Deploying the GD6 Gateway: From Unboxing to ThinkLink, ChirpStack, and TTN

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The first three articles covered GD6’s product overview, hardware design, and open-source code usage. This article addresses what field engineers care about most: taking a GD6 from the box to a live deployment.

We walk through three mainstream network server integration paths — ThinkLink platform, ChirpStack, and TTN (The Things Network) — along with network backhaul configuration, frequency band setup, system maintenance, and common troubleshooting. All steps are based on the current versions of the GD61x Specifications (v1.4) and the gwTool6 Configuration Guide (v1.0).

Unboxing and Installation

Checklist

After unboxing, verify the following items:

  • GD6 gateway unit
  • LoRa antenna (matching the gateway’s RF version)
  • Power adapter (if included with order)
  • SIM card (only for AG configuration; must be activated for data service)

The gateway model is printed on the device label. The format is GD61{4|8}-A{N|G}-{region code}-{version code}-{1|2}. For example, GD618-AG-AS923-N-2 means: 800 MHz+ RF, with 4G and PoE, AS923 region, default version, SX1302 concentrator.

Verify that the region code matches your deployment area. The region code must match the RF hardware — this is a physical constraint, not a software configuration issue.

Installing the LoRa Antenna

Connect the LoRa antenna before powering on. Starting LoRa transmission without an antenna may damage the concentrator chip.

  1. Confirm the antenna frequency band matches the gateway’s region version (868 / 915 / 470, etc.)
  2. Screw the antenna onto the LoRa connector until snug — do not overtighten
  3. Wi-Fi and 4G antennas (AG configuration) are internal; no external connection needed

Installing the SIM Card (AG Configuration Only)

  1. Power off the gateway
  2. Insert an activated SIM card into the SIM slot
  3. If the SIM has a PIN set, you’ll need to enter the 4–8 digit PIN in the web console later

Placement

GD6 supports desktop placement or wall mounting using the rotating bracket on the bottom. Do not block the ventilation holes on the bottom of the enclosure.

First Power-Up and Connection

Selecting a Power Source

Choose one method — do not connect multiple power sources simultaneously:

Power MethodSpecPort
Type-C5V DCUSB Type-C
DC terminal5–24V DC5–24V and G terminals
PoEAG configuration onlyRJ45 (requires matching PoE device)

Do not connect power to the A+ and B- terminals — these are reserved RS-485 pins with no user functionality in the current version.

LED Indicator States

After power-on, the LED enters a slow blink pattern (default: 1s on / 1s off), indicating normal operation. System initialization, IP acquisition, and LoRa service startup take some time.

LED PatternMeaning
Slow blink (1s on / 1s off)Normal operation
Steady on at 2s → 3 fast blinks → rebootFactory reset in progress

Connecting via Ethernet

  1. Connect the gateway’s RJ45 port to a router or switch
  2. The gateway obtains an IP address via DHCP by default
  3. Find the gateway’s address in the router’s DHCP lease list
  4. Open http://<gateway-address> in a browser

Connecting via Wi-Fi AP

If Ethernet access is not available, use the default Wi-Fi hotspot:

  1. Connect to the Wi-Fi hotspot LGW-Config from a phone or computer
  2. Enter the hotspot password lgw12345678
  3. Open http://192.168.4.1

First Login

  • Default web login password: wifi!0804
  • Change the password immediately after first login: go to “User Management”, enter the current password and a new password (minimum 8 characters), and save
  • The hotspot password and web login password are two separate passwords — do not confuse them

Configuring Network Backhaul

GD6 supports three backhaul links with default Ethernet priority and automatic failover. Configuration: Web Console → corresponding network page.

Ethernet Configuration

  1. Open the “Ethernet” page
  2. Select DHCP or static IP
  3. For static IP, enter IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS
  4. Save — some address changes may require reconnection or reboot

“Ethernet Power” controls the gateway’s internal Ethernet controller runtime power, not external PoE output. Disabling or restarting the port temporarily interrupts the current connection.

Wi-Fi STA Configuration

The Wi-Fi page has three controls:

  • Master switch: turns off the entire Wi-Fi radio
  • AP (hotspot): modify the local configuration hotspot’s SSID, password, channel, and max connections
  • STA (client): scan and connect to on-site Wi-Fi as a backhaul link

STA configuration steps:

  1. Open the “Wi-Fi” page, click “Scan” in the STA section
  2. Select the target Wi-Fi from the list (2.4 GHz only)
  3. Enter the password and save
  4. Once connected, STA serves as a backup backhaul link

Modifying AP parameters disconnects the current wireless session — reconnect using the new SSID or password. Before disabling Wi-Fi, confirm you can still access the gateway through another management link.

4G Configuration (AG Configuration Only)

  1. Open the “4G / LTE” page
  2. Enter the carrier APN (username and password usually left blank)
  3. Enter the SIM PIN if set
  4. Keep the serial baud rate consistent with the delivered module
  5. Select routing priority and save

The status area displays SIM status, network registration, carrier, signal, access technology, and PPP address.

Mask IMEI, ICCID, and other device identifiers before sharing screenshots.

Default link priority: Ethernet > Wi-Fi STA > 4G. When the primary link fails, the gateway automatically switches to a backup link. When the primary link recovers, it switches back. With all three links configured, the gateway always maintains at least one available backhaul.

ThinkLink is an IoT platform by ManThink. GD6 is the native gateway hardware for ThinkLink, making the connection process straightforward.

  1. Log in to the ThinkLink platform
  2. Navigate to the gateway management page and add a new gateway
  3. Enter the Gateway EUI (found in the GD6 web console “Overview” page)
  4. Select the region configuration matching the gateway’s RF hardware

Configure LNS on GD6

ThinkLink supports both UDP and MQTT access methods.

UDP Packet Forwarder method:

  1. Open GD6 web console → “LNS Configuration”
  2. Set uplink driver to Packet Forwarder, protocol to Semtech UDP
  3. Enter the server address, uplink port, and downlink port provided by ThinkLink
  4. Configure Keepalive, status reporting, and push timeout as required by the platform
  5. Save and confirm LoRa service status and server ACK recovery

MQTT Bridge method:

  1. Set uplink driver to Packet Forwarder, protocol to MQTT Bridge
  2. Enter the Broker URI, Client ID, username, and password
  3. Configure QoS and local UDP port
  4. For TLS, upload the CA certificate; for mutual TLS, also upload the client certificate and private key
  5. Save and confirm MQTT bridge connection status shows connected

Verify Data Arrival

  1. Check the gateway online status in the ThinkLink console
  2. Trigger an uplink from a registered LoRaWAN end device
  3. Confirm uplink data appears in the ThinkLink device data page

Connecting to ChirpStack

ChirpStack is a popular open-source LoRaWAN network server. GD6 connects to ChirpStack via Basic Station LNS.

Prerequisites

Before starting, prepare:

  • Gateway EUI, frequency band, and channel plan
  • A ChirpStack account with gateway creation permissions
  • The ChirpStack Gateway Bridge Basic Station LNS WebSocket address
  • For TLS: the required CA; for mutual TLS: also the gateway’s client certificate and private key
  • A gateway management link that won’t be interrupted by LoRaWAN service changes

Configure ChirpStack Gateway Bridge

  1. Enable the basic_station backend in the ChirpStack Gateway Bridge configuration and set the listen address
  2. Set the router_config channel plan matching the gateway hardware and region
  3. Select an authentication mode:
    • No auth: isolated test networks only
    • Server TLS: configure server certificates and provide the signing CA to the gateway
    • Mutual TLS: additionally configure ca_cert for verifying gateway client certificates
  4. For mutual TLS, the client certificate’s Common Name (CN) must be the 64-bit gateway ID in hex (e.g., 0102030405060708)
  5. Restart Gateway Bridge and confirm the WebSocket listen port is open

Register the Gateway in ChirpStack

  1. Create a gateway under the ChirpStack tenant
  2. Enter the Gateway ID/EUI matching the device label
  3. Select the region configuration matching the Gateway Bridge router_config and gateway RF hardware
  4. Save and keep the gateway detail page visible for verification

Configure Basic Station on GD6

Switching to Basic Station may restart the LoRa service or the entire gateway. Confirm no OTA, configuration writes, or critical downlink operations are in progress before proceeding.

  1. Log in to the GD6 web console and open “LNS Configuration”
  2. Switch the uplink driver to Basic Station and select LNS direct
  3. Enter the full address in tc.uri:
    • No TLS: ws://<gateway-bridge-address>:<port>
    • TLS: wss://<gateway-bridge-domain>:<port>
  4. For TLS, upload the CA certificate that signed the server certificate
  5. For mutual TLS, also upload the gateway’s client certificate and private key — confirm the certificate CN matches the Gateway ID
  6. Only fill in Authorization if a reverse proxy requires a Token — do not use another platform’s API Key for ChirpStack
  7. Save, wait for LoRa service recovery, and re-open the page to verify the current configuration

Verify Connection

  1. Confirm “Last seen” or online time starts updating on the ChirpStack gateway page
  2. Trigger an uplink from a known LoRaWAN end device
  3. Check LoRa service status and logs in the GD6 web console
  4. Confirm the same uplink appears in ChirpStack gateway events
  5. For TLS, check Gateway Bridge logs for certificate CN, validity, or system time errors

Connecting to TTN / The Things Stack

TTN (The Things Network) and TTI (The Things Industries) use The Things Stack, accessible via Basic Station with LNS direct or CUPS bootstrap.

Register the Gateway in TTN Console

  1. Create a gateway in The Things Stack Console
  2. Enter the gateway ID and the Gateway EUI from the device label
  3. Select the Frequency Plan matching the gateway’s RF hardware
  4. Record the Server Address for the current deployment — <server-address> in subsequent steps must use this value

Choose LNS or CUPS

LNS DirectCUPS Bootstrap
PurposeTransport LoRaWAN uplink/downlink dataCentralized configuration and automatic LNS credential distribution
CredentialsManually maintained LNS API KeyCUPS auto-distributes LNS credentials, overwriting local values
Best forSmall-scale deploymentLarge-scale deployment, centralized management

Prepare LNS Credentials

  1. Create a gateway API Key with only “Link as Gateway to a Gateway Server for traffic exchange” permission
  2. LNS address uses wss://<server-address>:8887
  3. Obtain the PEM trust certificate matching the deployment domain from The Things Stack Root Certificates page
  4. Format the API Key as a CRLF-terminated Authorization line:

Never write real API Keys into documentation, screenshots, or tickets.

Prepare CUPS Credentials (CUPS Mode Only)

  1. Create a CUPS API Key with permissions to view gateway info, edit basic settings, and read gateway secrets
  2. Save the LNS API Key in the gateway’s General Settings under LoRa Basics Station LNS Authentication Key
  3. CUPS address uses https://<server-address>:443
  4. Format the CUPS API Key as a CRLF-terminated cups.key:

Configure Basic Station on GD6

LNS direct method:

  1. Open “LNS Configuration” and select Basic Station direct
  2. Enter wss://<server-address>:8887 in tc.uri
  3. Upload the LNS Trust PEM
  4. Upload or paste the complete lns.key content in the Authorization/Key field
  5. Save, wait for service recovery, and re-read the configuration

CUPS bootstrap method:

  1. Select Basic Station CUPS
  2. Enter https://<server-address>:443 in cups.uri
  3. Upload the CUPS Trust PEM and cups.key
  4. Save and wait for CUPS to distribute LNS parameters
  5. Do not overwrite the distributed values with old local LNS settings

Verify Connection

  1. Check the gateway Live data in TTN Console — confirm connection events and uplinks start appearing
  2. Trigger a known end device uplink and verify the Gateway EUI, frequency plan, and timestamp
  3. Check LoRa service status in the GD6 web console
  4. For CUPS, confirm the gateway has received LNS address and credentials, not still using old configuration

Frequency Band and RF Configuration

Region and Sub-band Selection

Configure in the “Frequency & RF” page:

RegionSub-bandsNotes
CN470Selectable sub-bandsChoose applicable sub-bands per regional plan
US902 (US915)Selectable sub-bandsChoose applicable sub-bands per regional plan
AU915Selectable sub-bandsChoose applicable sub-bands per regional plan
AS923AS923-1 through AS923-4Select the variant matching your deployment region
EU868 / EU433Preset plansUse the corresponding preset channel plan

The region plan must match the device’s RF front-end and LoRa antenna. You cannot convert a gateway from one frequency band to another through the web interface alone.

Configuration Application

  • After modifying channels, click “Apply”
  • Restart the LoRa service if needed
  • Only switch the uplink driver (Packet Forwarder ↔ Basic Station) or reboot the entire system when explicitly prompted
  • A normal reboot takes approximately 90 seconds to restore access

System Maintenance

Viewing System Logs

The “System Logs” page supports:

  • Real-time viewing of web, network, Packet Forwarder, MQTT, and communication module logs
  • Filtering by level (DEBUG/INFO/WARN/ERROR) or source
  • Pausing scroll, clearing, and downloading logs

Check logs for addresses, EUIs, or network identifiers before sharing.

Firmware Upgrade (A/B OTA in Practice)

  1. Open the “Firmware Upgrade” page and verify the current version and active partition
  2. Select a .bin firmware matching the gateway model, hardware version, and target region
  3. Wait for upload, verification, and write to complete
  4. Reboot as prompted, then log in again and verify the firmware version

Critical notes:

  • Do not upload a full Flash image (-full.bin) as a Web OTA firmware — OTA writes to the backup partition, not the entire Flash
  • Do not refresh the page, disconnect the network, or power off during upgrade
  • OTA uses A/B dual-partition: new firmware writes to the inactive partition, and the boot partition switches after verification passes

Factory Reset

Using the REC button:

  1. Press and hold the REC button
  2. After 2 seconds, the LED turns steady on → factory reset executes → 3 fast blinks → reboot
  3. Wait for the gateway to finish rebooting

Factory reset restores:

  • Network configuration (Ethernet / Wi-Fi / 4G)
  • LoRaWAN server configuration
  • MQTT and remote configuration
  • Login password resets to wifi!0804

Factory reset does not restore:

  • Gateway EUI (preserved)
  • Web static files (not overwritten)

File System Management

The “File System” page allows managing files under /spiffs. Configuration JSON files typically take effect after reboot.

Overwriting web/ files may render the console inaccessible, and factory reset will not restore corrupted web files. Do not modify this directory unless performing controlled maintenance.

Common Troubleshooting

Check in the following order:

Check ItemAction
AntennaConfirm antenna is connected and frequency band matches
Region/bandConfirm region code matches RF hardware
Gateway EUIConfirm it matches the EUI registered on the network server
LNS address/portConfirm address and port are correct; check firewall rules
Backhaul linkConfirm the current backhaul link is online (check “Overview” page)
LoRa service statusCheck Packet Forwarder / Basic Station errors in logs

4G Registration Failure (AG Configuration)

Check ItemAction
SIM cardConfirm SIM is inserted and activated for data service
PINConfirm the PIN entered in the web console is correct
APNConfirm APN matches the carrier
SignalCheck signal strength in the status area; adjust installation position if needed
Module bandsConfirm the module’s supported bands match the carrier

Web Console Inaccessible

Check ItemAction
Same subnetConfirm the terminal and gateway are on the same subnet
DHCP addressFind the gateway address in the router’s DHCP lease list
AP modeConnect to LGW-Config hotspot and access 192.168.4.1
All management links unavailablePerform a factory reset

Boot Failure After OTA

  • Wait for automatic reboot to complete
  • If still inaccessible, perform controlled recovery via Wi-Fi AP or serial port
  • Do not repeatedly power cycle — the A/B partition mechanism will fall back to the previous partition on the next boot

Wi-Fi STA Connection Failure

  • Re-scan for SSIDs
  • Check that the password is correct
  • Confirm the target Wi-Fi is 2.4 GHz (5 GHz-only hotspots are not supported)
  • Check on-site Wi-Fi coverage

TLS Handshake Failure (ChirpStack / TTN)

Check ItemAction
Gateway timeConfirm the gateway has synced time via SNTP
Server cert domainConfirm the domain in tc.uri / cups.uri matches the certificate
CA chainConfirm the uploaded CA certificate is complete
Certificate validityConfirm the server certificate has not expired
Mutual TLS CNConfirm the client certificate CN matches the Gateway ID

401 Authentication Failure (TTN)

  • Check that API Key permissions are correct (LNS Key and CUPS Key cannot be interchanged)
  • Confirm the Authorization line is complete and CRLF-terminated
  • Confirm the API Key was not mistakenly entered in the client private key field

Deployment Quick Reference

StepActionTime
Install antennaScrew on LoRa antenna1 min
Install SIM (AG)Insert SIM card1 min
Power onType-C / DC / PoEInstant
Connect to gatewayEthernet or Wi-Fi AP1 min
First loginEnter wifi!0804, change password1 min
Configure backhaulEthernet / Wi-Fi STA / 4G3 min
Configure LNSUDP / MQTT / Basic Station3 min
Configure bandSelect region and sub-band1 min
Verify connectionTrigger end device uplink, confirm data arrival2 min

From unboxing to live deployment, the normal flow takes approximately 15 minutes.

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