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The CatWAN USB Stick is an open-source USB LoRa development board whose supplied firmware makes it a passive packet sniffer. Connect it to a supported host, install the project’s CatWAN firmware and LoRa Sniffer software, then observe transmissions from a nearby LoRa setup. It is not, by itself, a complete LoRaWAN application: that requires suitable device firmware, credentials and a connection to a LoRaWAN Network Server.

What the CatWAN USB Stick does

Electronic Cats describes the CatWAN USB Stick as a USB device for learning how LoRa works at packet level, debugging LoRa hardware and experimenting with IoT networks. Its supplied firmware is designed for passive capture of exchanges between LoRa devices, used with the project’s open-source LoRa Sniffer analysis tool. The project describes the stick as available through distributors. Electronic Cats’ CatWAN USB Stick repository

Passive capture is different from joining a LoRaWAN network as an end device. The sniffer can observe packets it can receive; that does not make it a gateway, network server or application client, nor does observation alone provide access to encrypted application data.

Hardware and published specifications

The board pairs an RFM95 radio with a SAMD21 ARM Cortex microcontroller running at 48 MHz. Electronic Cats lists native USB 2.1, 256 KB for programming, an RX indicator LED, and Arduino and CircuitPython compatibility. The RX LED is programmable and can indicate reception. Electronic Cats’ CatWAN USB Stick repository

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Specification Published value How to interpret it
Power consumption 140 mA during transmit; 20 mA idle with the power LED Manufacturer-published specifications (Electronic Cats, 2019), not independent measurements.
Receiver sensitivity Down to -146 dBm Manufacturer-published specification (Electronic Cats, 2019).
Transmit power Adjustable up to +18.5 dBm Manufacturer-published maximum (Electronic Cats, 2019); actual operation must also account for applicable regional radio rules.
Claimed range Up to 15 km in suburban coverage and up to 5 km in urban coverage Manufacturer-published claims (Electronic Cats, 2019), not guaranteed or independently tested results. Terrain, antenna, interference and installation affect range.

Set it up for packet sniffing

  1. Connect it to a host. The project lists PCs, Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, smartphones and tablets as host types. Compatibility in the project description does not establish that every operating system or connection method works without additional setup. Electronic Cats’ CatWAN USB Stick repository
  2. Get the project firmware and companion software. Use the CatWAN firmware and LoRa Sniffer analysis tool linked from the project resources. The repository describes the firmware as enabling passive capture of exchanges between LoRa devices. Electronic Cats’ CatWAN USB Stick repository
  3. Begin with a nearby LoRa setup. Start in receive-only observation and look for packets the stick can hear. The RX indicator can be programmed to show reception; it does not, on its own, identify or decode every packet.
  4. Reprogram only if you need different behavior. The project lists the Arduino IDE and USB programming, as well as J-Link, Atmel-ICE or a DIY SWD programmer. Follow the repository’s firmware and board instructions for the specific programming method. Electronic Cats’ CatWAN USB Stick repository

Packet sniffing is not the same as running a LoRaWAN device

The repository lists packet mode and LoRaWAN Classes A, B and C compatibility, and mentions The Things Network and other LoRaWAN networks. However, its README also says firmware for the Class A/B/C mode was not currently provided. The repository page is dated 27 May 2019, so treat that statement as a project-era limitation rather than confirmation of the current firmware state; current availability has not been independently established. Electronic Cats’ CatWAN USB Stick repository

To build a working LoRaWAN application, the device must be provisioned and configured to join a network. In the Helium documentation, the key device credentials are DevEUI, JoinEUI and AppKey. A network’s onboarding steps and credentials depend on the network and device firmware. Helium IoT device documentation

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Helium’s device guide describes configuring and uploading device firmware, then connecting the device to a LoRaWAN Network Server (LNS); after compiling and uploading, the device attempts to join and transmit. In a typical LoRaWAN data path, a device sends radio messages to a gateway, which forwards them to the LNS for authentication and processing before application delivery. CatWAN’s repository is primarily a sniffer and hardware/firmware reference, not a complete current LNS onboarding guide. Helium IoT device documentation · Helium device setup guide

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Licensing and project details

Electronic Cats identifies the firmware as GNU AGPL v3.0 and the hardware as CERN Open Hardware Licence v1.2. The design is identified as open-source certified hardware, and Electronic Cats is named as maintainer. Check the repository for the applicable license files and project materials before reusing or modifying the firmware or hardware design. Electronic Cats’ CatWAN USB Stick repository

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