16-Channel Support in Basics Station Mode

RAK LoRaWAN® gateways support up to 16 LoRa® channels in Basics Station (BS) mode, enabling reliable, high-capacity communication for dense IoT deployments.

This guide walks you through connecting your RAK gateway to Actility ThingPark, verifying the connection, and troubleshooting common setup issues.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

• A 16-channel RAK LoRaWAN gateway (RAK7289V2/RAK7289CV2 WisGate Edge Pro V2 is used in this guide)
• Gateway firmware (WisGateOS 2 v2.2.14 or later)
• A connected LoRaWAN Network Server (LNS) with 16-channel support in Basics Station mode
• An internet connection for the gateway via Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular

Connect the Gateway to an LNS

This example uses Actility ThingPark as a reference. You can follow similar steps for other LNS platforms that support 16 channels in Basics Station mode. 

1. Log in to the Actility ThingPark Admin Console.

2. On the Dashboard, click the “+” button under the BASE STATIONS tab to add a new gateway.

3. In the ADDING A BASE STATION prompt, click View More Manufacturers to see the complete list of gateway vendors.

4. In the Select Your Base Station Manufacturer window, search for and select RAKwireless. Either scroll through the list or type RAKwireless in the search field.

5. You will be redirected to the ADDING A BASE STATION page. Fill in the required gateway information.

• Model

  Select your RAK gateway. If it's not listed, choose the closest match based on your WisGateOS version from the table below.

• Name: Enter a name for your gateway.

• LLR-UUID: Enter the gateway's identifier in the format 0016C0-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, where XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX represents the gateway's EUI. The EUI can be found on the gateway's physical label (GW EUI) or under Dashboard > Overview in the Web UI.

• RF Region: Select the appropriate frequency band for your deployment region. To enable 16-channel operation, ensure that the selected RF Region plan supports 16 channels in your LNS.

• Additional Information: (Optional) Add notes or comments for future reference.

• Position: Set the physical location of the gateway by:

  • Typing the address into the Search field.

  • Clicking on the map to place the marker, the latitude and longitude fields will be filled automatically.

  • Enter the gateway's installation height (in meters) in the Altitude above sea level field.

• Connection Status Alarm: Sets the time and severity level for triggering an alarm when the gateway loses connection. 

6. Once all fields are complete, click ADD. A confirmation will appear; then click VIEW THE BASE STATION.

7. You will then be redirected to the gateway's dashboard, where the status will initially display as INITIALIZATION.

Configure the Gateway

This section explains how to configure your RAK gateway to connect to the ThingPark platform via Basics Station (CUPS).

1. Log in to the gateway's Web UI.

2. Navigate to LoRa® > Configuration, and set the Work Mode to Basics station.

3. Click Configure Basics Station server setup to begin the configuration process.

4. Enter the following details:

• CUPS Server

  Select CUPS Server.

• Server URL: https://community.thingpark.io

  For other ThingPark instances (e.g., Enterprise or private deployments), use the CUPS URL provided by your network administrator.

• Server Port: 443

• Authentication Method

  Select TLS Server Authentication.

• Trust (CA Certificate)

  Download the AmazonRootCA1.cer file and upload it.

5. Click Save changes to apply the configuration.

Verify Gateway Status

1. Return to the ThingPark Admin Console.

   If the configuration is successful, the gateway status will change from INITIALIZATION to ACTIVE within a few minutes.

2. Navigate to Dashboard > LoRa® statistics. Verify that the channel usage statistics chart shows 16 channels.

Troubleshooting

FAQs

1. Do I need to manually set the LoRaWAN region on the gateway?
   No. When using Basics Station (CUPS), the region is configured automatically by the LNS.

2. Can the gateway automatically report its location?
   Yes. If GPS/GNSS is enabled on the gateway, it will automatically report its position to the Actility server.

3. The gateway is ACTIVE, but I don't see any device data, is this normal?
   Yes. Device traffic will only appear after end devices are registered and actively sending data.

4. Why does my gateway only show 8 channels in Basics Station mode?
   In Basics Station mode, the number of channels is determined by the LNS frequency plan. If your LNS is set to an 8-channel plan, the gateway will only operate with 8 channels.
    

Updated November 07, 2025 03:57