVE_DELAY_2: 2000ms
JOIN_ACCEPT_DELAY_1: 5000ms
JOIN_ACCEPT_DELAY_2: 6000ms
Current Datarate: 3
Primeval Datarate: 3
ChannelsTxPower: 0
UpLinkCounter: 0
DownLinkCounter: 0

MSG> lora get lora channel
at+get_config=lora:channel
OK
0,off,902300000,0,3; 1,off,902500000,0,3; 2,off,902700000,0,3; 3,off,902900000,0,3; 4,off,903100000,0,3; 5,off,90330000
0,0,3; 6,off,903500000,0,3; 7,off,903700000,0,3; * 8,on,903900000,0,3; * 9,on,904100000,0,3; *10,on,904300000,0,3; *11,on,
904500000,0,3; *12,on,904700000,0,3; *13,on,904900000,0,3; *14,on,905100000,0,3; *15,on,905300000,0,3; 16,off,905500000,0,3;
17,off,905700000,0,3; 18,off,905900000,0,3; 19,off,906100000,0,3; 20,off,906300000,0,3; 21,off,906500000,0,3; 22,off,906700
000,0,3; 23,off,906900000,0,3; 24,off,907100000,0,3; 25,off,907300000,0,3; 26,off,907500000,0,3; 27,off,907700000,0,3; 28,of
f,907900000,0,3; 29,off,908100000,0,3; 30,off,908300000,0,3; 31,off,908500000,0,3; 32,off,908700000,0,3; 33,off,908900000,0,
3; 34,off,909100000,0,3; 35,off,909300000,0,3; 36,off,909500000,0,3; 37,off,909700000,0,3; 38,off,909900000,0,3; 39,off,9101
00000,0,3; 40,off,910300000,0,3; 41,off,910500000,0,3; 42,off,910700000,0,3; 43,off,910900000,0,3; 44,off,911100000,0,3; 45,
off,911300000,0,3; 46,off,911500000,0,3; 47,off,911700000,0,3; 48,off,911900000,0,3; 49,off,912100000,0,3; 50,off,912300000,
0,3; 51,off,912500000,0,3; 52,off,912700000,0,3; 53,off,912900000,0,3; 54,off,913100000,0,3; 55,off,913300000,0,3; 56,off,91
3500000,0,3; 57,off,913700000,0,3; 58,off,913900000,0,3; 59,off,914100000,0,3; 60,off,914300000,0,3; 61,off,914500000,0,3; 6
2,off,914700000,0,3; 63,off,914900000,0,3; 64,off,903000000,4,4; 65,off,904600000,4,4; 66,off,906200000,4,4; 67,off,90780000
0,4,4; 68,off,909400000,4,4; 69,off,911000000,4,4; 70,off,912600000,4,4; 71,off,914200000,4,4

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Here are the version, status, and channel settings for the RAK4270(H):
MSG> lora get device status
at+get_config=device:status
OK
Board Core:RAK4270
MCU:STM32L071KB
LoRa chip:SX1262

MSG> lora get version
at+version
OK
V3.3.0.14

MSG> lora get lora status
at+get_config=lora:status
OK
Work Mode: LoRaWAN
Region: US915
MulticastEnable: false
DutycycleEnable: false
Send_repeat_cnt: 0
Join_mode: OTAA
DevEui: 60C5A8FFFE78F370
AppEui: AC1F09FFF9154270
AppKey: 3266B57DD6A808106999C5C90A8D8776
Class: A
Joined Network:true
IsConfirm: confirm
AdrEnable: false
EnableRepeaterSupport: false
RX2_CHANNEL_FREQUENCY: 923300000, RX2_CHANNEL_DR:8
RX_WINDOW_DURATION: 3000ms
RECEIVE_DELAY_1: 1000ms
RECEIVE_DELAY_2: 2000ms
JOIN_ACCEPT_DELAY_1: 5000ms
JOIN_ACCEPT_DELAY_2: 6000ms
Current Datarate: 3
Primeval Datarate: 3
ChannelsTxPower: 0
UpLinkCounter: 0
DownLinkCounter: 0

MSG> lora get lora channel
at+get_config=lora:channel
OK
0,off,902300000,0,3; 1,off,902500000,0,3; 2,off,902700000,0,3; 3,off,902900000,0,3; 4,off,903100000,0,3; 5,off,90330000
0,0,3; 6,off,903500000,0,3; 7,off,903700000,0,3; * 8,on,903900000,0,3; * 9,on,904100000,0,3; *10,on,904300000,0,3; *11,on,
904500000,0,3; *12,on,904700000,0,3; *13,on,904900000,0,3; *14,on,905100000,0,3; *15,on,905300000,0,3; 16,off,905500000,0,3;
17,off,905700000,0,3; 18,off,905900000,0,3; 19,off,906100000,0,3; 20,off,906300000,0,3; 21,off,906500000,0,3; 22,off,906700
000,0,3; 23,off,906900000,0,3; 24,off,907100000,0,3; 25,off,907300000,0,3; 26,off,907500000,0,3; 27,off,907700000,0,3; 28,of
f,907900000,0,3; 29,off,908100000,0,3; 30,off,908300000,0,3; 31,off,908500000,0,3; 32,off,908700000,0,3; 33,off,908900000,0,
3; 34,off,909100000,0,3; 35,off,909300000,0,3; 36,off,909500000,0,3; 37,off,909700000,0,3; 38,off,909900000,0,3; 39,off,9101
00000,0,3; 40,off,910300000,0,3; 41,off,910500000,0,3; 42,off,910700000,0,3; 43,off,910900000,0,3; 44,off,911100000,0,3; 45,
off,911300000,0,3; 46,off,911500000,0,3; 47,off,911700000,0,3; 48,off,911900000,0,3; 49,off,912100000,0,3; 50,off,912300000,
0,3; 51,off,912500000,0,3; 52,off,912700000,0,3; 53,off,912900000,0,3; 54,off,913100000,0,3; 55,off,913300000,0,3; 56,off,91
3500000,0,3; 57,off,913700000,0,3; 58,off,913900000,0,3; 59,off,914100000,0,3; 60,off,914300000,0,3; 61,off,914500000,0,3; 6
2,off,914700000,0,3; 63,off,914900000,0,3; 64,off,903000000,4,4; 65,off,904600000,4,4; 66,off,906200000,4,4; 67,off,90780000
0,4,4; 68,off,909400000,4,4; 69,off,911000000,4,4; 70,off,912600000,4,4; 71,off,914200000,4,4

All of our RAK4270 breakout boards join our test gateway successfully. None of the RAK4200 breakout boards join our test gateway - all return Error 99. As you can see above, I have configured a RAK4200(H) with the same exact settings as the RAK4270(H). We have some RAK4200(H) USB boards from RAK, these do join the gateway. It is only RAK4200(H) breakout modules that our client has recently purchased from RAK that are failing. Both types of breakout boards have been tested plugged into the same hardware platform with identical firmware communicating with the RAK modules.

We would like your help to troubleshoot this issue so that our client’s inventory of RAK4200(H) modules will work in their product. Please let me know what other infomation I might provide.

Thank you,
Tom W.

2

What are your gateway and network server? When RAK4200 tries to join, do you see any join request on the network server?

Have you tried testing a RAK4200 breakout board directly by using USB-UART module? No external MCU yet but just direct commands?

3

Can you also try to use different OTAA eui/key for the RAK4200? Not the same with the RAK4270?

4

I have not used something like a FTDI USB 3V3 TTL cable, but I have connected a DigiView logic analyzer with ASYNC protocol and captured Rx and Tx data between the product MCU and both the RAK4200 and RAK4270 breakout boards. The communications data is the same for both for the at+join command, but only the RAK4270 joins the gateway. I am not observing an issue on the +3V3 power supply - we have about 500mA of headroom. We are using the RAK2245 and a RPi for the gateway.

I have purposefully set the dev_eui the same on both RAK breakout boards for purpose of the test, using only one or the other at any single time. I have also tested with a unique dev_eui with the same results.

I am not able to see the join request for the RAK4200. I do see the join request/accept when I have the RAK4270 plugged into the product, from ChirpStack.

5

Thanks for the info.

For the join request checking, probably you can open gateway console and check live frames. Join request and accepts should be there.

Is there a way for you to update the FW even just one of the RAK4200 board? The latest FW is v3.2.0.15.

6

Yes, thank you. I have been observing the live frames for checking join requests/accepts.
I have updated the firmware to v3.2.0.15 but I am still unable to join the gateway.

MSG> lora get device status
at+get_config=device:status
OK
Board Core:RAK4200
MCU:STM32L071KB
LoRa chip:SX1276

MSG> lora get version
at+version
OK
V3.2.0.15
7

I am afraid we already covered the obvious stuff.

How about the antenna. Both are using the same IPEX?
Can you monitor the current consumption with RAK4200? Is there anything unusual?
Is the issue for all the RAK4200 boards?
Other AT commands are ok, right? Just on the joining process that it is failing?

Few things I will do if I am in your case, use a USB-Serial module to directly communicate with RAK4200. Just for sanity checking.

Also, i will try to setup a P2P mode just to ensure that the RF frontend are working ok.

8

Thank you for your suggestions, Carl. Especially the suggestion to connect a FTDI +3V3 USB cable to the RAK4200 breakout board.

Problem solved. On our newly revised product PCBA, we made some changes to pin connections to the socket for the RAK breakout board, anticipating our in-house designed breakout board that will come in two flavors, one for LoRaWAN (RAK4200 module) and one for a mesh network. As such, there were signals connected to the RAK4200 breakout board that should not have been connected.

I think we were just lucky that the RAK4270 breakout board worked.

Thank you,
Tom

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