how to enable auto failover on rak gateways using ping or http tracking

Learn how to configure Auto Failover on RAK LoRaWAN gateways using Ping or HTTP tracking to ensure continuous Internet connectivity.

This guide explains how to monitor WAN interfaces such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Cellular, and automatically switch to a backup link when the primary connection fails, ideal for mission-critical IoT deployments.

How It Works

To maintain reliable internet connectivity, each WAN interface (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Cellular) can be monitored with a tracking mechanism that detects whether the link is still reachable.

You can choose between two tracking methods, with only one enabled per interface:

Ping Tracking

• Sends ICMP ping requests to one or more specified IP addresses (e.g., 8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1)
• If the number of failed responses exceeds the configured Down threshold, the interface is marked as down
• Once the number of successful responses exceeds the Up threshold, the interface is marked as up again

HTTP Tracking

• Sends HTTP or HTTPS GET requests to a specified URL (e.g., http://example.com/ping).
• If the server does not respond with a valid status (such as HTTP 200), the system considers it a failed attempt.
• Similar to Ping, the Down and Up thresholds determine the status of the interface.

When an interface is marked down, the gateway automatically fails over to the next available backup interface according to the configured priority.

Configure Tracking for WAN Interfaces

Follow these steps to configure Ping or HTTP tracking for a specific network interface (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Cellular):

1. Navigate to the Network section in the Web UI.

2. Select the target interface and expand it by clicking the arrow on the right to reveal its configuration settings.
3. Navigate to the Settings > Tracking section.
4. Configure the tracking parameters according to your chosen method (ICMP or HTTP):

• Target Address: Enter one or more IP addresses (for ICMP) or URLs (for HTTP). After typing an address, click the Add button to save it.
• Reliability: The minimum number of target addresses that must respond in each cycle to consider the interface operational.
• Ping Count: The number of pings sent in each check cycle (e.g., 1 ping per test).
• Ping Timeout: The maximum time (in seconds) to wait for each ping response.
• Ping Interval: The frequency with which the system performs a ping check (e.g., every 5 seconds).
• Down: The number of consecutive failed checks required to mark the interface as down.
• Up: The number of consecutive successful checks needed to mark the interface as up again. 

5. Click Save to apply the settings.

Troubleshooting

FAQS

1. What happens if the ping target (e.g., 8.8.8.8) is unreachable due to external factors?
   The system will assume the interface is down. To prevent false triggers, use a reliable internal or public IP and adjust the Reliability and Down thresholds.
2. Can I use both Ping and HTTP tracking together?
   No, only one tracking method can be active per interface. Switching to one method will automatically disable the other and reset its configuration.
3. Why doesn’t the interface recover even after the network is back online?
   Ensure the Up threshold is not set too high. A smaller value (e.g., 2) helps the system detect recovery more quickly. Also, verify that the tracking target is reachable and provides valid responses.

Glossary

Updated October 31, 2025 15:32