How Nodes Enroll, Report Data, and Recover from Connection Problems

1. Node enrollment

A node that is not enrolled does not have the operating configuration for the current Mesh network. Before enrollment, it operates without forwarding packets from other nodes.

After its first startup or a restart, an unenrolled node broadcasts up to 50 onboarding advertisements so that a gateway can discover and enroll it. These are discovery advertisements, not complete enrollment transactions.

Nodes can enroll through a Mesh gateway or through a mobile app over Bluetooth. During enrollment, UTC time is written to the node. Complete enrollment before installing nodes at their final locations.

On the gateway device management page, add the node by entering its Dev EUI and App Key. When the gateway receives an enrollment request from that node, it automatically sends the enrollment configuration and completes enrollment. No repeated commands are needed. Once enrolled, the node can forward traffic and begins normal data collection and scheduled wake-up operation.

The operator-facing procedure is in 2. First network test.

2. Discovery and reporting timings

• Not enrolled (discovery): after boot the node waits 15 s, then sends onboarding advertisements every 6 s (up to 50 advertisements). Its node information is transmitted periodically during the discovery process, not with every advertisement. If the node is still not enrolled, it sleeps for about 20 min before retrying.
• Enrolled (normal operation): the node follows the wake-up schedule provided by the Mesh gateway, with a fixed cycle of 30 min by default: wake, collect or prepare data, send to the gateway, wait for a short communication window to receive any pending configuration, then sleep.
• Time synchronization: during each wake-up window, the gateway sends a time-synchronization packet. If the node receives no time packet for more than 24 hours, it restarts and becomes disconnected from the network.
• Time alignment: wake-up times are aligned to UTC midnight. For a 30-minute interval, the node wakes at 00:30, 01:00, and so on. If a scheduled interval would skip midnight, the node refreshes the alignment point at midnight.

3. Multi-node test

This are the results from a Mesh network working continuously for more than 72 hours at the Nanshan Office.

Test item	Configuration
Network	3 gateways: 2 × 1302 and 1 × LA66S
End nodes	5 × S31B-MS and 3 × SN50V3-MS
RF settings	921.375 MHz, SF11/BW250, 22 dBm
Reporting	Synchronized every 30 min, with a 75 s wake-up window

All nodes operated in forwarding mode. During each wake-up window, the gateways broadcast time-synchronization packets but did not forward packets.

Observed results

• All business data packets were received normally.
• Packet loss shown by the monitoring interface: 0%
• Measured power consuption: 680–700 µA
• Sleep-state current: approximately 5 µA

4. Connection troubleshooting

If a node cannot enroll or cannot reach the gateway, verify the following items in order:

1. Region match. The Mesh gateway and the node must use the same shipping Region. A mismatch, such as a node on an EU profile and a gateway on a US profile, prevents packet reception.
2. Dev EUI and App Key. Check that the Dev EUI and App Key entered on the Mesh gateway device page match the target node. A mismatch causes the node to keep sending requests without becoming enrolled.
3. Gateway is online. Keep the Mesh gateway powered and running normally while the node is sending its enrollment requests.
4. Antenna and RF path. Confirm that the antenna is installed and the node is not sitting on metal. For initial setup, place the node near the Mesh gateway. After confirming normal enrollment and reporting, move it to the deployment location.
5. Enrollment-request window. The node sends up to 50 onboarding advertisements after startup or restart, then sleeps for approximately 20 min before retrying. If the window was missed, hold the button on the sleeping node for about 1 second and release it after the green LED starts flashing to trigger another attempt.

To check the result while the node is awake, briefly press the button once: green LED means enrolled and blue LED means not enrolled.