Clock Synchronization and Time Reference
Timing and synchronization requirements in a LoRaWAN gateway depend on its mode of operation: an indoor gateway operating purely on LoRaWAN Class A traffic does not require any synchronization mechanism, as the only relevant time domain is given by the concentrator's clock. Still, the LoRa Basics™ Station keeps track of relative clock drift and UTC time reference for convenience, even in this case. For outdoor gateways equipped with GPS receivers, the Station can also track high-precision clock drift and a time reference to global GPS time.
In the next sections, we will look at the synchronization and time reference tracking requirements for each clock involved in the LoRaWAN Gateway, and the time-related strategies implemented in the LoRa Basics™ Station.
Clocks and their uses