Do you find you are mostly at Fair or Poor? Here are some tips!
How Conserv gateways connect to the internet
Your gateway connects to the internet in one of two ways.
- Ethernet cable. This is that cable that looks like the one you connect to a landline phone. It is the same cable that you might use for a WiFi router. What this does is pull the internet straight from your wired connection and into your gateway. Please note this does not mean that your gateway is a WiFi gateway. It is not. You have a LoRaWAN gateway, which is a different kind of wireless signal. Connecting your gateway to the cabled internet at your location is the most stable way of assuring your connectivity.
- SIM card. Because we know that a wired internet connection is not available in many locations (due to infrastructure or security protocols), your gateway comes with a data-enabled SIM card. This means that, just like your phone, your gateway can pull internet off a data network. The SIM cards we use are enabled to jump around the different service providers to find you the best signal possible.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SIM CARD USE
In those cases where you are relying on the SIM card to provide the internet for your gateway, remember that your gateway will sort of act like a phone. Your internet signal will only be as good as your local network connection.
Different gateway status levels
The different SIM card gateway status levels are:
- Excellent
- Good
- Fair
- Poor
- Unknown - Read this article for an explanation.
How can I improve my SIM card data status?
Ideally, you are aiming to have an Excellent status all the time. Your gateway status is directly related to how good the phone data network is because gateways that have not been plugged through an Ethernet cable are essentially working off a SIM card just like your phone does.
This is good news because it means you can use the internet bars on your phone to figure out where your best spots are!
Generally speaking, you will do better placing your gateway in areas where your phone signal is less likely to be blocked by your building's infrastructure:
- Near windows is good!
- In rooms with external-facing walls is good too! In other words, not inside vaults in the center of your building, unless you have no other choice.
- Avoid basements or other known spots where internet phone signal is poor.
IMPORTANT NOTE ON NETWORK OUTAGES
Be aware that if you are relying on a SIM card, you are relying on your network coverage. If the network provider has an outage (e.g. AT&T or T-Mobile, etc.), this will directly affect your gateway's connection to the internet.
Remember that LoRaWAN wireless technology has excellent range, so that you can place your gateway in a location that secures the best internet for it, and then place your sensors around that. Unless you have many dense obstacles (dense mobile shelving, elevator shafts, or metal sheeting like fire doors) and a lot of radio noise, your sensors should be able to see your gateway even from several hundred feet and several floors away!