New TTIG indoor gateway not connecting - firmware too old?

Just received this gateway from RS in the UK. Connected to WiFi ok, registered it in the console, but it never connects (has been several hours now). Just constant rapidly flashing green LED. The FW build date is 2018-12-06, firmware version 2.0.0. This seems pretty old, so maybe no longer supported? I’ll probably just return it to RS if it’s not supported by TTN. Should just add, I did also try it on my phone’s mobile hotspot, and turned it off/on numerous times.

Have you claimed the gateway according to the documentation? When you claim a gateway, a new firmware is sent to it if it’s running old firmware.

Hi, I just used the guide to register it. It’s a new device, not from another account. I’ll try deleting it from the account then claim it back I guess. If it doesn’t work I’ll just return it to RS.

Deleting it is good. Claiming it works 99.99% of the time.

Returning it to RS before you’ve searched the forum or reached out on here for more info will be best - I love getting the refurbished TTIGs at a discount! :wink:

Deleting then claiming the device fixed the issue. I think maybe the documentation needs to be updated to reflect the fact a device needs to be registered, then deleted, then claimed for it to work? Shouldn’t it really just work after being registered, like, every other system on earth? :slight_smile:

Nope, simply needs to be ‘claimed’… using ‘Claim Gateway’ option on Gateway Console don’t use ‘Add Gateway’, as used by other classes of gateway, to effect registration. Note for new TTIG owners…this point is clarified and explained in multiple threads on the forum. Forum search is your friend :slight_smile:

Unless I missed something, all my searches on Google for how to register the TTIG link to the same official documentation - the outdated one, which links to the current one, which both specify using the Add Gateway method. The claim option is only mentioned as a way of transferring ownership. Maybe this should be updated? I think the official product docs are a lot more visible to people than searching through a sub forum…

I did actiually search here and started reading through some 10,000+ reply thread for someone having a similar problem, but I have no idea if or where that was resolved over months of posts. This is the first place I’ve seen someone explain that the “Add” option doesn’t work, and so the “Claim” option must be used.

Anyway, now I know, I’ll add it to internal docs, so thanks.

A very different provisioning system is going on under the hood - that also allows for firmware updates etc - so in the medium term, this is actually a preferable system.

Google does make a pigs ear of finding current documentation - every man & his dog has a website now that they can put any amount of duff info on to.

It occurs to me that we can ask the TTI web person to look at removing older product docs links from Google and certainly in the TTIG’s case, nuking the v2 setup from high orbit.

Happily one of the great strengths of TTN and its forum (and supporting background documentation from TTI) is its breadth and depth - possibly the best single source on LoRaWAN and associated use cases/experiences on ‘the net’. Sadly one of the great weaknesses of…is its breadth, depth & popularity! :slight_smile: With >6 years of history it can get fragmented and unfortunately search engines like Google et al, tend to bias popularity over usefulness!

Given the TTIG was available in the market for some 2- 2.5years before release of V3 - happily running on TTNV2 - and given one of the most sought after sets of information once TTIG was enabled for use on TTS(CE) aka TTN V3 in the summer was naturally around how to migrate existing devices vs starting fresh it is no suprise that many Inet searches lead to the wrong paths - not much TTI/TTN can do about that (The Interweb hates, and indeed routes around sensorship!).

The primary source therefore should always be the official documentation and fortunately, unlike your assertion above, this is clear about the process.
https://www.thethingsindustries.com/docs/gateways/

Any links taking you to V2 docs will, in the main, on thethingsnetwork.org sites, also have a warning to say they are deprecated and relate to V2 only and include a link to where you can find V3 docs etc. e.g.

image

Accordingly a simple search for “The Things Indoor Gateway V3” should take you to a results page where the 1st item (and 1st sub item) relate to migrating TTIG V2 - V3, as the initially most popular need. The 2nd major search result shows a link to the TTI Docs, covering GW’s as above.

Here the section on the TTIG down the body of the page - or linked from the useful listing of common/popular GW’s often used on TTS/TTN down the left side takes you to the current official info where it clearly and unambiguously shows:


Note also the warning about not using regular ‘adding’ option :wink:

Still, the key point is you have your solution and have correct internal docs, and should anyone need to refer to futher guidance the ‘official’ support documentation will assist and show users what to do. (Also important to any future users coming across this thread…)

As Nick mentions (just seen his response, whilst crafting my own) there are lots of links to deep old posts and lots of folk have created their own, often now outdated, repositories/forks of information - again one of the good things about the Inet that can also be a double edged sword! Just nuking old info may not be great from a technology history, and archeology, perspective, so perhaps a more considered ‘archiving’ once we are finally through the V2 to V3 transition will be appropriate and have time & resources to manage this either at the community or TTI level. The archive could then be appropriately curated and caveated to say no longer valid and use at own risk :slight_smile: etc. with entry only granted once acknowledged.

Yes, I think the core problem is that for anyone who doesn’t know to add “V3” to a search when they’re trying to set up a new device, the documentation ultimately takes you here: Adding Gateways | The Things Stack for LoRaWAN . So it’s chicken and egg - you only get the information about claiming, if you already know about claiming, and that you should be searching for V3, and not V2. In fact from the very page you link above, the link to the new V3 documentation takes you straight to “How to add a gateway”, which again, makes no mention of claiming. Maybe a select list of “Device specific instructions” might help from a usability standpoint? That would certainly have helped me immediately. :grin: Scrolling down the left-hand list to the bottom of the page didn’t occur to me, rightly or wrongly…

I hopw it doesn’t sound like I’m badgering about this - I can see why there’s a problem when transitioning from one API to another (I’ve had to do it, many times myself). I’m just trying to think of ways to help others find a solution faster, as I can see a lot of threads on the same issue. I’d suggest at least a 301 redirect that Google does use, to bypass the old documentation completely - it will then disappear from Google at least. I don’t think random pages from other individuals are as big a problem (at least for most people?) since I’d think most people would go directly to this site, instead of “Steve’s Blog” :grin:

Cheers!

The Mods/volunteers have already asked TTI Core for steps to be taken to hide from Google et al such as this, whilst also seeking to preserve info for those who need it. There are lots of warnings and banners already in place - but sadly users often just work around or ignore. Such as when adding a TTIG:

Agree with the issue around V2 vs V3, however, with respect we do consider that new users have spent some time checking and researching before spending/investing time and money (caveat emptor) and it doesnt take long to discover, either through the forum or the docs that V2 is ramping down/shutting and TTS(CE) - V3 - use or migration is needed - banners and posts are everywere…

The link you pull out is already a level down from the overview and also by default ignores the fact that specific GW focussed info - inc TTIG - is readily & helpfully called out for users to access… its difficult for us/TTI to handle the possibility that users will come in through a googled link or dive straight in - even where just considering the latest releases.

Claiming as a process is different from Adding, as Nick suggested above, and will become increasingly common as units make use of BasicStation, CUPS, servers and pre-provisioning, and it is recognised that this is a difference from historic methods that goes across all networks, users and manufacturers of such GW’s - not just TTN/TTI.

Note, dont worry we do not think you are ‘badgering’ rather we appreciate the feedback and recognise there may be points of confusion, that we try to mitigate against. Often the regulars and the ‘old timers’ get too familiar with processes and sources/pathways and miss issues others may face…

1 Like

This is a good point - I’ll add a banner to the V2 TTIG docs pointing specifically to the V3 TTIG doc, where claiming is described. I’ll also add a note in the general Adding Gateways doc to find documentation for your specific gateway. Thanks for the heads up.

1 Like

This topic was automatically closed 24 hours after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.