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Wireless M-Bus Gateway V4 with Poti Add-On

Description

Gateway for remote reading of wireless MBus values as well as up to three analog potentiometer values via NB-IoT, LTE-M mobile radio or LoRaWAN to the Internet. Suitable for indoor and weather-protected outdoor installation.

Features

  • wM-Bus meter data upload via NB-IoT or LTE-M mobile radio (2FF / Mini SIM card)
  • Secure DTLS data transmission (client + server certificates) via mobile radio
  • Connection via CoAP and DTLS (NB-IoT, LTE-M) or MQTT (LTE-M) to the Lobaro platform
  • Direct connection via MQTT (LTE-M) to third-party systems possible.
  • Alternative upload via LoRaWAN 1.0.2 (EU-868)
  • Compatible with wireless M-BUS S1, C1/T1 modes (868 MHz) meters
  • Compatible with Xylem Sensus RF Bubble Up (868 MHz)
  • Compatible with Müller Funk (ME protocol, Walk-By) for µon and µflow skyW-2 and skyE-2
  • Internal memory, for over 64.000 telegrams
  • Whitlist for up to 2.000 individual meters
  • Remote configuration
  • Signed firmware updates (FOTA) via mobile radio

Product Components

Component Info

This product is manufactured by Lobaro using the components listed below. Detailed information about the firmware and other components can be found in their respective descriptions. Please use the links provided to access comprehensive product details.

ComponentManual / DescriptionAdditional note
Firmwareapp-nrf91-originSee here for available firmware updates
HousingLoCube122 mm (l) x 82mm (w) x 55mm (h)

Product Identification

  • Name: Wireless M-Bus Gateway V4 Poti
  • Type: LOB-GW4-POTI
  • MPN / Ordering code: TBD

Datasheet & Quickstart

info

Please contact our sales team.

Product specific details

info

Information provided in this chapter is only valid for the above product unless otherwise noted. In case of doubt, the information in this section takes precedence over the general description of any component.

LED signal patterns

The device has 3 three LEDs (B, G, R = Blue, Green, Red), labeled Status on the PCB: 🔵🟢🔴.

Patterns during booting/restart

  • 🔵⚪🔴 B and R on: Device is in Bootloader Mode (not actively running, remove config adapter press reset to leave Bootloader Mode).
  • 🔵->🟢->🔴 Quick cycle B, G, R for ~0.5s: Device just booted, either after power on, reset b button or software, or after a hard failure.
  • ⚪⚪🔴 R flashes repeatedly on and off in 1s interval: critical failure during boot (failed to start application).

Patterns during normal operation

  • 🔵⚪⚪ B flashes 1s on and 1s off in loop: building LTE connection to mobile provider. Followed by:
    • ⚪🟢⚪ Short G flash on success.
    • ⚪⚪🔴 Short R flash after connection failed.
  • ⚪🟢⚪ G flash during installation mode while collecting wireless M-Bus telegrams.

Exceptional patterns

  • 🔵⚪🔴/🔵🟢⚪ Quickly changing between R & B and G & B every 5s in a loop: Modem is in connection restriction mode - keep device on power, will fix itself after 30min.

Battery Lifetime Calculator

info

Please contact our sales team.

Firmware Updates

The latest firmware can be found here:

TODO

No release firmware yet

note

A remote firmware update over LoRaWAN is currently not possible.

Configuration

The device is shipped with default configuration parameters. The configuration can be changed via the 6-pin config port using the Lobaro USB Configuration Adapter.

More information about the usage of the configuration tools can be found in our documentation.

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Remote Configuration is also supported after initial network connection.

General Parameters

DescriptionKeyTypePossible ValuesDefault
Uplink channel selectionWANStringlte or lorawanlte
Days without connectivity until device resetLostRebootNumberAny, e.g., 35
Detailed Description

WAN Parameter

LPWAN technology is used for connection and data communication with the backend server. This can be either cellular LTE (NB-IoT, LTE-M) or LoRaWAN.

  • lte: Utilizes cellular technologies, either NB-IoT or LTE-M.
  • lorawan: Employs LoRaWAN with OTAA (Over-The-Air Activation).
Limitations in LoRaWAN
  • LoRaWAN uplinks and downlinks are limited to 52–222 bytes, depending on the DataRate (connection quality):
  • Uplinks containing longer wMBUS telegrams are split across multiple LoRaWAN messages.
  • Uplinks with numerous wMBUS telegrams may take significant time due to LoRaWAN's duty-cycle limitations.
  • Downlinks with large configuration values (e.g., long whitelists) must be split into multiple messages, which can be challenging to implement.
  • Limited metadata:
  • Status telegrams include less information due to reduced uplink channel capacity.
  • No remote firmware update capabilities.

Wireless M-Bus Meter Reading

DescriptionKeyTypePossible ValuesDefault
WMBUS Listen Cron [UTC+0]listenCronStringAny CRON String0 0 12 * * *
WMBUS C1/T1 Listen Duration [s]cmodeDurSecNumberNumber of seconds
0 = Do not collect C1/T1
Max Value=36000
300
WMBUS S1 Listen Duration [s]smodeDurSecNumberNumber of seconds
0 = Do not collect S1
Max Value=36000
0
Sensus RF Listen Duration [s]xmodeDurSecNumberNumber of seconds
0 = Do not collect X-Mode
Max Value=36000
0
Müller-Funk Listen Duration [s]umodeDurSecNumberNumber of seconds
0 = Do not collect U-Mode
Max Value=36000
0
WMBUS ID Filter ListdevFilterStringList, e.g.
88009035,13456035
[not set]
WMBUS Type Filter ListtypFilterStringList, e.g.
08,07
[not set]
WMBUS M-Field Filter ListmFilterStringList, e.g.
DME,ITW,SEN,QDS
[not set]
WMBUS CI-Field Filter ListciFilterStringList, e.g.
8a,72
[not set]
WMBUS Telegram Upload LimitmaxTelegramsNumberAny number of max. Telegrams
0 = no limit.
0
Detailed Description

listenCron Parameter

The listen cron specifies when the device wakes up to receive data via enabled wireless M-Bus and other radio protocols. Each listening period is followed by data upload using the configured WAN technology. The ideal interval largely depends on the device's power supply (battery-powered vs. externally powered) and the application's need for new metering data. Typical intervals range from every 15 minutes to 14 days between consecutive readouts.

CRON parameter

*modeDurSec Parameters

Parameters: cmodeDurSec smodeDurSec xmodeDurSec umodeDurSec

The duration, specified in seconds (e.g., 300 for 5 minutes), defines how long the device collects metering data for each corresponding wireless protocol. Each listening period is executed sequentially based on the configured durations. Once all listening periods are complete, the collected meter telegrams are transmitted using the configured WAN technology.

warning

The maximum duration that can be specified is 10 hours, i.e. 36,000 seconds. Please note that such long listening periods will drain the battery very quickly. If in doubt, please consult Lobaro.


*Filter Parameters

Parameters: devFilter ciFilter mFilter typFilter

Filters are applied to meters based on wireless M-Bus-related fields to determine which telegrams are collected and uploaded. These filters include:

  • mFilter: Manufacturer filter – filters telegrams by the 3-letter manufacturer code included in every telegram ( e.g., LOB for Lobaro GmbH).
  • typFilter: Device Type filter – filters telegrams by the 2-hex-digit code that defines the type of sending device (e.g., 07 for water meters).
  • devFilter: Device filter – filters telegrams by the 8-digit ID that is mandatory for each sending device (e.g., 87654321).
  • ciFilter: CI-Field filter – filters telegrams by the 2-hex-digit CI-Field included in every telegram. This field is a technical code that describes the purpose of the telegram (e.g., 8a).

These filters help refine data collection to target specific devices or device types.

More Details

For a detailed explanation, read more about telegram filter parameterization.

Blacklist

Each filter parameter can be preceded with an exclamation mark (!) to convert the whitelist into a blacklist.

This applies to the entire filter parameter, not to individual entries within the list. For example:

  • mFilter=LOB will collect only telegrams from Lobaro GmbH (whitelist).
  • mFilter=!LOB will exclude telegrams from Lobaro GmbH (blacklist).

maxTelegrams Parameter

Set a hard limit on the number of telegrams to be collected and uploaded. The firmware will stop collecting once this limit is reached, regardless of the elapsed time. This can help conserve battery life and data volume, especially if the device is located in an area with a high density of meters.

tip

When filtering for a single telegram, the parameter can be set to 1, causing the device to stop listening immediately after the desired telegram is received.

LTE Connection

DescriptionKeyTypePossible ValuesDefault
LTE Lobaro Platform HostHostIP / URLList of various Endpointscoaps://platform.lobaro.com
LTE MCC+MNC CodeOperatorNumbere.g. 26201 (Dt. Telekom)[not set]
LTE BandBandNumber3 or 8,20 or 3,8,203,8,20
LTE APNAPNStringany APN*
LTE SIM PinPINNumber4 digits pin, e.g. 1234[not set]
LTE NB-IoT on/offUseNbiotBooltrue or falsetrue
LTE M1 on/offUseLtemBooltrue or falsetrue
LTE DNS Servers usedDNSIPList of DNS server IPs9.9.9.9,1.1.1.1
Plain UDP HostUdpHostIPany, e.g 94.130.20.37[not set]
Plain UDP PortUdpPortNumberany, e.g 3333[not set]
Detailed Description

Host Parameter

Hostname or IP of the Lobaro Platform instance CoAP endpoint to which the gateway communicates using UDP.

  • Using DTLS: coaps://platform.lobaro.com
  • No DTLS: coap://platform.lobaro.com
  • Plain IP: 94.130.20.37 (platform.lobaro.com)
Host with fallback

It's also possible to configure a list of URLs to implement a fallback mechanism. This is particulary helpful for combining DTLS and non DTLS connection attempts: coaps://platform.lobaro.com,coap://platform.lobaro.com


LTE Parameters

Parameters: APN Operator Band, PIN

Basic parameters are required to configure the NB-IoT or LTE-M connection. These settings must align with the SIM card and network provider used. Typically, the default parameters work well, as they enable the modem to automatically select and join the network using SIM card information. However, if the APN (Access Point Name) is known, it is recommended to configure it for optimal performance.

More Details

Read more about LTE network configuration parameters.


UseNbiot UseLtem

The modem supports both NB-IoT and LTE-M technologies. By default, both are enabled, allowing the cellular modem to automatically select the most suitable network type based on the location. However, you can force the modem to use a specific technology by setting one parameter to false, ensuring the other remains enabled (set to true). At least one technology must always be active.


UdpHost UdpPort

Deprecated

This feature is deprecated and not recommended for production use. Lobaro provides limited support for errors caused by using raw UDP upload.

Instead of sending metering data to the Lobaro IoT Platform, the data can alternatively be sent to an external UDP socket. This option is useful if you prefer to keep metering data off external servers while still using the Lobaro Platform to control your gateways.

  • UdpHost: IP address to upload plain telegrams via UDP.
  • [not set]: Defaults to uploading data to the Lobaro IoT Platform using the configured Host parameter.
  • UdpPort: Port number to upload plain telegrams via UDP.
  • Only used if UdpHost is set.
info

Even when metering data is sent to an external server, the firmware typically still requires a connection to a Lobaro Platform instance to send status information, perform remote configurations, or handle firmware updates.

For solutions that allow all communication without the Lobaro Platform, such as direct MQTT to an external broker, contact Lobaro for potential options.

LoRaWAN Connection

DescriptionKeyTypePossible ValuesDefault
DevEUIDevEUIbyte[8]anyDevice EUI64
AppEUI / JoinEUI (1.1)AppEUI/JoinEUIbyte[8]anyrandom
AppKeyAppKeybyte[16]anyrandom
NwkKey (1.1)NwkKeybyte[16]any00000000000000000000000000000000
Days between TimesyncTimeSyncNumberany3
Payload FormatPayloadFormatNumber0, 1, 20
use OTAAOTAABooltrue or falsetrue
Random TX Delay [s]RndDelayNumberany10
Spreading FactorSFNumber7-1212
Transmission PowerTxPowerNumber2-1414
Adaptiv Data RateADRBooltrue or falsetrue
LoRaWAN max. Payload LengthloraPLMaxNumber10 to 241100
Detailed Description
LoRaWAN 1.1

LoRaWAN 1.1 is experimental and not certified. For production environments, we recommend using LoRaWAN 1.0.2.

note

Depending on configuration some parameters are not available.

NwkKey Parameter

The Network Key (NwkKey) is used for LoRaWAN 1.1. If set to zeros (00000000000000000000000000000000) or to the same value as the AppKey, the device will stick to LoRaWAN 1.0.2 which is the recommended mode of operation.

PayloadFormat Parameter

Used encoding of the wmBus LoRaWAN uplink payload packets.

  • 0 = Encoding in ports with static message length
  • 1 = prefix bytes and time
  • 2 = prefix bytes, time, and rssi
More Details

For a detailed specification of the payload formats, please refer to the LoRaWAN Communication page.

Analog Channel Parameters

DescriptionKeyTypePossible ValuesDefault
Enabled Channel 1ch1EnableBooleantrue or falsetrue
Enabled Channel 2ch2EnableBooleantrue or falsetrue
Enabled Channel 3ch3EnableBooleantrue or falsetrue
Cron in case of alarmalarmCronStringAny cron``
Number of ms to wait before readingch1PreReadTOInteter0..6000010
Number of ms to wait before readingch2PreReadTOInteter0..6000010
Number of ms to wait before readingch3PreReadTOInteter0..6000010
Number of samples to take in one measurementch1ch1SamplesInteger1..200200
Number of samples to take in one measurementch1ch2SamplesInteger1..200200
Number of samples to take in one measurementch1ch3SamplesInteger1..200200
Calibration Factorch1FactorString[not set]
Calibration Factorch2FactorString[not set]
Calibration Factorch3FactorString[not set]
Calibration Offsetch1OffsetString[not set]
Calibration Offsetch2OffsetString[not set]
Calibration Offsetch3OffsetString[not set]
Alarm threshold highch1AlarmHighString[not set]
Alarm threshold highch2AlarmHighString[not set]
Alarm threshold highch3AlarmHighString[not set]
Alarm threshold lowch1AlarmLowString[not set]
Alarm threshold lowch2AlarmLowString[not set]
Alarm threshold lowch3AlarmLowString[not set]
Detailed Description

alarmCron Parameter

In case of an active alarm, this cron is used instead of the regular cron.

chXFactor and chXOffset Parameters

The measured raw value is multiplied by chXFactor and then chXOffset is added. All further calculations and alarm checks are done with this derived value.

chXAlarmLow and chXAlarmHigh Parameters

If the calculated measurement value is above chXAlarmHigh or below chXAlarmLow, a alarm is triggered. The number of triggered alarms and the time in the alarm state is measured and transmitted.

Special

DescriptionKeyTypePossible ValuesDefault
Verbose UART LogverboseBooltrue or falsefalse
Addon RAM configurationextRamStringLobaro Internal[not set]
Live ModeliveModeString[not set]
Operation ModeopModeNumberLobaro Internal1
Detailed Description

liveMode Parameter

An empty string disables the live mode. suppression=<seconds> enable live mode with suppression of duplicate telegrams for seconds

Upload Formats LoRaWAN

LoRaWAN PortUplink Message
1Status Message
8Poti Data Packet
More Details

For a detailed specification of the payload formats, please refer to the LoRaWAN Communication page.

Upload Formats LTE

CoAP Protocol

The protocol details of the CoAP implementation are not publicly disclosed and are intended for use exclusively with the Lobaro IoT Platform. For integration with third-party systems, MQTT is the preferred protocol.

If you require access to this and MQTT is not an option, please contact Lobaro directly.

MQTT Protocol

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Declaration of Conformity

Download CE declaration of conformity