LoRaWAN with ChirpStack

01Register

Register the device in ChirpStack

1
Open your applicationLog in to your ChirpStack instance and open or create an Application.
2
Check the device profileMake sure a Device profile matches the LoRaWAN version of your device.
3
Add the deviceOpen Devices, press Add device and enter the DevEUI and the profile.
4
Set the keysOn the Keys tab, set the AppKey for OTAA or the session keys for ABP. Note the DevEUI and the Application ID.

02In HydroNode

Link the device to your sensor

Link the DevEUI to a sensor that is set to Outdoor, as described in Bind in HydroNode. Then add a payload layout for each fPort, see Decode payloads.

03Uplinks

Send uplinks from ChirpStack to HydroNode

ChirpStack forwards events through the HTTP integration of an application.

1
Copy your webhook addressCopy the Webhook URL from your profile, just like for TTN.
2
Add the HTTP integrationIn ChirpStack, open your application, then Integrations, and add the HTTP integration.
3
Fill in the formSet Payload encoding to JSON and paste your address into Event endpoint URL. Leave the headers empty and press Submit.

ChirpStack sends every event to this address and names the event in the URL. HydroNode stores the uplinks, reads the downlink events txack and ack, and ignores all other events.

Helium consoles that run on ChirpStack v4 work the same way. Add the HTTP integration in your console for uplinks, and use the console address and an API key from it for downlinks.

04Check

See the first uplink arrive

Open the sensor in HydroNode and open its console. Click the bar at the bottom of the page or press the backtick key. The Live tab shows every uplink as it arrives, with fPort, frame counter, decoded values and the result.

Result	Meaning	What to do
202	The values are stored.	Nothing. The device is connected.
400 no-fport-config	There is no payload layout for this fPort.	Add the layout in the sensor settings.
401	The token in the address is not valid.	Copy the Webhook URL again. After a token rotation, update it in your network server.
404	No sensor in your account has this DevEUI.	Link the DevEUI in the sensor settings under Connection.

More about the console: Device Console.

05Downlinks

Let HydroNode send through ChirpStack

HydroNode queues downlinks through the ChirpStack API, with an API key you create in ChirpStack.

1
Create an API keyIn ChirpStack, open API keys in the tenant that holds your devices and add a key. Copy the token, because ChirpStack shows it only once.
2
Enter the connectionOpen Profile. Under Downlinks, choose ChirpStack. Keep gRPC-Web as the API, because every ChirpStack v4 server offers it at the address of its web interface. Choose REST only if you run the ChirpStack REST API proxy. Enter the address you open ChirpStack with, for example https://chirpstack.example.com, paste the token and press Save.
3
Run the testPress Test. HydroNode looks up the station that sent last in ChirpStack, or the DevEUI you enter.
4
Turn it onWhen the test passed, turn on Send downlinks through ChirpStack.

Test answer	What to do
ChirpStack refused the token.	Create a new API key in the tenant that holds your devices.
ChirpStack does not know this device.	Check that the device exists in ChirpStack with this DevEUI.
The server address points to a private network.	HydroNode only reaches public servers. Give ChirpStack a public HTTPS address.
ChirpStack redirected the request.	Enter the final address of your server. HydroNode does not follow redirects.
The server did not answer within 10 seconds.	Check that ChirpStack is reachable from the internet.

Saving the connection again turns downlinks off until the next successful test. The token is stored encrypted and never shown again.

What you can send and how to follow it: Downlinks.

06Payload

What ChirpStack sends

{
  "deduplicationId": "f2b0b8ec-1d5a-4c1f-9d0e-2f2f7d3a1b22",
  "time": "2026-07-21T11:24:34.027+00:00",
  "deviceInfo": {
    "devEui": "a840411b2182cd44",
    "applicationId": "abc123"
  },
  "fPort": 1,
  "fCnt": 9846,
  "data": "AQH0AgBk",
  "rxInfo": [
    { "rssi": -85, "snr": 7.2 }
  ]
}

HydroNode recognises a ChirpStack event by deviceInfo or a top level devEui. Helium consoles send the same event.