This is more needed for industrial uses or farms etc. but I now have a Seeed Studio M2 Multiplatform running in Local mode (where it runs Chirpstack V4 and automatically emits MQTT). The MQTT messages appear on the iHost NodeRED docker. loRa isn’t a mesh but it does have a range of several kilometres. Throughput is rubbish, so it isn’t suitable for cameras etc. Unfortunately the M2 Multiplatform isn’t on sale anymore and the devices all cost more that Zigbee ones but if anyone has a need to have devices further than their Zigbee mesh it is an option. Currently have a GNSS (inc. GPS) tracker, a Vision AI and a Data Logger. Will be adding a maduino LoRa shield to play with effectors but mostly it is sensors for now.
Moved the post to the feature request section. It’s open for votes.
It’s not really a feature request as, after some hassle it works already. I was trying to leave a message to say it works. You could add LoRaWAN to the iHost if you can find a really cheap chip but it works best with some altitude so unless people have Ethernet high up in their houses it wouldn’t be ideal. The Chirpstack on devices is open source and automatically emits MQTT: you could potentially have settings for connecting to an MQTT broker and automatically display the data (as that was a lot of the hassle. It is not just the measurements but loads of other stuff that is sent). One of the devices I have provides latitude and longitude: you could potentially add geolocation to the security tab. Overall though, it is just a mention that it is possible to add LoRaWAN via free opensource software, “chirpstack”, that runs on loads of hubs) on the iHost as it is.
Of course, we see its potential and appreciate users’ creativity. Are you using a dongle with it? I’m not familiar with this protocol to be honset. If so, why not share a brief guide when you’re available so others can follow along?
As for the official implementation, eWeLink CUBE is currently focusing more on Zigbee, bringing more eWeLink devices as well as abilities to align with the app, as seen in the recent update.
The next major work should be about Matter Hub and Thread later this year, in addition to the ongoing Zigbee and scene ability upgrade.
It’s not a dongle. It’s a bit bigger, has an aerial and I don’t think it would be useful for 99% of iHost users and would add extra expense. I’m using the
M2 Multiplatform
but the free opensource software Chirpstack V4 I’m using runs on loads of gateways (hubs) and sends MQTT messages to a broker without any set up other than telling it where the broker is and how to access it.
LoRa(I think an abbreviation of Long Range) is just a long range protocol that has a low bitrate, so it is only really relevant if people want to sense (and control but I haven’t set that up) outside Zigbee/wifi range. Mostly I am thinking farms. I think the world record is over 900miles but they used a balloon or something and they’ve bounced them of the moon, but in the real world you are only likely to get a few kilometres on your own. You can join others and network them (“Helium” and “The Things Network”) but that is not local, so I’m not sure it really fits as well with the iHost. Maybe the NSPP. I’ve never used those networks though.
There is also a project called “meshtastic” using the same technology. The devices are normally battery powered and mobile but maybe there is a dongle that would allow the iHost to join a mesh. That might be more useful for normal people.
I did find a USB dongle:
But I’m not sure it would work with the iHost. My guess it is just a radio to serial to USB package.
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