LoRa Gateway for Smart Locks
A LoRa gateway for smart locks is the one device on a site or a vehicle that talks to the network. It carries commands to about 50 LORA_BLE_098 locks over LoRa and passes their events up over Ethernet, Wi-Fi or 4G, so the locks need no SIM and hold no network credentials.
The awake part of the system, so the locks can sleep
The locks run on batteries and sleep until something happens. The gateway runs on mains or vehicle power and stays online, which is what lets the two jobs be done well.
Always listening
The gateway is permanently online and listens for its locks at all times, so a cut or pry alarm goes out the moment the lock raises it.
Commands to one lock only
Each command is addressed by lock address, channel and Bluetooth MAC. It reaches one lock, which checks its own identity before acting. Commands are AES-128 encrypted.
Credentials in one place
Network settings live only on the gateway. On a fixed site that is one device to put on your network, and a lock taken off site discloses nothing.
Data goes where you want it
MQTT pass-through with configurable broker address, topics and credentials, so events land on your own broker. TCP, HTTP and an open API are also supported.
Position on every event
The vehicle gateway keeps a GPS fix, so each lock and unlock carries the vehicle's position and time without GPS in each lock.
Loss of contact is an alarm
A seal carried away from the vehicle drops out of LoRa range, and you are told while the truck is still moving.
Ethernet, Wi-Fi or 4G
The downlink to the locks is always LoRa. The uplink is chosen to suit the site.
| Uplink | Suited to |
|---|---|
| Ethernet (RJ45) | A wired, segregated network is required. Static IP or DHCP; can sit on a separate security VLAN behind a single firewall rule |
| Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz | Wireless coverage already exists. No cabling — suits retrofits and leased premises where drilling is unwelcome |
| 4G LTE | No fixed network on site, or the equipment itself moves — every vehicle installation falls here |
One gateway per truck, one SIM per truck
The vehicle gateway sits in the cab on the truck's 12 V or 24 V supply, with a backup battery for engine-off periods and short interruptions. It adds 4G and GPS to the LoRa link, built on the same GPS and cellular hardware as our GPS_4G_097, with positioning within 5 m.
Six seals on a tanker become one data plan instead of six. The seals carry no cellular radio, which is why they run for a year on their own cell.
- Geofence judged by the gateway's own GPS
- Seals may open automatically inside a permitted zone
- A seal opened outside any permitted zone raises an immediate alarm, with position and time
Unsealing at a fuel terminal without a phone
Most fuel terminals ban mobile phones on site. With a vehicle gateway the phone is not in the loop at all.
Drive in
The truck enters the terminal. The gateway is fixed in the cab and never left it.
Press the key
The operator presses the key on the seal to wake it.
Gateway checks
The seal reaches the gateway over LoRa. The gateway checks its GPS position against the geofence.
Seal opens
Inside the permitted zone, the seal unlocks. The event is on the platform with position and time.
| Downlink | LoRa, band per destination country, matching the locks supplied |
|---|---|
| Capacity | About 50 locks per gateway |
| Addressing | Lock address + channel + Bluetooth MAC; one command reaches one lock |
| Integration | MQTT pass-through (broker, topics, credentials configurable); TCP, HTTP, open API |
| Locks served | LORA_BLE_098, shackle and steel-cable versions |
| Uplink | Ethernet RJ45, Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz or 4G LTE, chosen to suit the site |
|---|---|
| Power | Mains, online 24/7 |
| Network | Static IP or DHCP; can run on a separate security VLAN |
| Uplink | 4G LTE, one SIM per vehicle |
|---|---|
| Positioning | GPS, within 5 m (civil GNSS) |
| Power | Vehicle 12 V / 24 V supply in the cab, with backup battery |
| Range to locks | 800–900 m, our own measurement on a vehicle |
| Geofence | Judged by the gateway's GPS; authorises or alarms by zone |
Frequently asked questions
How many gateways does a site need?
One gateway serves about 50 locks, but reach decides as often as numbers do: walls, buildings and terrain all matter. A site survey fixes how many gateways are needed and where they go. On a vehicle, one gateway is enough.
Can the gateway send data to our own server?
Yes. The server address is a configuration item and the gateway supports MQTT pass-through, with broker, topics and credentials all configurable. TCP, HTTP and an open API are also available, or use our hosted platform, which has no platform fee.
What happens if the gateway loses power or network?
The locks keep recording their events and upload them when they next reach a gateway, so the record survives; the live alarm is what is lost in the meantime. The app can still operate a lock on site over Bluetooth.
The vehicle gateway has a backup battery for engine-off periods and short interruptions, not for permanent disconnection.
Does it work with other makers' LoRa locks?
The gateway is supplied as part of the system with our LORA_BLE_098 locks, on the same LoRa band. For your own devices or systems, talk to us about OEM and integration.
Which LoRa band does it use?
The one for your country: EU868, US915, AS923, AU915, IN865, KR920, CN470 and others. The band is chosen at order for both gateway and locks; it is not a field setting.
Can the vehicle gateway carry video or live tracking of the locks?
No. LoRa is a low-rate link for events: lock, unlock, alarm and status. Vehicle position comes from the gateway's own GPS, not from the locks.
The locks and where they are used
LoRa Smart Padlock
Shackle padlock or cable seal on LoRa. One gateway serves about 50 locks; no SIM in the lock.
Learn moreFuel Tanker Sealing
LoRa seals on every valve and manhole, one gateway in the cab. Opens by geofence, with no phone at the terminal.
Learn moreContainer & Cargo Sealing
Reusable cable seals for container and box-truck doors. Released only at the destination, with every seal and release on record.
Learn morePlan a LoRa gateway deployment
Tell us the site or fleet, how many locks and in which country. We reply within one business day with a gateway plan, a quotation and the full specification.