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BuildLevel: Intermediate10 min read

Installing a LoRaWAN sensor network

Where to put the gateway, how deep to place probes and how to test coverage.

Updated:

Installing a LoRaWAN sensor networkLoRaWAN · 4G

LoRaWAN lets sensors run for years on battery and reach 2–5 km. Most data loss comes from gateway placement and probe installation, not the hardware.

Steps

  1. 1

    Mount the gateway high

    A 6–10 m mast, clear of metal roofs, antenna vertical. Use 4G as backhaul or backup.

  2. 2

    Register devices

    Scan each sensor's QR in NG Farm – it receives its own certificate and is bound to a plot.

  3. 3

    Probe the root zone

    Leafy greens: 10–15 cm; melons and tomatoes: 20 cm; fruit trees: 30–40 cm at half the canopy radius. Firm the soil around the probe.

  4. 4

    Check signal strength

    In the app, RSSI should beat −110 dBm and SNR > −10 dB. If not, raise the gateway or add a second one.

  5. 5

    Set thresholds and rules

    Example: irrigate zone A when moisture < 35% for 15 minutes, stop at 45%. Rules are pushed to the gateway so they run offline.

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