ChirpStack
ChirpStack: Full Control Over Your Factory's LoRaWAN Network
Some manufacturers are comfortable with a managed LoRaWAN network service. Others, for reasons of data governance, security policy, or simply wanting full ownership of their infrastructure, need their network server running on their own premises, under their own control. ChirpStack is the self-hosted, open-source LoRaWAN network server INGSOL deploys for exactly that requirement. This page explains what ChirpStack is, how INGSOL uses it, and when it is the right choice for a factory or manufacturing plant.
What Is ChirpStack?
ChirpStack is an open-source LoRaWAN network server that an organisation runs on its own infrastructure, whether on-premises or in a private cloud environment it controls. It performs the same core function as any LoRaWAN network server, authenticating devices, managing gateway connections, and routing sensor data to the applications that consume it, but without depending on a third-party managed service to do so.
ChirpStack is not a sensor manufacturer or an analytics platform, and it does not visualise or store data long-term itself. Its role is the network layer: sitting between LoRaWAN gateways and sensors on one side, and applications such as ThingsBoard, a Unified Namespace, or custom integrations on the other, exactly as a managed network server would, but hosted and controlled entirely by you.
Why INGSOL Uses ChirpStack
Full control over data and infrastructure:
Running chirpstack on your own infrastructure means sensor data never has to leave your premises or pass through a third-party managed service, which matters for sites with strict data governance or security requirements.
No licensing costs or vendor dependence:
As an open-source project, chirpstack carries no licensing fees, and organisations avoid ongoing dependence on a managed service provider’s pricing or roadmap.
Customisable to your environment:
Because it runs on your own infrastructure, chirpstack’s configuration, integrations and network topology can be adapted precisely to your site and IT policies, rather than working within a managed service’s constraints.
Scales to your infrastructure:
Chirpstack can be deployed on a single server for a smaller site or scaled across infrastructure for a larger, multi-site organisation, giving flexibility in how much control and complexity you take on.
Built on an open standard:
Chirpstack implements the same open lorawan standard as any other network server, so devices and gateways from different manufacturers remain compatible and interchangeable
How INGSOL Deploys ChirpStack in Practice
On-Premises Network Server Deployment
INGSOL installs and configures ChirpStack on infrastructure within your control, whether that is a dedicated server, a virtual machine, or your own private cloud environment, so your LoRaWAN network operates entirely within your existing IT governance boundaries.
Device and Gateway Management
ChirpStack provides device provisioning, authentication and gateway management tools, giving your team, or INGSOL on your behalf, a central point to onboard sensors and monitor network health without relying on an external provider.
Routing Data Into Your Architecture
Sensor data authenticated through ChirpStack is routed into ThingsBoard for device management and dashboards, or directly into a Unified Namespace where one is in place, with Node-RED handling any additional protocol translation or routing logic required.
Supporting Sensitive or Restricted Sites
For sites with heightened security requirements, restricted network access, or contractual data residency obligations, ChirpStack allows LoRaWAN connectivity to be deployed without any sensor data passing through external servers, keeping the entire network within your defined security perimeter.
ChirpStack or The Things Network: Choosing the Right Fit
INGSOL supports both ChirpStack and The Things Network, and recommends between them based on your specific situation rather than a default preference. ChirpStack suits organisations that want full ownership of their network infrastructure, have strict data governance requirements, or already operate the IT resources needed to maintain a self-hosted service. The Things Network suits organisations that prefer a managed service and want to minimise the infrastructure they operate directly. Both implement the same open LoRaWAN standard, so a decision between them does not lock you into a particular sensor ecosystem.
ChirpStack Within the INGSOL Technology Stack
ChirpStack sits between LoRaWAN gateways and sensors on one side, and the rest of INGSOL’s technology stack on the other. Data authenticated and routed through ChirpStack typically flows into ThingsBoard for device management, or directly into a Unified Namespace, before reaching PostgreSQL and TimescaleDB for storage. Node-RED handles protocol translation or routing logic where needed, and Grafana or Ignition present the resulting data on dashboards alongside readings from wired and Wi-Fi connected equipment, giving a consistent view regardless of which network server is in use.
Why Manufacturers Choose INGSOL's PostgreSQL Implementation
ChirpStack is deployed and configured by engineers who understand both the LoRaWAN protocol and your site's specific IT and security requirements.
As a self-hosted, open-source platform, ChirpStack keeps your network infrastructure and sensor data entirely within your control.
ChirpStack is integrated into the same ThingsBoard, Unified Namespace and dashboard architecture used for wired and Wi-Fi connected equipment, rather than operating as a disconnected system.
INGSOL recommends ChirpStack or The Things Network based on an honest assessment of your governance requirements and IT resourcing, not a default preference.
INGSOL deploys and manages ChirpStack to give your factory full ownership over its LoRaWAN network and sensor data, without depending on a third-party managed service. Get in touch to discuss how ChirpStack fits your technology stack, or a Digital Transformation Maturity Assessment for your plant.
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