Creating private network with nodes identification

I'm trying to create a multi nodes and 1 gateway packages. I know that I can set syncword for my "private" channels. but is it possible to "remotely" configure the "nodes" and attach them to specific gateways ?

Node: ESP32 C3 + Lora E220-400T22S
Gateway: similar to node

a scenario:

  • Say that I have 10 packages - each package is 1 gateway and 8 nodes.
  • Gateway is connected to internet and whenever have data from nodes, it will send it out to my DB.
  • I want to set it in 10 different homes, hence, my "installation" should identify the nodes and the gateway of this particular package.
  • Each package should be configured differently from another (e.g. different DB ID, receive from specific nodes,...)
  • say I can generate QR code for each node
  • I have an application to scan nodes and gateways

How can I create a closed-system based on package, where each gateway know which node has been sending the data ?

I don't want to install different SW for each "node" and each "gateway", I can make the SW configurable if needed. just now sure about the approach.

Not really.

Stick to the standard public and private syncwords, 0x34 and 0x12.

Other syncwords may not work at all, or can be leaky (you receive packets you should not) or the LoRa sensitivity can be reduced.

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As for the rest of the stuff, you can setup the LoRa comms so that each packet contains say a 'customerID' and each receiver only decodes or acts on packets that have the correct 'customerID'.

As for changing all that remotely, I dont see why not, just have all the transmitters and receivers accept a config packet and store the new 'customerID' in EEPROM or Flash.

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The RadioHead library can do that.

Thanks! sure will use then, but even so, might not interfere "others" who use same private syncword ? 0x12

Basically, what you are saying, as long as the receivers and transmitter are not configured they don't send any data.

once I "add" nodes and gateway and want to configure as a closed-system package, then:

  • send a an internet packet (from my cloud) to gateway with specific ID - say ID1 (otherwise how can set the gateway configuration? )
  • gateway will configure itself and send to all nodes within range a configuration packet (special structure) with the ID1
  • nodes will configure themself and from this point will send data with the ID10 in packet
  • gateway will identify and filter packets with ID10 only
  • gateway send data to cloud

Nice, I liked this idea! thanks a lot!

however, how can I give id to each node ? will be QR code (i.e. ID) attached to each node pre-installation required ?

I see many industry application scan devices and add them to the application, hence, each device is identified and named differently, where we can distinguish between different data comes from different devices. for example, distinguish data comes from room1 vs room2,...

sure, will check it, thanks!

If someone is using the same LoRa modem settings as your application then its entirely possible that rogue packets will be received or that the someone is also receiving your packets, LoRa devices in themselves do not have a way of preventing this.

Encryption of the packets could be used I guess, but adding that is a software issue and nothing to do with LoRa itself.

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Just add the ID when the nodes are first programmed, easy enough for a hobby type application.

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