how to access system logs on rak lorawan® gateways

Learn how to access system logs on RAK LoRaWAN gateways via Web UI, SSH, and WisDM to monitor and troubleshoot network performance. 

System logs are vital for diagnosing network issues, monitoring device performance, and performing timely troubleshooting. Gateways running WisGateOS 2 support multiple log access methods, including:

• Local Web UI

• SSH access

• WisDM IoT Fleet Management cloud platform

• Integration with an external log server

Each log access method provides different capabilities depending on your use case. The following sections provide detailed steps for each.

Log Access Methods

Web UI (Local Access)

The Web UI for all gateways with WisGateOS2 features a graphical interface accessible through a web browser, allowing users to configure, manage, and monitor the gateway's settings and operations.

View Real-Time Logs

1. Log in to the WisGateOS2 web interface of the RAK gateway.

2. Navigate to Diagnostics > System Log to view the system logs in real time.

3. Click the Auto Refresh button to enable or disable real-time log updates.

Access Historical Logs

1. To access historical logs, go to Settings > File Browser.
2. Open the directory /mnt/mmcblk0p1/syslog/ to view archived log files.

3. Click on any .log.tgz file to download the archived logs for offline analysis.

SSH Access

 View Real-Time Logs

1. Open an SSH client and connect to the gateway using its IP address on port 22.

2. When prompted, enter the login password to complete the connection.
3. To view live system logs, run: logread -f

4. To display the logs currently stored in memory (without continuous streaming), execute: logread

Access Historical Logs

1. Navigate to the log directory: cd /mnt/mmcblk0p1/syslog/
2. List available log files: ls

3. You can download the required file from the /mnt/mmcblk0p1/syslog/ directory to your computer using your SSH client or preferred file transfer software.

External Log Server

Integrate with an External Log Server

To view gateway logs from an external log server, first configure log forwarding in the gateway’s Web UI.

1. Log in to the WisGateOS2 web interface of the RAK gateway.

   

2. Go to Settings > General Settings > System Log.
3. Configure the following parameters:

• Buffer size (KiB): Enter the maximum in-memory log buffer size (e.g., 64)
• Log expiration: Select a retention period from the dropdown menu:
  • 14 days
  • 1 month
  • 3 months
  • 6 months
  • 12 months
• External system log server IP address: Enter the IP address of your external syslog server
• Port: Enter the port number used by your log server (e.g., 514 for standard syslog).

4. Click Save to apply the configuration.

Once saved, the gateway will continuously stream logs to the specified external server using the Syslog protocol.

View Logs on the External Server

Once logs are successfully forwarded to your external log server, you can access and analyze them using the tools provided by that platform. For detailed instructions on browsing and viewing logs on the remote log server, refer to How to Set Up an External Log Server > View Gateway Logs on the Remote Log Server.

WisDM Platform

WisDM enables users to view gateway logs in real time or access historical logs through a cloud-based interface. It also supports remote command execution for advanced diagnostics.

Before attempting to view logs, ensure that the gateway is added to WisDM and is currently online.

 View Real-Time Logs

1. Log in to the WisDM platform.

2. Navigate to the organization that contains your gateway.

3. In the left-hand menu, select Gateways and then choose the target device.

4. On the device Overview page, click View Log and then select Start System Log to begin live log streaming.

5.  When prompted, enter the login password for the gateway to authenticate.

6. The logs will begin streaming in real time on the WisDM web interface.

Access Historical Logs

To enable WisDM to retrieve and display archived logs from the gateway, follow these steps:

1. From the gateway's Overview page in WisDM, navigate to System Settings > Log Settings.

2. Configure the following options:

• File Rotation Cycle: Specifies the duration for which the gateway retains local log files before rotating or deleting them.
• Share Logs: Select WisDM to enable cloud-based log synchronization with the WisDM platform.
• WisDM Log Retrieval Cycle: Defines the frequency with which the gateway uploads new log data to WisDM.
• WisDM File Rotation Cycle: Determines how long the uploaded logs remain visible in WisDM.

3. Click Send Changes to apply the settings.
4. Return to the device’s Overview page in WisDM and click History Log to view the recently uploaded log archives.

Access Remote Terminal 

WisDM includes a built-in SSH terminal that allows users to issue commands directly to the gateway without needing a separate SSH client.

1. On the Overview page of the selected gateway, click SSH Terminal.

2. Enter the gateway password to authenticate.

3. Use the following commands:

logread         # Display current system logs stored in memory (non-streaming)

logread -f      # Continuously stream new logs in real time

Troubleshooting

FAQs

1. Can I view logs if I cannot access the gateway locally?
   Yes, you can view logs remotely through WisDM or an external log server.
2. How frequently are logs written to the /mnt/mmcblk0p1/syslog/ folder?
   Logs are continuously written to shared memory. The write frequency is influenced by the Buffer size (KiB) parameter found in Settings > General Settings > System Log.
3. What should I do if I cannot SSH into the gateway?
   Ensure that the gateway’s IP is reachable and that you are using port 22 for SSH access.
4. How long are historical logs stored?
   The retention period can be configured in Settings > General Settings > System Log under the Log expiration setting, with the default set to 1 month.

Updated September 02, 2025 01:05