How to Connect a LoRaWAN Sensor to Helium in Canada

Mapping Network sells hardware only. We make no promises about Helium network rewards, token value or earnings, and nothing here is financial advice. Check current details on the official Helium network page.

The Helium IoT network is a public LoRaWAN network. Any LoRaWAN sensor set to the right frequency plan can send small messages through any Helium hotspot in range, with no contract and no SIM card. This guide walks through connecting one sensor in Canada, from checking coverage to seeing your first message.

What you need

• A LoRaWAN sensor set to US915, the frequency plan used in Canada. You need its DevEUI, JoinEUI (also called AppEUI) and AppKey, usually printed on a label or shown in the maker's app.
• An account on a Helium LoRaWAN console. This guide uses the MeteoScientific console, which is built on ChirpStack.
• Helium coverage where the sensor will sit, either from the public network or from a hotspot you put there yourself.

Sensors we have in stock right now include the SenseCAP S2102 light intensity sensor and the RAK WisNode Button 4K, a four-button LoRaWAN remote. To build your own sensor, the Helium Developer Kit (RAK WisBlock, includes a temperature and humidity sensor) and the SenseCAP K1100 prototype kit are good starting points. See all sensors and kits.

Step 1: Check coverage

Open the Helium IoT network map and look at your address. Our Helium network map and explorer guide shows how to read it. A hotspot on the map is a good sign, but it doesn't guarantee your sensor will reach it. Walls, hills and trees all matter. A field tester such as the Glamos Walker (needs a yearly app subscription after a two-month trial) shows whether real messages get through. See all mappers and testers.

Your own coverage for your sensors. If the map shows no hotspot near your site, put one there. A hotspot is a LoRaWAN gateway: it listens for your sensors and passes their messages over your internet connection to the Helium network and on to your console. It needs power and an internet connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet). Good starting points: the SenseCAP M1 bundle with outdoor enclosure and 3 dBi antenna, the SenseCAP M1 bundle with the Nebra 5.8 dBi antenna, the SenseCAP M1 indoor hotspot or the SenseCAP M2 data-only gateway. See all Helium hotspots and LoRaWAN gateways. Hotspot sales are final, as listed on each product.

Step 2: Create a console account and get data credits

Every message on Helium is paid for in Data Credits (DC). Helium's documentation sets 1 DC at US$0.00001, charged per 24 bytes of message data. DC can't be transferred or sold, so they are a pay-as-you-go data cost, not an investment. Consoles resell DC at their own price. MeteoScientific's pricing page lists US$0.0001 per DC, prepaid and non-refundable, and its getting-started tutorial says new accounts get 400 DC free. Check the current terms before you buy.

Step 3: Create a device profile

A device profile tells the console how your type of sensor behaves. Following MeteoScientific's device profile tutorial:

1. Go to Device Profiles and add a new profile.
2. Set the region to US915.
3. Enter the uplink interval your sensor uses, for example 60 minutes.
4. Leave over-the-air activation (OTAA) on.
5. Optionally add the maker's codec so the console turns raw bytes into readable values. Many makers publish one.
6. Submit.

The sensor's own documentation may list extra settings, such as which US915 sub-band it uses. We haven't verified sub-band settings for every device, so follow the maker's instructions.

Step 4: Add the device

1. Open or create an application, then click Add Device.
2. Give the device a name and choose the profile from step 3.
3. Paste the DevEUI. The JoinEUI is optional in ChirpStack-based consoles.
4. Enter the AppKey from your sensor, or generate one and load it into the sensor.
5. Submit.

Step 5: Power on and confirm the join

Turn the sensor on, or press its join button. In the console, open the device and check the LoRaWAN frames tab for a join request and accept. Once it has joined, uplinks start to appear. MeteoScientific's tutorial notes that a wrong DevEUI or AppKey is the most common reason a join fails, so check those first.

What it costs to run

Simple arithmetic, assuming each message is 24 bytes or less and MeteoScientific's listed US$0.0001 per DC:

• One message an hour: 24 DC a day, about 8,760 a year, about US$0.88 a year.
• One message every 15 minutes: 96 DC a day, about 2,900 a month, about US$0.29 a month.
• A tracker every 5 minutes: 288 DC a day, about US$0.86 a month.

Larger messages use more DC, and prices can change. These are estimates, not quotes.

Getting the antenna outside. A roof or wall antenna usually hears far more than one indoors. A no-adaptor chain we stock: McGill 6 dBi antenna, LMR-400 N-female to N-male cable, Laird lightning surge arrestor, 1 m N-male window pass-through and an L-type wall mounting pole, about CAD $274.95 in total. Our antenna buying guide explains the choices. Browse antennas, cables, antenna accessories and enclosures.

FAQ

Does Canada use US915?
Yes. Canadian LoRaWAN devices and Helium hotspots use the US915 plan in the 902 to 928 MHz band. Buy US915 versions only.

Do I need my own hotspot?
Only if no hotspot near you can hear your sensor. Any Helium hotspot in range can carry your messages.

Does my hotspot have to connect to the internet?
Yes. The hotspot passes your sensor messages over your internet connection.

Are data credits an investment?
No. DC are non-transferable and only pay for data. Buy only what you expect to use.

Sources

• Helium documentation, Data Credits: docs.helium.com/tokens/data-credit
• MeteoScientific pricing: meteoscientific.com/pricing
• MeteoScientific console introduction: meteoscientific.com/docs/tutorial-basics/intro-to-console
• MeteoScientific device profiles: meteoscientific.com/docs/tutorial-basics/device-profiles
• MeteoScientific adding a device: meteoscientific.com/docs/tutorial-basics/adding-a-device
• Helium IoT network map and statistics: world.helium.com/en/network/iot