1 - End Device Activation

This book covers LoRaWAN® end-device activation in depth.

Todo

Add more details

Introduction

All end devices that participate in a LoRaWAN® network must be activated. In this book, you learn the rules and best practices to follow when activating your end device using the LoRaWAN® 1.0.4 specification.

Activation Options

There are two methods of activation you can choose: over-the-air activation (OTAA) or activation by personalization (ABP).

The OTAA and ABP activation methods each result in secret session keys being held by both the end device and the network server, which are used to secure messages being sent and received across the network. In ABP, these session keys are stored on the end device during the manufacturing process. In OTAA, the session keys are generated during a series of exchanges with the network server.

OTAA is a more secure option because it allows for the keys to be updated by rejoining the network, reducing the impact of key compromise. The network server also supplies settings to the end device during the OTAA join procedure to optimize ongoing communications between the network server and the end device.

Implement OTAA unless you have a strong reason for not doing so.