Build a Private Network: LoRaWAN Gateway & ChirpStack

Public networks are great for testing, but enterprises often demand data sovereignty. Building a private LoRaWAN network allows you to own the entire stack—from the sensor to the LoRaWAN gateway to the Network Server. This guide explains how to use ChirpStack, the industry-standard open-source Network Server, to manage your fleet. We provide a technical roadmap for deploying ChirpStack via Docker and configuring an industrial LoRaWAN gateway to forward packets to your private IP address, eliminating monthly fees and cloud dependencies.

For many businesses, the idea of sending proprietary sensor data through a public network (like TTN) is a non-starter. Whether due to security regulations, privacy concerns, or simple cost avoidance, the solution is a Private Network.

To build one, you need two things:

1. Hardware: An industrial LoRaWAN gateway.
2. Software: A Network Server (LNS).

ChirpStack is the world's most popular open-source LNS. It gives you the power of a telecom operator on your own server.

This guide walks you through the architecture and configuration required to connect your Robustel LoRaWAN gateway to a private ChirpStack instance.

In a private setup, the LoRaWAN gateway does not talk to the internet at large. It talks only to your server.

1. The Sensor: Sends an encrypted radio packet.
2. The LoRaWAN gateway: Receives the packet via its antenna. It wraps the packet in UDP or Basic Station protocol and sends it to your server's IP address.
3. The ChirpStack Gateway Bridge: This software (running on your server or the gateway) translates the packet into MQTT.
4. The ChirpStack Network Server: De-duplicates the packet, decrypts it using the NwkSKey, and forwards the data to your application.

You don't need a supercomputer. You can run ChirpStack on a cheap cloud VPS (DigitalOcean/AWS) or even a local Raspberry Pi for testing.

The easiest method is using Docker Compose.

• Download the official ChirpStack Docker repository.
• Run docker-compose up -d.
• This spins up the Network Server, Application Server, PostgreSQL (database), and Redis (cache) containers automatically.
• Access the web interface at http://YOUR-SERVER-IP:8080. Default login is admin / admin.

Now you must point your hardware to your new server. Log into your Robustel LoRaWAN gateway web interface (RobustOS).

Option A: Semtech UDP (Easiest)

1. Go to LoRaWAN > Packet Forwarder.
2. Select Protocol:Semtech UDP.
3. Server Address: Enter the IP address of your ChirpStack server.
4. Port: Default is 1700.
5. Gateway EUI: Copy this string (e.g., 00A0C5...). You will need it for Step 3.
6. Click Apply.

Option B: Basic Station (Most Secure) If your LoRaWAN gateway supports it, use Basic Station. It uses TCP/SSL instead of UDP, making it more reliable over cellular connections. You will need to copy the LNS certificate from your ChirpStack server to the gateway.

Your server is running, and your gateway is pointing to it. Now you must introduce them.

1. Log into the ChirpStack UI.
2. Navigate to Gateways > Create.
3. Gateway ID: Paste the LoRaWAN gateway EUI you copied earlier.
4. Name: Give it a friendly name (e.g., Warehouse-Gateway-1).
5. Stats Interval: Set to 30 seconds.
6. Click Submit.

If everything is correct, the "Last Seen" timestamp will turn green "A few seconds ago." Your LoRaWAN gateway is now effectively a private telecom tower under your control.

With the LoRaWAN gateway connected, you can now add Device Profiles and Applications. ChirpStack includes built-in JavaScript decoders.

• When a sensor sends a hex payload (e.g., 0167), the server uses your script to convert it into JSON (e.g., {"temperature": 25.5}).
• From there, you can use the Integrations tab to push this JSON to your own database (InfluxDB), dashboard (Grafana), or IoT platform (ThingsBoard) via MQTT or HTTP Webhooks.

Building a private network requires a bit more IT work upfront, but the long-term rewards are massive.

By pairing a rugged Robustel LoRaWAN gateway with ChirpStack, you eliminate monthly fees and third-party data risks. You create a closed-loop system where you own the hardware, the software, and most importantly, the data. For enterprise IoT, this is the gold standard of architecture.