LoRaWAN / Riot-OS Setup

Summary

Setting up a LoRaWAN application with Riot-OS on a STM32 LoRa and Sigfox Discovery Kit

Requirements

• Operating system: Ubuntu
• Packages: git

Description

Step 1

Install the following packages

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install git 
                     openocd
                     gcc-multilib
                     build-essential
                     python-serial
                     libudev-dev
                     moserial

Step 2

Install the toolchain

Goto https://developer.arm.com/downloads/-/gnu-rm and download

gcc-arm-none-eabi-7-2018-q2-update-linux.tar.bz2

Move it to your home directory.

Uninstall old packages

sudo apt remove binutils-arm-none-eabi gcc-arm-none-eabi libnewlib-arm-none-eabi

Unzip the downloaded file

tar -xjvf gcc-arm-none-eabi-7-2018-q2-update-linux.tar.bz2

Add the toolchain to your path

export PATH=$PATH:/home/(your user)/gcc-arm-none-eabi-7-2018-q2-update/bin/

Step 3

Download Riot-OS

git clone https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT.git myRIOT

Step 4

Build and run "Hello World" on the STM32 LoRa and Sigfox kit.

Set the rights for your username to be able to flash the application on the board.

sudo usermod -a -G dialout <username>

Then reboot your computer.

Attach the antenna to the board - never use it without the antenna! Connect the board to your computer via micro USB cable.

Start up moSerial and connect it with the board. Make sure to adjust the parameters as specified in the screenshot.

Build and flash the application.

cd myRIOT/examples/hello-world
make BOARD=b-l072z-lrwan1
make BOARD=b-l072z-lrwan1 flash

If you do not use a serial terminal like moserial or terraterm use term

make BOARD=b-l072z-lrwan1 term

You may also set the BOARD in the Makefile of the application.

Step 5

Create an application at the TTN (The Things Network).

Register at https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/ and login. Click on your user name and select "Console", and then click on "Applications" and then on "Create Application".

After filling in the name and description for your application click on "Create Application" at the bottom.

Register the board for your application by clicking on "Register end device".

Choose the option "Enter device specifics manually" and select the options as shown in the image below. Most LoRaWAN versions will work fine for this example. The JoinEUI field can be filled with all zeros.

Then click "Confirm" button next to the JoinEUI to continue.

Click the "Generate" button for both the DevEUI and the AppKey as shown in the image below. When completed, click "Register end device".

You will now be redirected to the end device page. In the device overview, you can see all the parameters you need for the Makefile.

Now you can copy each key and paste it in your Makefile (cf. Step 6).

Step 6

Build and run LoRaWAN Riot application.

cd myRIOT/examples/lorawan

Now edit the Makefile: insert device EUI, application EUI, and application key.

Build the application and flash it to the board.

make BOARD=b-l072z-lrwan1
make BOARD=b-l072z-lrwan1 flash term

Goto to your TTN account and click on "Data" - there you can see the incoming data.

If you get "Join procedure failed" output and all your EUIs in the makefile are correct, then press the RESET button (black) on your board.

Used Hardware

STM32 LoRa and Sigfox Discovery kit

Courses

• Internet- & Netzwerktechnologien (2019)

References

• https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/
• https://developer.arm.com/