Enabling Class B devices on Kona Gateways

Enabling Class B devices on Kona Gateways

Enabling Class-B Beacon Frames:

  • The Mega/Macro/Enterprise gateways can be configured to transmit class-B beacon frames.
  • To do this, modify the following entries in the gateway_conf object in the /etc/default/config.json file:

            "//beacon": "Below are beaconing parameters",

            "//period": "To enable beacon, change the beacon_period to 128",
            "beacon_period": 128,
            "beacon_freq_hz": 923400000,
            "beacon_freq_nb": 0,
            "beacon_freq_step": 0,
            #"datarate": "From legacy Semtech, this is actually spreading factor",
            "beacon_datarate": 9,
            "beacon_bw_hz": 125000,
            "beacon_power": 16,
            "beacon_infodesc": 0,
  • In the case of gateways running older BSP versions, these entries have to be added.  Also, check with region parameters in the LoraWAN specification to use the correct entries.
  • For new BSP versions, only the “beacon_period” field is required to be changed to 128. 
Note that beacon frames are only sent when GPS is locked. If the GPS lock is lost, no beacon frames are sent even if beacons are enabled.


Enabling UTC Timestamp:

  • The UTC timestamp (reported as “time” in the rxpkt json string), by default, is disabled.
  • To enable the UTC timestamp, add the following into the gateway_conf object in the /etc/default/config.json file:

1"use_utc_timestamp": 1,

  • To disable the UTC timestamp, simply remove the entry or by changing the value to 0.

Note that the UTC timestamp is only reported when GPS is locked. When GPS is lost, the UTC timestamp won’t be reported even though the timestamp is enabled.


Disabling GPS Timestamp:

  • By default, the GPS timestamp (reported as “tmms” in the rxpk packet in the pkt_fwd.log) is enabled.
  • To disable the GPS timestamp, add the following into the gateway_conf object in the /etc/default/configj.json file:

            "use_gps_timestamp": 0,

  • To enable the GPS timestamp, simply remove the entry or by changing the value to 1.

Note that the GPS timestamp is only reported when GPS is locked. When GPS is lost, the GPS timestamp won’t be reported even though the timestamp is enabled.


Configurations Specific to Kona Mega Gateway:

Enabling Antenna Scheduling for Multicarrier Transmission:

  • In general, the gateway assumes that packets are scheduled by the network server on which the antenna to transmit is enabled. Hence, by default, antenna scheduling on the gateway is disabled.
  • However, if one wants to enable antenna scheduling on the gateway for multi-carrier transmission purposes, the following entries need to be added to the gateway_conf object in the /etc/default/config.json file:

           #schedule": "To allow the gateway to schedule antenna for tx, change the following to 1",

           ​"antenna_sched": 1,
  • To disable antenna scheduling, simply remove the entry or by changing the value to 0.

Note that antenna scheduling is only supported on Mega North America gateways currently.


    • Related Articles

    • Powering Guides for Kona Macro and Mega Gateways

      Powering Guides for Kona Macro and Mega Gateways Three guides are attached to this article that outline methods to power Kona Macro and Mega Gateways. Battery Backup Guide This guide lists input power requirements, proposes a typical backup system ...

    • Upgrading Gateways from SNMPv2 to SNMPv3

      SNMPv2 is currently the default communication protocol used by KONA gateways to communicate to KonaFT. Moving forward, all gateways in the future will employ SNMPv3 by default. Using the guide below, you will be able to upgrade your gateway from ...

    • Kona Gateways BSP Upgrade using KonaFT

      This document describes the procedure required for upgrading the BSP (firmware) on Kona Enterprise/Micro/Macro/Mega Gateways using KonaFT. Kindly note that this document DOES NOT apply to the Kona Pico Gateway. Below you will find a brief description ...

    • Kona Gateways BSP Upgrade using CLI

      This document describes the procedure to BSP upgrade Kona Gateways (Enterprise/Micro/Macro/Mega) using CLI. It assumes you are familiar with operating and navigating through Linux environments and file transfer programs. Kindly note that this article ...

    • Bulk Commissioning of Gateways and Devices

      TEKTELIC Communications Inc. Bulk Commissioning of Gateways and Devices  Network Server Release version 2.0.1 Issue Date: 03/08/2019 Overview  On February 28, 2019 Tektelic Communications Inc. released a new Network Server Feature which supports the ...