WisGate Connect Raspberry Pi CM4 gateway supports 2.5GbE, WiFi 6, BLE, LoRaWAN, 4G, 5G, and more

RAKwireless has just introduced the WisGate Connect gateway based on Raspberry Pi CM4 system-on-module with support for Gigabit and 2.5Gbps Ethernet plus various optional wireless connectivity option that can be added through Mini PCIe or M.2 sockets as well as expansion through WisBlock IO connectors.

Wireless options include LoRaWAN, 4G LTE, 5G, WiFi 6, Zigbee, WiFi HaLoW, and more, while WisBlock modules enable features such as methane sensor, motor current sensor, temperature sensor, pressure control, and valve control among many others.

WisGate Connect (RAK7391) specifications:

SoM – Raspberry Pi CM4 with Broadcom BCM2711 quad-core Cortex-A72 processor @ 1.5GHz, 1 to 8Gb DDR4, optional 8 to 32GB eMMC flash, optional WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 LE
Storage – MicroSD card socket for CM4 Lite modules only
Video Output – HDMI 2.0 up to 4Kp60, 22-pin MIPI DSI connector
Camera I/F – 2x 22-pin MIPI CSI connectors
Networking
- Wired – Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 port with PoE support, 2.5GbE RJ45 port
- Optional 802.11 b/g/n/ac/ax WiFi 6 and BLE 5.0 on RPi CM4 module
- Optional LoRaWAN, 4G LTE, 5G, WiFi 6, Zigbee, WiFi HaLoW, etc… via mini PCIe sockets, M.2 socket, and/or Raspberry Pi header
USB – 2x USB 3.0 ports, 1x USB 2.0 port, 1x USB Type-C port for updating RPi CM4 firmware
Expansion
- 40-pin Raspberry Pi-compatible header
- 3x Mini PCIe sockets
- 1x M.2 B-key sockets
- 2x WisBlock IO connectors
Misc – Onboard RTC with battery socket, temperature monitor, buzzer, 12V/5V fan controller, voltage monitor, jumper for configuration
Power Supply
- Input
  - 10-28V DC via Phoenix connector)
  - IEEE 802.3at/bt active PoE
- 5V/12V power out for peripherals
Dimensions – PCB: 170 x 170 mm (Mini-ITX standard form factor)
Weight – 212 grams
Temperature Range – -20ºC to 85ºC (except for USB 3.0 and buzzer which are rated 0ºC-70ºC)

The WisGate Connect “RAK7391” is offered as a bare carrier board or a complete system with indoor or outdoor (waterproof) enclosures made of aluminum or plastic materials, a choice of Raspberry Pi CM4 module, and an optional LoRaWAN module. Other options include 4G LTE, WiFi 6, or WiFi HaLow wireless modules, a SATA adapter, a PoE module, and a wide range of WisBlock IO or sensor modules.

The Raspberry Pi CM4 gateway runs the RAKPiOS operation system based on a fork of the official Raspberry Pi OS with all the required drivers to use the device, some security changes, and helper scripts. Docker is also installed by default in order to easily deploy IoT services from a curated list of docker containers. You’ll find the source code on GitHub. For you are not familiar with Docker, it might be easier to deploy apps through Portainer.

To easily get started the company has also prepared a list of practical examples showing how to use the RAK7391 as a dual-band LoRaWAN gateway, an MQTT to Modbus bridge, a standalone LoRaWAN gateway with UDP packet forwarder supporting The Things Stack LNS, NodeRED, InfluxDB and Grafana, and finally another LoRaWAN gateway example using TagoCore open-source IoT platform. Further technical details can be found on the documentation website.

The WisGate Connect gateway is now available on the RAKwireless store starting at $149 for the bare carrier board. The Raspberry Pi CM4 is the highlight of RAKwireless’ Autumn 2022 launch, but the company also unveiled a sensor hub, a range of WisBlock Audio IoT modules, and more. You can find more details about those in the announcement.

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.