Summary of SPARKFUN LORA GATEWAY MODULE BOOSTS THE CAPABILITIES WITH ESP32 MCU
This article reviews SparkFun's new LoRa Gateway module, an upgrade to the WRL-15006. It features an ESP32-WROOM-32 MCU with 16 MB flash memory and supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and LoRa communication via an RFM95W modem at 868/915 MHz. The hardware design remains minimalistic with the same form factor as previous versions, offering enhanced capabilities without a price increase.
Parts used in the SparkFun LoRa Gateway Module:
- ESP32-WROOM-32 MCU
- RFM95W LoRa modem
- Wi-Fi wireless communication protocol
- Bluetooth wireless communication protocol
We have covered several LoRaWAN Gateway modules, with one of the latest being the Seeed Studio’s WM1302. However, for those who don’t know much about wireless communication protocols, then LoRaWAN and LoRa are two different things and are not interchangeable. To understand in short, LoRa is a non-cellular modulation technology for LoRaWAN. One of the recently manufactured LoRa Gateway modules was developed by SparkFun based on the ESP32-WROOM-32 MCU.
Just as other similar modules, even this has a minimalistic hardware design and has the same form factor as the previous versions. If you have used the predecessor WRL-15006 ROHS that is LoRa Gateway – 1 -Channel (ESP32) module. In that case, you won’t find any specific difference between the modules, except the updated module has MCU with 16 MB flash memory than 4 MB. However, if you aren’t looking for more flash memory for your application, there is no need to upgrade as the cost of this new product is the same as the old one. This might be a good deal for a designer who has not used the SparkFun LoRa Gateway module and is looking for one to aid in their application.
Looking at the specifications, you will notice that as expected from any LoRa Gateway module, this one also supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless communication protocol. Thanks to the integrated MCU that has provided the module with wide capabilities that you can explore. Apart from these wireless communication protocols, the module primarily has an RFM95W LoRa modem that operates in the range of 868/915 MHz frequency and is designed for ultra-long range spread spectrum communication based applications.
Read more: SPARKFUN LORA GATEWAY MODULE BOOSTS THE CAPABILITIES WITH ESP32 MCU
- How does this new module differ from the predecessor WRL-15006?
The updated module has an MCU with 16 MB flash memory compared to the old one's 4 MB. - Does this module support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth?
Yes, the integrated MCU provides support for both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless communication protocols. - What frequency range does the RFM95W modem operate in?
The RFM95W LoRa modem operates in the 868/915 MHz frequency range. - Is the cost of the new product different from the old one?
No, the cost of this new product is the same as the old one. - What is the relationship between LoRa and LoRaWAN?
LoRa is a non-cellular modulation technology for LoRaWAN, and they are not interchangeable terms. - Can I use this module if I do not need more flash memory?
If you are not looking for more flash memory, there is no need to upgrade as the cost is the same. - Does the new module have a different form factor than previous versions?
No, the module has the same form factor as the previous versions with a minimalistic hardware design. - What type of applications is the RFM95W designed for?
The RFM95W is designed for ultra-long range spread spectrum communication based applications.
