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how to connect rak gateways to chirpstack v3 via mqtt (protobuf)

This guide shows how to connect a RAK gateway to ChirpStack v3 using the MQTT Bridge protocol with Protobuf encoding.

Prerequisites

Before configuring the connection, make sure the following conditions are met:

  • A deployed ChirpStack v3 Network Server with Gateway Bridge configured for MQTT

  • The following ports are open on your ChirpStack server:

    • MQTT 1883 for LoRaWAN packet forwarding

    • HTTP 8080 for ChirpStack Web UI access

  • A RAK Gateway with Internet access

Register the Gateway in ChirpStack v3

This section provides step-by-step instructions for registering a RAK gateway in ChirpStack v3. For detailed instructions, refer to: How to Register a RAK Gateway in ChirpStack v3.

Configure the Gateway

  1. Log in to the gateway's Web UI.
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  1. Go to LoRa > Configuration, and set Work Mode to Packet forwarder.
  1. In the Protocol field, click the dropdown. Then configure the following parameters.
  • Protocol: Select LoRa® Gateway MQTT Bridge.
  • MQTT Protocol: Select MQTT ChirpStack 3.x (Protobuf).
  • MQTT Broker Address: Enter the public IP address of your ChirpStack server, for example: 18.156.176.220
  • MQTT Broker Port: 1883
  1. Click Save changes to apply the configuration.

Verify the Gateway Status

Once everything is set up correctly, your gateway will appear in the ChirpStack web interface under Gateways, with the Last seen field updating to a recent timestamp (e.g., “a few seconds ago”).

图形用户界面, 文本, 应用程序, 电子邮件 描述已自动生成

Troubleshooting

Issue Possible Cause Solution
Gateway Offline
  • Wrong MQTT Broker IP/port
  • Firewall blocks port 1883
  • MQTT service not running on ChirpStack server
  • Verify ChirpStack server IP/port is correct
  • Ensure TCP port 1883 is open
  • Check if MQTT broker (e.g., Mosquitto) is running 
Gateway Offline Gateway registered in ChirpStack with wrong EUI
  • Check gateway EUI in WebUI > Dashboard > Overview
  • Make sure same EUI is used when registering in ChirpStack
Gateway Offline Region mismatch Check chirpstack-network-server.toml and ensure the [network_server.band] parameter matches the hardware band of your gateway
Gateway Offline Gateway not connected to the Internet Confirm the gateway has Internet access or can reach the server IP.
ChirpStack Web UI not accessible Port 8080 blocked
  • Allow port 8080 through firewall/security group
  • Access via http://<your-server-ip>:8080
Authentication failure (if enabled) Wrong username/password or missing TLS certs
  • Verify MQTT broker credentials
  • Upload correct ca.crt, client.crt, client.key files if TLS is used

FAQs

1. Where can I find my Gateway EUI?
It’s printed on the gateway label as “GWEUI” or available in the WisGate Web UI > Dashboard > Overview.

2. What’s the difference between JSON and Protobuf?

  • JSON: Human-readable, easy for debugging, but larger in size.
  • Protobuf: More compact and faster, recommended for production deployments.  For ChirpStack v3, both formats are supported.

3. Can I use a private IP as the MQTT Broker address?
Yes, if the gateway and ChirpStack server are on the same LAN. Otherwise, use a public IP or domain name.

 

Changelog
  • Version 1 - How to Connect RAK Gateways to ChirpStack v3 via MQTT (Protobuf)
    • Date Published: 10/30/2025

Updated