Multi Packet Forwarder

Multi Packet Forwarder

This functionnality is only available for Keros version 5.5.1 and above

lorafwd_instance_manager

This tool allows the create and manage multiple instances of packet forwarder to connect a gateway to multiple LNS.

Following features are available in lorafwd_instance_manager tool:

Add a new instance of lorafwd (add <instance_name>)
Delete an instance of lorafwd (delete <instance_name>)
Check if an instance exists (check <instance_name>)
List all added instances (list)

Only UDP/GWMP packet forwarder instances can be created but they can be used at the same time as a Kerlink Basic Station Packet forwarder.

When using the multi-packet forwarder feature, usage of netid filtering is highly recommended to avoid downlink collision.

Note also that the last instance of lorafwd will define the radio parameters of your gateway

How to create and configure multiple instances

Creation of the instance

If you want to connect your gateway to a second LNS, you will need to create a new instance of lorafwd. To do this, use the following command:

lorafwd_instance_manager add second_instance

In the example the instance is named “second_instance” but you can name it as you like.

It will create all the files needed for its configuration.

List of generated files:

/
|-- etc
|   |-- lorafwd_second_instance.toml
|   |-- default
|   |   `-- lorafwd_second_instance
|   |-- init.d
|   |   `-- lorafwd_second_instance
|   |-- monit.d
|   |   `-- lorafwd_second_instance
|   |-- rcK.d
|   |   `-- K52lorafwd_second_instance -> /etc/init.d/lorafwd_second_instance
|   |-- rcU.d
|   |   `-- S51lorafwd_second_instance -> /etc/init.d/lorafwd_second_instance
|   |-- rsyslog.d
|   |   `-- lorafwd_second_instance
|   `-- sysupgrade.d
|       `-- lorafwd_second_instance.conf
|-- run
|   `-- lora
|       `-- lorafwd_second_instance.pid # Created each time it is started
|-- tmp
|   `-- lorafwd_second_instance_version # Created each time it is started
|-- usr
|   `-- sbin
|       `-- lorafwd_second_instance -> /usr/sbin/lorafwd
`-- var
    `-- lib
        `-- lorafwd_second_instance
            `-- database.sqlite # Created at first start

Configuration of the instance

Then, to configure the new instance, you will need to use the klk_apps_config as follow:

klk_apps_config --activate-lorafwd -i second_instance --lns-server second_instance.url --lns-dport 1700 --lns-uport 1700

After –lns-server –lns-dport –lns-uport enter your own informations according to klk_apps_config parameters

Logs

All lorafwd instances will write into the same log file /var/log/lora.log, and are distinguished by their names, for example:

2021-05-20T14:17:11.588309+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorad[10784]: <6> Sent 1 uplink message
2021-05-20T14:17:11.631126+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd_foo[11880]: <6> Heartbeat (F938) sent
2021-05-20T14:17:11.633762+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd_foo[11880]: <6> Heartbeat (F938) acknowledged in 2.6289 ms
2021-05-20T14:17:13.446644+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd[11552]: <6> Heartbeat (9FC3) sent
2021-05-20T14:17:13.449302+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd[11552]: <6> Heartbeat (9FC3) acknowledged in 2.6239 ms
2021-05-20T14:17:14.179913+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd[11552]: <6> Received uplink message: 
2021-05-20T14:17:14.180028+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd[11552]: <6> | lora uplink (1F70167D), payload 25 B, channel 868.1 MHz, crc ok, bw 125 kHz, sf 7, cr 4/5
2021-05-20T14:17:14.180093+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd[11552]: <6> | Unconfirmed Data Up, DevAddr 00430024, FCnt 467, FPort 25
2021-05-20T14:17:14.180139+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd[11552]: <6> |  - radio (00000105)
2021-05-20T14:17:14.180233+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd[11552]: <6> |   - demodulator counter 3502620444, UTC time 2021-05-20T14:17:14.173866Z, rssi -64 dB, snr 7.5< 10 <12.5 dB
2021-05-20T14:17:14.181910+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd[11552]: <6> Uplink message (ABD8) sent
2021-05-20T14:17:14.183471+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd_second_instance[11880]: <6> Received uplink message: 
2021-05-20T14:17:14.183584+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd_second_instance[11880]: <6> | lora uplink (1F70167D), payload 25 B, channel 868.1 MHz, crc ok, bw 125 kHz, sf 7, cr 4/5
2021-05-20T14:17:14.183651+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd_second_instance[11880]: <6> | Unconfirmed Data Up, DevAddr 00430024, FCnt 467, FPort 25
2021-05-20T14:17:14.183695+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd_second_instance[11880]: <6> |  - radio (00000105)
2021-05-20T14:17:14.183786+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd_second_instance[11880]: <6> |   - demodulator counter 3502620444, UTC time 2021-05-20T14:17:14.173866Z, rssi -64 dB, snr 7.5< 10 <12.5 dB
2021-05-20T14:17:14.185793+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd[11552]: <6> Uplink message (ABD8) acknowledged in 3.85701 ms
2021-05-20T14:17:14.186798+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd_second_instance[11880]: <6> Uplink message (FB49) sent
2021-05-20T14:17:14.187286+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorad[10784]: <6> Sent 1 uplink message
2021-05-20T14:17:14.189619+00:00 klk-wifc-03001D lorafwd_second_instance[11880]: <6> Uplink message (FB49) acknowledged in 2.80792 ms