How to Build a Private LoRaWAN Network with ChirpStack & Robustel R1520LG Industrial LoRaWAN Gateway

The Internet of Things (IoT) is fundamentally transforming industries by enabling smart, data-driven solutions through advanced technologies. Among these, LoRaWAN (Low-Power, Wide-Area Network) stands out as a leading protocol designed for long-range, low-power communication. As organizations increasingly deploy connected devices for mission-critical operations, the need for secure, reliable, and cost-effective connectivity has grown. This has fueled the adoption of the Private LoRaWAN Network .

Unlike public networks managed by telecom operators, a Private LoRaWAN Network gives an organization complete control over its infrastructure, data, and security policies. This is particularly vital in industrial settings where data sovereignty and network reliability are non-negotiable. According to a recent report by MarketsandMarkets, At a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 32.4% over the course of the projection period, the size of the global LoRa and LoRaWAN IoT market is expected to increase from USD 8.0 billion in 2024 to USD 32.7 billion by 2029. This explosive growth underscores the global demand for independent and scalable IoT solutions. This guide will show you exactly how to create your own Private LoRaWAN Network by detailing the integration of the open-source ChirpStack server with Robustel’s R1520LG, which is an Industrial LoRaWAN Gateway with Edge Computing capability. For a deeper dive into the protocol itself, see this overview of LoRaWAN Technology.

ChirpStack is a complete, open-source LoRaWAN Network Server stack. It provides all the necessary components to manage gateways, authenticate devices, route data, and integrate with your end applications. Because it's open-source, it allows for deployment on your own hardware (like the R1520LG or a server), giving you full control over your Private LoRaWAN Network . Its enterprise-grade features and adherence to industry standards make it a top choice for professional deployments.

Its core components include:

• ChirpStack Network Server (NS): This is the engine of the network. It handles device join procedures (OTAA/ABP), schedules downlink data transmissions, manages Adaptive Data Rate (ADR) for optimal device performance, and processes all LoRaWAN MAC layer commands.
• ChirpStack Application Server (AS): This component provides a user-friendly web interface for managing devices and gateways. It also supports payload decoding/encoding (using JavaScript or Python) and enables powerful API integrations with your applications via HTTP, MQTT, or gRPC.
• ChirpStack Gateway Bridge: This essential utility runs on the Industrial LoRaWAN Gateway itself. It converts the standard LoRa Gateway Protocol (UDP) from the Semtech Packet Forwarder into a secure and structured MQTT/Protobuf format, while also managing gateway authentication.

For detailed documentation, the official ChirpStack website is an invaluable resource. Understanding these components is the first step to building your Private LoRaWAN Network.

The Robustel R1520LG is Robustel’s next-generation indoor Industrial LoRaWAN Gateway , specifically optimized for building a reliable and high-performance Private LoRaWAN Network . Its industrial-grade design ensures it can operate in demanding environments, while its powerful hardware provides the foundation for both LoRaWAN communication and edge computing tasks.

Robustel R1520LG: Industrial LoRaWAN Edge Gateway

With its modern 8-channel Semtech SX1302 LoRa concentrator, the R1520LG can handle a high density of devices, making it perfect for both initial deployments and large-scale expansions of your Private LoRaWAN Network.

Combining the ChirpStack stack with the Robustel R1520LG Industrial LoRaWAN Gateway offers significant advantages over relying on public networks or other solutions:

1. Cost Efficiency: By running ChirpStack on your own hardware (on-premises or in a private cloud), you eliminate the recurring subscription fees associated with commercial LoRaWAN network providers. This drastically reduces the total cost of ownership (TCO), especially for large-scale deployments. This is a primary driver for choosing a Private LoRaWAN Network.
2. Complete Data Sovereignty and Security: Your data never has to leave your private network. All device data flows from the R1520LG Industrial LoRaWAN Gateway directly to your ChirpStack server. This full control over the data path is critical for sensitive industrial, medical, or municipal applications where compliance with data privacy regulations (like GDPR) is essential.
3. Ultra-Low Latency: When the ChirpStack server is deployed on the same local network as the R1520LG Industrial LoRaWAN Gateway , communication latency can be reduced to sub-30ms. This is ideal for industrial control and other real-time IoT applications where immediate responses are necessary.
4. Scalability and Flexibility: The R1520LG’s 8-channel LoRa concentrator supports a large number of end devices. As your IoT project grows, you can easily add more R1520LG gateways to expand coverage, all managed under a single ChirpStack instance.
5. Enhanced Reliability: The R1520LG’s robust industrial design ensures consistent performance even in harsh conditions. Paired with ChirpStack's stable and well-maintained open-source code, you get a highly reliable foundation for your Private LoRaWAN Network.

The versatility of a ChirpStack and R1520LG-based Private LoRaWAN Network supports a wide range of industrial and commercial IoT use cases:

• Smart Metering: Deploy private networks to monitor energy, water, and gas usage across a campus, industrial park, or residential complex for efficient resource management and automated billing.
• Environmental Monitoring: Track temperature, humidity, and air quality in real-time for compliance, safety, and operational efficiency in factories, warehouses, and agricultural settings.
• Asset Tracking: Locate and monitor the status of valuable assets within a large facility, construction site, or shipping yard to improve operational efficiency and prevent loss.
• Smart Agriculture: Collect crucial sensor data from fields to optimize irrigation schedules, monitor soil health, and track crop growth conditions over a wide area.

Before starting your ChirpStack R1520LG integration, ensure you have the following:

• Access to the R1520LG Industrial LoRaWAN Gateway 's command line via SSH.
• Reliable internet connectivity for the gateway via one of its backhaul options (Ethernet or a 4G SIM card).
• Basic knowledge of Linux for using terminal commands.

By default, both ETH0 and ETH1 are in bridge mode. To use one as a dedicated internet uplink, follow these steps.

1. Access the R1520LG Web Interface and navigate to Bridge → Settings.
2. Locate the ETH1 Sub Interface and uncheck the "eth1" option.
3. Click Submit, then Save & Apply.
4. Navigate to Network → WAN → Add New Interfaceand configure as follows:
   • Name: WAN
   • Type: Ethernet
   • Interface: eth1
   • Firewall Zone: External
   • IPv4 Connection Type: DHCP
5. After saving, the new Ethernet WAN link will be active.

1. Install your SIM card and connect the 4G antennas to the MAIN and AUX ports.
2. Navigate to Interface → Cellular → Advanced cellular settings and set the parameters according to your ISP's requirements (e.g., APN).
3. Go to Network → WAN → Link and add a new link for cellular dial-up, selecting "Modem" as the link type.
4. After saving, the cellular WAN link will be active.

Before installing software, create sudo privileges via the web UI.

1. Go to System > User Management > Sudo user > Sudo User Settings.
2. Click "Add" and configure your sudo user.

Access the terminal via SSH and install the prerequisites:

Bash

sudo apt update sudo apt install mosquitto mosquitto-clients redis-server redis-tools postgresql 

Set up the PostgreSQL database and roles for ChirpStack:

SQL

sudo -u postgres psql 
create role chirpstack with login password 'chirpstack'; 
create database chirpstack with owner chirpstack; 
\c chirpstack create extension pg_trgm; 
\q 

Add the ChirpStack repository and install the components:

Bash

sudo apt install apt-transport-https dirmngr -y 
sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 1CE2AFD36DBCCA00 
echo "deb https://artifacts.chirpstack.io/packages/4.x/deb stable main" | 
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/chirpstack.list sudo apt update 
sudo apt install chirpstack-gateway-bridge 

Next, edit the Gateway Bridge configuration file at 

/etc/chirpstack-gateway-bridge/chirpstack-gateway-bridge.toml to match your region (e.g., EU868):

[integration.mqtt] event_topic_template="eu868/gateway/{{ .GatewayID }}/event/{{ .EventType }}" command_topic_template="eu868/gateway/{{ .GatewayID }}/command/#" 

Enable and start the ChirpStack services to bring your Private LoRaWAN Network online:

Bash

sudo systemctl start chirpstack 
sudo systemctl enable chirpstack 
sudo systemctl start chirpstack-gateway-bridge 
sudo systemctl enable chirpstack-gateway-bridge 

Verify the services are running correctly:

Bash

sudo systemctl status chirpstack 
sudo systemctl status chirpstack-gateway-bridge 

Navigate to your R1520LG's IP address on port 8080 (e.g., http://192.168.0.1:8080). Log in with the default credentials (admin/admin) and change the password immediately for security.

• Device Profile: Go to LoRaWAN > Device Profiles to create a new profile for your device type.
• Add Device: Go to LoRaWAN > Devices to add your end devices, entering their DevEUI, AppKey, and other relevant information.

The successful device join process for your Private LoRaWAN Network involves:

1. The end device sends a Join Request.
2. The R1520LG Industrial LoRaWAN Gateway forwards it to your ChirpStack instance.
3. ChirpStack validates the device and responds with a Join Accept message.
4. The R1520LG Industrial LoRaWAN Gateway forwards this Join Accept to the device, completing the activation.

Building a Private LoRaWAN Network using ChirpStack and the Robustel R1520LG Industrial LoRaWAN Gateway is a powerful way to take full control of your IoT infrastructure. This approach offers significant advantages in cost, security, latency, and scalability, making it an ideal choice for serious industrial and commercial deployments. By following this guide, you have a clear roadmap to deploy a robust, professional-grade IoT solution tailored to your specific needs. To learn more about how Robustel's hardware can power your IoT projects, explore our full range of Industrial IoT Gateways.