How to Connect RAK LoRaWAN Gateway to Actility (Part 1)

This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to set up and connect your RAK gateway to the Actility LoRaWAN® server. It specifically focuses on configuring the WisGate RAK7268V2 gateway, which acts as the bridge between your end devices and the Actility server.

In this tutorial series, the RAK2560 Sensor Hub will be used, connecting to the Actility LNS through the RAK7268V2 gateway. Additionally, this guide includes tips for debugging devices, troubleshooting, and instructions for forwarding sensor data for visualization.

Add a LoRaWAN Gateway in Actility Server

To get started, first register the gateway in Actility and verify the successful connection.

Actility uses Basic Station for gateway connections, which differs from the UDP-Forwarder or MQTT methods used by other LoRaWAN servers. As a result, the steps for establishing the connection slightly differ from those used with other systems.

Key Topics Covered:

• Register the LoRaWAN Gateway in ThingPark

• Set Up LoRaWAN Gateway for Actility Integration

• Check LoRaWAN Gateway Connection in Actility

• Troubleshooting Gateway Connection

Register the LoRaWAN Gateway in ThingPark

ThingPark is Actility’s IoT platform designed for deploying low-power, wide-area (LPWA) networks.

1. To access the platform, log in to the Actility ThingPark Admin Console. If you do not have an account, create one.

2. On the Admin Console Dashboard, click the “+” button under the BASE STATIONS tab to add your RAK gateway.

Figure 1: Actility Dashboard 

3. In the ADDING A BASE STATION prompt, select View More Manufacturers to expand the list and find additional gateway options.

Figure 2: Add a Base Station

4. In the Select Your Base Station Manufacturer window, locate and select RAKwireless. You can either scroll through the list manually or type RAK into the Type to search manufacturers field to quickly find it.

Figure 3: Select a Base Station Manufacturer

5. You will be redirected to the ADDING A BASE STATION page. In the Model selector, choose the gateway model that matches your device.

Figure 4: Select Base Station Information

 

Gateway OS Version	RAK Gateway	Gateway Model Selection
	RAK7268V2 Edge Lite 2	WisGate Edge Pro (RAK7289 V2)
	RAK7240V2 Edge Prime	WisGate Edge Pro (RAK7289 V2)
	RAK7285 Edge Ultra	WisGate Edge Pro (RAK7289 V2)
	RAK7289V2 Edge Pro	WisGate Edge Pro (RAK7289 V2)
	RAK7267 Soho Pro	WisGate Edge Pro (RAK7289 V2)
	RAK7258 Edge Lite	WisGate Edge Lite (RAK7258)
	RAK7268 Edge Lite 2	WisGate Edge Lite (RAK7258)
	RAK7240 Edge Prime	WisGate Edge Prime (RAK7240)
	RAK7289 Edge Pro	WisGate Edge Max (RAK7249)
	RAK7391 WisGate Connect	WisGate Edge Lite (RAK7258)

In this guide, the RAK7268V2 running WisGateOS 2 is used; therefore, the appropriate selection is WisGate Edge Pro (RAK7289 V2).

6. Then, complete the remaining fields:

• Name: Enter a name for your gateway.
• LLR-UUID: This is the base station’s unique identifier and must follow this format 0016C0-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, where ⁣XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX is the gateway’s EUI.

The EUI can be found on the gateway’s label or on the Overview page in the gateway’s web UI.

Many regional options are available; choose the correct one for your deployment location. If you're unsure, refer to the LoRa Alliance Regional Parameters Plan or contact Actility support for guidance.

Figure 5: WisGateOS 2 Dashboard

• RF Region: Select the frequency band of your gateway from the drop-down menu.

Many regional options are available; choose the correct one for your deployment location. If you're unsure, refer to the LoRa Alliance Regional Parameters Plan or contact Actility support for guidance.

 

• Additional Information: Optionally, enter any relevant notes or details about the gateway setup.
• Position: Set the gateway’s physical location. This can be accomplished as follows:
  • Type the address into the Search field.
  • Click directly on the map to place the marker.
  • Enter the latitude and longitude coordinates should be done manually in the fields below the map.

 

Here is an example setup for the gateway used:

Settings	Details	Selection/Entry
Model	RAK7268V2	WisGate Edge Pro (RAK7289 V2)
Name		Edge V2
LRR-UUID	Gateway EUI	0016C0-AC1F09FFFExxxxxx
RF-Region	Test country Philippines	AS923-3 Philippines 8-channel
Additional Information		Test Setup
Location	Latitude/Longitude/Altitude	xx.42152/xxx.00681/70

 

Figure 6: Set Base Station Location in Actility

If you are using a different LoRaWAN region, change it to the correct one.

7. Once everything is set, click ADD to register the gateway in the Actility LoRaWAN server. A confirmation window will pop up. Click VIEW THE BASE STATION.

Figure 7: Confirm Base Station Location

8. You will be redirected to the Dashboard of the registered gateway. Since the gateway is not set up yet, its status will appear as INITIALIZATION.

Figure 8: Actility LoRaWAN Gateway Initialization

Set Up LoRaWAN Gateway for Actility Integration

This section shows how to configure the RAK7268V2 gateway using its web UI. At this point, the gateway should already be connected to the internet via Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular connectivity.

For detailed instructions on setting up the internet connection, refer to the WisGateOS 2 documentation.

 

1. To configure the gateway for the Actility LoRaWAN server, start by accessing the gateway’s web UI. For instructions on how to access it, refer to your specific RAK gateway’s documentation.

2. Once logged in, navigate to LoRa® Settings, then open the Configuration tab. By default, the gateway operates in built-in network server mode.

Figure 9: WisGateOS 2 Configuration Tab

3. Change the Work Mode option to Basics Station. Then, click on Configure Basics Station Server Setup to proceed with the server configuration.

Figure 10: Select Basics Station in WisGateOS 2

 

4. The Actility LoRaWAN server uses the CUPS (Configuration and Update Server) protocol.

• Select CUPS Server as the connection type.
• Enter the Server URL: https://community.thingpark.io
• Set the Server Port: 443

Figure 11: Configure Basics Station CUPS Server

5. In the Authentication Method section, select TLS Server Authentication.

Figure 12: Select Authentication Mode TLS

6. Upload the previously downloaded AmazonRootCA1.cer file into the Trust (CA Certificate) field.

Figure 13: Upload the Amazon Certificate

7. Once all the required fields are filled in, click Save Changes to apply and save the configuration.

Check LoRaWAN Gateway Connection in Actility

If the gateway successfully connects to the Actility LoRaWAN server, its status will change from INITIALIZATION to ACTIVE. However, since no devices are connected yet, no additional information will be displayed at this point.

Figure 14: Active Gateway Connection in Actility

Troubleshooting Gateway Connection

If the gateway does not show up as ACTIVE, verify the following settings in both the Actility console and the gateway configuration:

• EUI Match: Ensure the EUI used in Actility matches the one retrieved from the gateway.
• CUPS Settings: Verify the CUPS URL and port are set correctly in the gateway:
  • URL: https://community.thingpark.io
  • Port: 443
• Internet Connection: Ensure the gateway has a stable internet connection and can reach the server.

To check connectivity, use the Network Utilities under the Diagnostics section of the gateway. Tools like Ping and Trace can help confirm server access.

Figure 15: WisGateOS 2 Ping Function

Figure 16: WisGateOS 2 Trace Function

Up Next: Connect LoRaWAN Sensor to Actility

Now that you've successfully connected your WisGate RAK7268V2 gateway to Actility, the next step is to connect the RAK2560 Sensor Hub to Actility's LNS in Part 2. Following that, Part 3 will guide you through forwarding sensor data for storage and visualization.

 

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Bernd Giesecke Bernd is an Electronics Engineer and Product Manager at RAKwireless with 23 years of experience in industrial and automotive hardware and software R&D. He has been supporting the Arduino open-source community since 2014.

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