Border Gateway deployments

The LTE-M radio in the Border Gateway uses a reasonable amount of power so the power supply needs to be addressed when locating a site to mount the device. Ideally, it should be installed in a location with mains power.

When planning Border Gateway deployments, consider how you plan to provide the device with a reliable power supply and continuous access to the Internet. This section provides recommendations and types of deployment scenarios to assist you.

Planning recommendations

When planning Silvanet Border Gateway deployments, the location of the device should be chosen carefully.

Take into account the following recommendations when planning the location of the Border gateway:

• Location: Several kms distance from Mesh Gateways, depending on topology

  Place the Border Gateway in a location no more than 2-3 km from Mesh Gateways. Also, due to its connectivity to the internet, it requires more energy and the location should be chosen carefully. Ideally, it should be placed in a location with access to a reliable power supply (mains power) but it can also be powered by its pre-connected solar panel in off-grid locations.

• Access to reliable power supply

  Due to Internet connectivity and always-on requirements, the Border Gateway needs a reliable power supply. It can also be powered by its pre-connected solar panel in off-grid locations.

• Solar panel towards sun at 12:00 (northern or southern hemisphere)

  The pre-connected solar panel acts as a backup to charge the device's internal energy storage (supercapacitors). If a loss of power occurs, the solar cell will keep the system running, thus keeping the Silvanet Network functioning. Select a location with direct sunlight (such as a hillside) and keep it free from branches that obscure direct sunlight. Ideally, it should be placed on a tree or pole away from other trees in the forest.

• Use Ethernet for Internet connectivity (ideally)

  The Border Gateway should be connected to the Internet using a fixed-Internet connection (Ethernet) but it can also be connected to the Internet using its built-in wireless connectivity (4G/LTE-M with 2G/GPRS fallback).

• Place on a hillside to maximize range and sunlight, if possible

  Ideally, the Border Gateway should be installed on a hill to maximize the range. If the Border Gateway is to be powered by solar, select a sunny location with direct sunlight. If it is installed on a tree, the solar panel should not be covered by branches.

• Provide a clear line of site for SWARM Satellite backup

  For satellite connectivity, the Border Gateway provides a SWARM antenna to connect the Silvanet Network to the Internet. It therefore needs a clear line of sight to connect to a satellite.

• Provide a backup Border Gateway

  We recommend providing a backup Border Gateway for larger deployments.

Deployment scenarios

Depending on the availability of electricity and Internet, the following sections describe the possible scenarios for Border Gateway deployments.

Setup with a PoE-ready router

In a setup with a Power over Ethernet (PoE)-ready router, the Border Gateway obtains a power source from an Internet router that includes PoE. A separate PoE Injector is not needed.

This setup includes the following devices:

• Border Gateway: Connected to the router with a single Ethernet cable.

• Router: Cable or ADSL router that includes support for PoE

This setup provides:

• Internet connectivity: The Border Gateway is connected to the Internet router using an Ethernet cable.

• Power supply: The Border Gateway uses the PoE and an Internet connection provided by the router. In this setup, a separate PoE Injector is not needed.

• Backup: In case of power failure or loss of Internet connectivity through Ethernet, the Border Gateway can use its built-in 4G/LTE-M (or 2G/GPRS) mobile radio or its SWARM Satellite connectivity. In case of a power failure, backup power is provided by the solar panel.

Setup with a router but does not support PoE

In a setup with a router that does not support PoE, the Border Gateway is connected to an Internet router such as a cable or ADSL router.

This setup uses the following devices:

• PoE Injector (also called a PoE Adapter) is plugged into a mains power supply

• Internet Router is connected to the PoE Injector with an Ethernet cable using the LAN-port of the PoE Injector

• PoE Injector is connected to the Border Gateway using a second Ethernet cable

This setup provides:

• Internet connectivity: The Internet router connected to the PoE Injector to provide Internet connectivity.

• Power supply: The PoE Injector plugged in to the mains provides the power supply for the Border Gateway.

• Backup: In case of power failure or loss of Internet connectivity through Ethernet, the Border Gateway can use its built-in 4G/LTE-M (or 2G/GPRS) mobile radio or its SWARM Satellite connectivity. In case of a power failure, backup power is provided by the solar panel.

Setup without router but with mains power

In this setup, the Border Gateway is deployed in a location without a fixed-line Internet connection (without a router) but does have mains power.

This setup uses the following devices:

• PoE Injector is plugged into the mains power supply

• Border Gateway is connected to the LAN port of the PoE Injector with an Ethernet cable

This setup provides:

• Internet connectivity: Provided by the Border Gateway's built-in 4G/LTE 2G/GPRS radio.

• Power supply: Powered by the PoE Injector plugged into a mains power supply.

• Backup: In case of power failure or loss of Internet connectivity through Ethernet, the Border Gateway can use its built-in 4G/LTE-M (or 2G/GPRS) mobile radio or its SWARM Satellite connectivity. In case of a power failure, backup power is provided by the solar panel.

Setup without router and without mains power

Often Internet connectivity and a mains power source is unreliable in remote locations. Border Gateways deployed in these types of locations have neither fixed-line Internet connectivity or a reliable power supply. However, the Border Gateway can use its solar panel and a SWARM Satellite uplink to send Fire alert signals to the Silvanet Cloud.

This setup uses the following devices:

• Border Gateway: Without connection to any router or mains power supply.

This setup provides:

• Internet connectivity: PProvided by the Border Gateway's built-in LTE-M 2G/GPRS mobile radio, if a mobile tower is accessible. Otherwise, it uses a SWARM Satellite uplink.

• Power supply: Powered by the solar panel which charges the Border Gateway's internal energy storage. However, depending on the amount of sunlight, data transfer might be limited.

• Backup: In case of power failure or loss of Internet connectivity through Ethernet, the Border Gateway can use its built-in 4G/LTE-M (or 2G/GPRS) mobile radio or its SWARM Satellite connectivity. In case of a power failure, backup power is provided by the solar panel.

Backup setup

Normally, as a fallback, the Border Gateway supports several methods to ensure uninterrupted Internet connectivity:

• Loss of Internet access: For example, due to loss of power or network failure, the mobile data connection (4G/2G) is used.

• Loss of electricity: The solar panel charges the internal batteries and allows the mobile-data connection to be used.

If the Border Gateway loses Internet connectivity and power supply, the following ensures uninterrupted Internet connectivity:

• Loss of power supply: The solar panel provides a backup emergency power supply.

• Loss of Internet connectivity (Ethernet and mobile): SWARM satellite uplink functions as an emergency backup. In this situation, only Fire alarms are sent. As the system runs in power saving mode, no other sensor data can be transmitted.

  Important

  Should the installation location of the Border Gateway have neither a mains power supply or access to a mobile network (4G/LTE 2G/GPRS), the Border Gateway can still transmit minimal messages to the Swarm Satellite. However, messages are restricted to Fire Alerts only. This scenario is applicable, for example, where natural disasters like thunderstorms or earthquakes bring down Internet connectivity.