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Associate II
June 2, 2025
Solved

Nucleo-WL55JC as gateway

  • June 2, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 1009 views

Hello,

 

I'm using Nucleo-WL55JC cards and I wanted to know if it was possible to use them as gateways, partly to connect the radio world to the internet (LoRaWAN), and partly to extend the range of my network (by dispersing multiple gateways everywhere).

Note: there would only be a single "sensor" device that would send its data to the nearest gateway. This "sensor" device is also a Nucleo-WL55JC.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Best regards,

 

KYZ.

Best answer by Andrew Neil

@KYZ Indeed, as @STTwo-32 says, I think your question, "Can Nucleo-WL55JC cards be use them as gateways" has been answered.

In summary:

  1. In the specific case of "LoRaWAN Gateway" (capital 'G' - Proper Name) as defined in the LoRaWAN specifications: No, a WL55 cannot do that.
     
  2. In the generic sense of "gateway" (small 'g'), yes it could be possible for a WL55 to be both an End Node in a LoRaWAN and also participate in some other network - thus providing a "gateway" (in the generic sense) or "bridge" between the two.

2 replies

STTwo-32
Technical Moderator
June 2, 2025

Hello @KYZ 

The STM32WL is designed to be an end node and note a Gateway.

Best Regards.

STTwo-32

KYZAuthor
Associate II
June 2, 2025

Hi @STTwo-32 

Thank you for your answers.

I expressed myself poorly, sorry. I meant end node (which is capable of sending data to a LoRa server, like The Things Stack for example). Is it possible to have multiple "end_node" devices sending data to a single application (TTS)?

These devices must be connected to this application and therefore must not be too far from a LoRa gateway? Let's say we have a single "sensor" device.

Did I understand the operating principle correctly?

Bests regards

KYZ.

Andrew Neil
Super User
June 3, 2025

@KYZ wrote:

Is it possible to have multiple "end_node" devices sending data to a single application (TTS)?


Of course!

I would say that's the normal use case - it would be rare to have just 1 sensor sending to an Application.

 

AndrewNeil_1-1748949568820.png

https://www.mokolora.com/what-is-lora-iot/ 

 

 

AndrewNeil_3-1748949628998.png

https://www.3glteinfo.com/lora/lora-architecture/ 

 

 


@KYZ wrote:

These devices must be connected to this application and therefore must not be too far from a LoRa gateway?


The name "LoRa" mean "Long Range" - the whole point is that the devices can be far (in some cases, tens of km) from the gateway!

 


@KYZ wrote:

Let's say we have a single "sensor" device.


Why would we say that when it seems that you actually have many "sensor" devices?

 

A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked.A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work.
Andrew Neil
Super User
June 3, 2025

Or are you saying that you want your STM32WL to be a "hub" which collects data from a number of sensors, and then forwards that over LoRaWAN ?

AndrewNeil_1-1748954995837.png

So, as far as the LoRaWAN network is concerned, it is just a single end node.

And the sensors would not use LoRaWAN; maybe not even use LoRa - as you says they will be "close" to this "hub" ...

A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked.A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work.
KYZAuthor
Associate II
June 3, 2025

Hi @Andrew Neil 

Thank for your reply !

If I understand the image correctly, the “end_node” example code supplied by STM links the card directly to the server via gateways? So we don't need to create gateways ourselves, we just need to be near an existing one?
Now, I'd like several of my cards (NUCLEO-WL55JC) to act as end nodes connected to a single application, and, to start with, one NUCLEO-WL55JC card would be the sensor. Later, why not add sensors?
The aim of having several end nodes is to extend the reach of my system.

I hope I've explained it better ;)

Bests regards

KYZ.

Andrew Neil
Super User
June 3, 2025

@KYZ wrote:

the “end_node” example code supplied by STM links the card directly to the server via gateways?


Yes - that's pretty much the definition of a LoRaWAN end-node.

 


@KYZ wrote:

So we don't need to create gateways ourselves, we just need to be near an existing one?


Again, not necessarily "near", just within range - which could be tens of km.

Just like your mobile phone needs to be within range of a cell tower, or a WiFi device needs to be within range of an access point, etc.

 


@KYZ wrote:

Now, I'd like several of my cards (NUCLEO-WL55JC) to act as end nodes connected to a single application, and, to start with, one NUCLEO-WL55JC card would be the sensor. Later, why not add sensors?
The aim of having several end nodes is to extend the reach of my system.

I hope I've explained it better ;)


No, now I'm confused again!

What, exactly, are you meaning by "sensor" here?

Please post a diagram to clarify.

A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked.A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work.