Introducing WisDM Remote Extension Install for WisGateOS 2
A new way to deploy capabilities across WisGateOS 2
WisDM Remote Extension Install adds a new remote deployment feature to gateway device management for LoRaWAN®: teams can install, update, and monitor supported WisGateOS 2 extensions on each eligible gateway directly from the WisDM console.
Remote Extension Install handles how supported extensions are deployed and managed, one gateway at a time, from a single console. The extensions themselves provide the gateway functions, such as connectivity recovery, maintenance automation, and network management.
The shift is in how those extensions reach a gateway already in the field. Operators can identify the devices that need a function, choose the appropriate extension, begin the rollout, and follow its status within the same environment. As requirements change across sites or deployments, supported functionality can evolve with them instead of remaining limited to what was configured at installation.
That raises an important question: what exactly is a WisGateOS 2 extension, and where does Remote Extension Install fit within WisDM?
What is WisDM Remote Extension Install?
WisDM Remote Extension Install is the deployment mechanism for supported WisGateOS 2 extensions. Built into WisDM, it gives gateway teams a centralized way to install, update, and monitor extensions on an eligible gateway individually.
It handles the rollout layer: operators select the gateway, choose the supported extension they want to deploy, start the installation, and follow its status from WisDM.
What Are WisGateOS 2 Extensions?
WisGateOS 2 extensions are modular software components that add specific functions to a gateway without changing its core operating system. Depending on the extension, those functions can address connectivity recovery, maintenance, or network management.
Current examples include WiFi recovery, cellular failover, scheduled maintenance, and port management.
Extension vs. firmware: Firmware changes the underlying WisGateOS 2 operating system. An extension adds functionality on top of it. This distinction makes Remote Extension Install more than another OTA firmware mechanism. It is designed specifically for managing the modular software layer of WisGateOS 2.
Remote Extension Install sits within WisDM rather than functioning as a separate product. It brings those modular additions into the same device management environment, giving gateway teams a centralized way to handle extension deployment and maintenance as their requirements change.
Why RAK Built It: Gateway Capabilities Should Not Stop Evolving After Deployment
A LoRaWAN deployment rarely stays exactly as it was on day one. Connectivity conditions shift, maintenance policies mature, and network controls may need to change long after the hardware is installed.
Remote Extension Install was built around that reality: the software functions available to a WisGateOS 2 device should be able to evolve with the operation.
Manual device-level work creates room for inconsistency. When the same software change has to be carried out separately on individual units, often over SSH, it's easy for versions to drift. WisDM replaces that manual process with a guided, repeatable install for each gateway, making it easier to keep track of what has been applied and where.
Post-deployment changes are part of the lifecycle. A function that was not needed at launch may become relevant later as connectivity, maintenance, or network policies develop.
The next question is how that process works inside WisDM.
How WisDM Remote Extension Install Works
The workflow is intentionally simple: choose where the extension should go, select what you want to add, then follow the rollout in WisDM.
Step 1: Select the Gateway
Start by choosing the gateway that should receive the extension. Extensions are currently installed one gateway at a time, keeping each change scoped and easy to verify before moving to the next device.
Step 2: Choose the Supported WisGateOS 2 Extension
Next, select the required option from the supported extension catalog. The choice depends on the function the gateway needs, whether that relates to connectivity, maintenance, or network management.
Step 3: Start the Rollout and Monitor Status
Once the target gateway and extension are selected, begin the remote installation. WisDM displays rollout status so you can follow progress on the chosen device and see how the deployment is proceeding.
Think of it as an MDM-style approach for a gateway for LoRaWAN: WisDM brings app-style, no-SSH deployment to WisGateOS 2 extensions from a central platform. No need to open each gateway's own console.
Which WisGateOS 2 Extensions Can You Deploy Remotely?
WisDM Remote Extension Install currently highlights four WisGateOS 2 extensions, each adding a specific function to an eligible gateway. More extensions will be added to WisDM in the coming months.
WiFi Reboot (recover a lost WiFi connection)
Connectivity checks run against configured targets. If all ping/httping tests fail, the WiFi module or the entire gateway can be restarted to restore the link.
Cellular Failover Reboot (respond when every backhaul link goes offline)
This option watches LTE, Ethernet, and WiFi. When none of those connections is available, it can restart the LTE module or reboot the gateway.
Operation and Maintenance (automate recurring upkeep)
Scheduled reboots are paired with cellular-network monitoring and automatic cellular module restart, covering two common maintenance tasks in one package.
RAK Open/Close Port (apply network traffic rules)
Ports can be opened or closed as needed, while source-IP restrictions provide more control over which addresses are allowed to connect.
Add Your Next Gateway Capability from WisDM
Gateway functionality does not have to stay fixed at installation. WisDM Remote Extension Install makes it possible to introduce supported WisGateOS 2 extensions as new requirements emerge, with WisDM providing the place to manage those changes.
Ready to try it? Log in to WisDM and push your first extension.