Can't use ABP with class C

Devices
1

Hi Guys,

Any ideas on why I can’t use ABP with class C?
Even when I choose to use the ABP, I still receive a join requests (without join accept of course) instead of data.

Also, How could I confirm that the device is actually using class C correctly in either cases?

Please help.

Many thanks
Noman

2

A device with ABP shouldn’t send join requests, so it sounds like an issue with your device (or you just tried to set it as ABP at loraserver but not at the device).

3

Thanks @iegomez,

I have set it as ABP in both the device and loraserver, but it still sends join requests.
With class A and B, I have tried both ABP and OTAA and it worked just fine.

Regards,
Noman

4

As iegomez already explained, join requests are sent based on the behavior of the firmware alone.

It’s a little unclear if Class C necessarily implies OTAA. The following passage in the LoRaWan spec could be read as lightly assuming that it does:

Note: There is not specific message for a node to tell the server that it is a Class C node. It is up to the application on server side to know that it manages Class C nodes based on the contract passed during the join procedure.

But there does not appear to be any actual technical reason forcing that. The only “interaction” for setting up class C are some new MAC commands.

So really this seems to come down to the assumptions made by whoever wrote your node-side firmware.

  • If this node is sending join requests, then it is not correctly operating as ABP

  • You could confirm class C behavior by seeing reception of RX2 downlink transmissions outside the normal time limits, or probably better by adding logging into the node firmware to say when it enters/exits that extended RX2 mode.

5

I do not know if this is still of interest, but the answer is - Class C and ABP are ok. It is up to firmware how it behaves when turned on - does in pull OTAA creds and go OTAA, or stored ABP and try to continue with these stored credentials.
My recommendation would be to turn off fcnt verification on server side. It is usually not feasible to store running fcnt to flash and your firmware most probably is not doing that.
But, YMMV. I can try to help more if you have some details to provide and make your question more specific.