Connect a gateway to a private instance

Owned by Sylvain Prost (Unlicensed)
Last updated: 03 Feb 2022 by Tarun Krishna T
2 min read


You want to connect a gateway to your private instance but the documentation on the things network isn't enough.


Before starting

The guide focus on the setting up the Semtech Packet Forwarder/

Ensure that the gateway have access to internet and have all additional executable needed (this might include a packet forwarder). For more information visit the gateway section and look for your gateway model, if it is not present please inquiry the manufacturer about the gateway documentation.

Make sure the gateway isn't register in any other network.

This guide will make several reference to <domain> which is the id/domain of your network server. This identifier was transmitted to you by email. Make sure you replace the word <domain> in every file on URL with the id that was transmitted to you.


The gateway should have access to the public internet. If you are on-premise or self-hosting make sure the network server is reachable by the gateway.

As of today the Semtech pcket forwarder open a UDP connection and the TTN packet forwarder register on MQTT


Step-by-step guide

Follow each step carefully, if at the end you are still not successful see the Articles de dépannage.

In this guide our gateway will have  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 as EUI.

Register the gateway

Note: It is not always necessary to register the gateway on the console but it is for gateway that use the Semtech packet forwarder since their message need to be forwarded to a special service. 

Login on your private network console (console.<domain>.thethings.industries). Select Gateway then register gateway (green button). You can start filling your gateway information.

Do not forget to select "I'm using Semtech packet forwarder", if your gateway is using it.

Your gateway will appear as followed in your gateway list. "EU_863_870" is the frequency plan used by the gateway, make sure you selected the right frequency plan.
Unless the gateway already joined the network server, it will be written as "not connected" 


Setup the gateway


Login on to the gateway either through ssh or serial communication. Copy the following line into a file named local_conf.json at the root of your gateway. It might be necessary to move this file depending on the gateway model and system. Consult the gateway section to make sure.

local_conf.json
{
  "gateway_conf": {
      "gateway_ID": "0000000000000001",
      "serv_port_up": 1700,
      "serv_port_down": 1700,
      "server_address": "<domain>.thethings.industries"
}

Reboot the gateway. Go back to your console in the gateway section, the gatway should be now written as connected.