In LoRaWAN® , OTAA (Over-The-Air-Activation) and ABP (Activation By Personalization) are two different methods of activating or registering a device on a LoRaWAN® network. Let's explore the differences between these methods and discuss which one to use for registering a device on the SenRa LoRaWAN® Network Server.

 

OTAA (Over-the-Air Activation):

 

• OTAA  is a secure and dynamic way of registering devices on a LoRaWAN® network.
• It involves the exchange of activation information between the device (end-node) and the network server over the air.
• Devices using OTAA receive a DevEUI, AppEUI, and an AppKey, which are used to securely join the network.
• OTA A is typically the preferred method for most LoRaWAN® applications as it offers better security and flexibility.

 

ABP (Activation By Personalization):

 

• ABP is a simplified, static method of activation in LoRaWAN®.
• It stands for Activation By Personalization because the device's configuration parameters (like DevAddr, NwkSKey, and AppSKey) are manually pre-configured into the device before deployment.
• ABP is less secure than OTAA because the keys are pre-shared, making it potentially vulnerable if keys are exposed or compromised.
• ABP is typically used in situations where devices cannot perform OTAA, such as legacy devices or constrained devices.