# Which cheap and simple gateway to get a connection between 10th and 3rd floor? **URL:** \ **Category:** How to get started\ **Created:** [April 22, 2022, 1:58pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641 "2022-04-22T13:58:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mensa](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/mensa/32/35697_2.png) [@mensa](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/mensa)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 1:58pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/1 "2022-04-22T13:58:21Z")
Hello, can you please suggest me a cheap and simple (=run out-of-the-box, without fiddling around) gateway to get a connection from my apartment in 10th floor to the mailbox in 3rd floor? For the mailbox I already bought a Dragino LDS02 door sensor, but can not get a connection with the indoor gateway TTIG. Would be the MikroTik LoRaWAN - wAP LoRa8 be a good choice for me? I could put it outside on a window bench and maybe 30 meter opposite building will reflect the signal back to the floor where my mailbox? Both buildings are ferroconcrete and do contain apartments and offices. ![image](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/uploads/default/original/3X/2/d/2d9ca1a14fc8bd70768b79980c53be9dd404ad34.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Jeff-UK](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/jeff-uk/32/35697_2.png) [@Jeff-UK](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/Jeff-UK)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 2:27pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/2 "2022-04-22T14:27:08Z")
Will depend on the building! - construction - size, materials used, layout, building contents, etc. You now have a TTIG, which was developed as part of a business and deployment model of ‘build out’ rather than ‘build in’ - put small GWs inside buildings to achieve deep coverage rather that try to surround and penetrate from outside, so should be off to a good start… Note: most ants are vertically aligned and designed to connect at range vs when vertcally stacked so depending on node placement wrt gw position YMMV - if you find dead spots at extreme floors try relocating - perhaps to 1/3rd of building length away from centre line etc. Note: I see a trend here across your various questions and the threads you have engaged in and where e.g. Nick has provided answers…appreciate you are ‘new’ having only joined in last day or two, but many of your questions suggest you have not done what we respectfully ask of ‘newbies’ and done some background reading and research yourself - many of the issues and questions you ask - or atleast the egeneral principles have been asked and answered many times so please spend some time reading the TTI/TTN documentation and searching/reading through the forum - there is nearly 7 years of history and experience spread out there…asking q’s may be easier for you but you will learn less if handed answers vs reading up yourself 😉 ---
**Author:** ![descartes](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/descartes/32/47220_2.png) [@descartes](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/descartes)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 2:29pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/3 "2022-04-22T14:29:53Z")
Anywhere between one and ten TTIGs? Possibly five per floor - one in the middle and one at each corner. At extreme, one for each room. Taking your own TTIG and doing a mini-survey by moving it & your device around to measure signal strength is the only sure fire way and is in fact exactly what we’d do in the first instance. If you put the TTIG on the middle floor and then go to the top & then the bottom of the building, you’d get an answer in minutes. Almost everything else is just advanced guess work. ---
**Author:** ![mensa](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/mensa/32/35697_2.png) [@mensa](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/mensa)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 3:02pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/4 "2022-04-22T15:02:26Z")
I editted my first post above and added some relevant information. Does it help you to help me? The problem is, that I live in the 10th floor and want to get a signal from a door sensor in my mailbox in the 2nd floor. So I can’t put a TTIG in every floor, cause I only have one apartment here. That’s the reason why I asked. ---
**Author:** ![LoRaTracker](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/loratracker/32/48502_2.png) [@LoRaTracker](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/LoRaTracker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 3:05pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/5 "2022-04-22T15:05:15Z")
You might get reception due to reflections through windows and from other buildings but you might not. But I doubt any of the experienced people in this forum will say it will work, there are to many unknowns. So whilst it might work, you will need to carry out a site survey, i.e. a test with actual LoRa gear. ---
**Author:** ![mensa](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/mensa/32/35697_2.png) [@mensa](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/mensa)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/6 "2022-04-22T15:30:09Z")
Ok, so which LoRa Gateway would you suggest? It should be cheap cheap as possible and run out of the box. If I can get no connection would be good with external antenna port. ---
**Author:** ![descartes](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/descartes/32/47220_2.png) [@descartes](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/descartes)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 4:16pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/7 "2022-04-22T16:16:05Z")
Just try with your TTIG - you’ve got it plugged in - it’s as simple as you going downstairs and trying it out. And as @LoRaTracker says, no one here can make a suggestion based on the information you have given and even then, probably not at all because, as I said, we’d do a site survey. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff-UK](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/jeff-uk/32/35697_2.png) [@Jeff-UK](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/Jeff-UK)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 4:16pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/8 "2022-04-22T16:16:25Z")
Any which make use of the core Semtech GW chipsets! 😉 (SX1301+2xSX125x, Sx1308+2xSX125x, SX1302+…, SX1303+…) ie they are all much of a muchness with only minor variances based on build standard, components, temp range and environmental targets! and how well they follow or increment from the original Semtech reference designs and layouts…I repeat > [@Jeff-UK](#): > > You now have a TTIG > [@Jeff-UK](#): > > so should be off to a good start… Main issue is if relative position (GW directly above door sensor) is correct then the polar plot of the ant (any ant - even external ones) will show relative nulls directly above or below, reducing sensitivity - hence suggestion to offset relative position if possible. Given your new/added info above showing another building in close proximity as Stuart suggests reflections may be your freind! The only way to be sure is JFDI! ('scuse the French) - deploy and test, anything else per Nick is speculation and educated guessing…I had 1 UK client years ago who deployed to an office block in Florida US - GW and main sensors were in basement (Plant room!), with last minute need to add another spare sensor to plant room attop the escalator shaft at top of building…some 20-25 stories above! They got signal through - but suspicion was it wasnt by direct through floor connection or even signal propogation down stairwells or elevator shaft but rather by reflection from other tall office blocks a couple of kilometers away! Such conditions difficult to predict on a forum posting… ---
**Author:** ![Jeff-UK](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/jeff-uk/32/35697_2.png) [@Jeff-UK](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/Jeff-UK)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 4:21pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/9 "2022-04-22T16:21:02Z")
BTW where are you placing the sensor? If _inside_ a (metal?) mailbox likely signal very attenuated because… ---
**Author:** ![LoRaTracker](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/loratracker/32/48502_2.png) [@LoRaTracker](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/LoRaTracker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 4:31pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/10 "2022-04-22T16:31:56Z")
Now, as it happens, I was testing this just yesterday. With a LoRa device in a small sweet tin and transmitting at SF12, BW 125Khz, 14dBm, LoRa reception in my Shed was marginal when the transmitter was in the tin on a table in the house about 10M away. ---
**Author:** ![descartes](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/descartes/32/47220_2.png) [@descartes](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/descartes)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 4:33pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/11 "2022-04-22T16:33:15Z")
Do you still have the results from when you tested a device inside your fridge to compare with? ---
**Author:** ![LoRaTracker](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/loratracker/32/48502_2.png) [@LoRaTracker](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/LoRaTracker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 4:50pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/12 "2022-04-22T16:50:45Z")
Its not something I have measured as such, but I recall I was doing (receiving signals from a LoRa device in my fridge\freezer) to measure the frequency drift of the SX126X devices that can operate at bandwidths down to the 7800hz minimum as they use TCXOs. But I guess it would be useful to know how many dBm a fridge will absorb, watch this space. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff-UK](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/jeff-uk/32/35697_2.png) [@Jeff-UK](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/Jeff-UK)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 5:09pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/13 "2022-04-22T17:09:57Z")
What like this one 😉 SF7 - typically -72–78dbm aro SNR8.5-11, with GWs 2 rooms away - 7-12m with 2 walls/internal windows/doors 🙂 ![image](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/uploads/default/original/3X/8/8/88f2a45156f0611c660d9236dc5f2b2c5d03b443.png) All three fridges are monitored here. See similar values across them all (BTW all are ‘built’ in types so behind cupboard doors also…) Worst gives typically -82 to -88dbm - they are in different rooms/locations. ---
**Author:** ![LoRaTracker](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/loratracker/32/48502_2.png) [@LoRaTracker](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/LoRaTracker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 5:46pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/14 "2022-04-22T17:46:02Z")
> [@Jeff-UK](#): > > What like this one Er, no. Unless I missed something, that just says what the reception was, not what the difference between in fridge out of fridge was ? ---
**Author:** ![Jeff-UK](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/jeff-uk/32/35697_2.png) [@Jeff-UK](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/Jeff-UK)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 8:19pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/15 "2022-04-22T20:19:56Z")
It was partly a joke back to Nick after his question, however, since you ask - A couple of data points below out of the fridge (and in open room) similar distance from closest GW (a TTIG) - tends to be the main receiver reporting relevant RSSI, one floor below a Mikrotik (approx 45deg up angle from node similar horizontal distance to the TTIG, 2 floors below test LPS8, iMST Lite & TTN KSGWs! The others capture/report RSSI if TTIG busy or misses and RSSI range is typicall -73 to -91 across the test GW suite 🙂 ![image](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/uploads/default/original/3X/1/8/1863608783de0a167ea936b6c02228d8fcea8329.png) ![image](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/uploads/default/original/3X/3/d/3df230aea1f1c838644b86dec66234800abfab81.png) ---
**Author:** ![LoRaTracker](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/loratracker/32/48502_2.png) [@LoRaTracker](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/LoRaTracker)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 6:38am UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/16 "2022-04-23T06:38:12Z")
> [@LoRaTracker](#): > > But I guess it would be useful to know how many dBm a fridge will absorb, watch this space. Turns out the answer is that the fridge attenuates signals by around 30dBm, which would cut the distance\range by around a factor of 30. Thus if you were getting 5km with a sensor outside a fridge you might only get 160m with a sensor in the fridge. Fridges might vary … ---
**Author:** ![bluejedi](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/bluejedi/32/44639_2.png) [@bluejedi](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/bluejedi)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 7:30am UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/17 "2022-04-23T07:30:32Z")
> [@LoRaTracker](#): > > Thus if you were getting 5km with a sensor outside a fridge you might only get 160m with a sensor in the fridge. And that is probably in line of sight, not with 8 building floors in between. > [@LoRaTracker](#): > > Fridges might vary … Do we have a new acronym here?: YFMV 😀 ---
**Author:** ![bluejedi](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/bluejedi/32/44639_2.png) [@bluejedi](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/bluejedi)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 7:41am UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/18 "2022-04-23T07:41:16Z")
> [@mensa](#): > > The problem is, that I live in the 10th floor and want to get a signal from a door sensor in my mailbox in the 2nd floor. “2nd floor” contradicts the “3rd floor” in the title. Mailbox on the second floor (instead of basement or first floor). Does that mean the mailbox is located more deeper inside the building and not on the outside? ---
**Author:** ![mensa](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/mensa/32/35697_2.png) [@mensa](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/mensa)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 8:09am UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/19 "2022-04-23T08:09:37Z")
> [@bluejedi](#): > > “2nd floor” contradicts the “3rd floor” in the title. > > Mailbox on the second floor (instead of basement or first floor). Does that mean the mailbox is located more deeper inside the building and not on the outside? Below the buildings is a shopping mall which has ~2 floors. So don’t care about it, cause both buildings have same ground level. Mailbox is not deeper inside the building. ---
**Author:** ![descartes](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/descartes/32/47220_2.png) [@descartes](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/descartes)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 8:12am UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/which-cheap-and-simple-gateway-to-get-a-connection-between-10th-and-3rd-floor/56641/20 "2022-04-23T08:12:36Z")
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