GWG-40 configuration for OpenSprinkler

Setting up the GWG-40 requires some specialist knowledge and experience with using mobile access.

With the LTE router, the OpenSprinkler can easily access the Internet via an LTE or UMTS connection and update the weather data. The real problem is external access, because normal mobile phone providers do not allow a direct external connection to the mobile device. This is blocked by technical measures on the part of the mobile phone provider.

However, the situation is different with special providers, e.g. “Things Mobile” offers a public IP address for access via the Internet for 2EUR/month. The data volume for querying weather data from OpenSprinkler is almost negligible, 1MB per month is rarely reached. Only “personal access” to the device slightly increases the data flow.

Another problem is the different boot time of LTE Router and OpenSprinkler. While OpenSprinkler boots very quickly, the LTE router takes a little longer - but this leads to OpenSprinkler not getting an IP via DHCP and switching to WiFi Access mode. The solution here is to deactivate OpenSprinker DHCP and enter a fixed IP.

The following configuration steps apply to a SIM card with a data plan and public IP.

a) general initial setup:

  1. Activate the SIM card with your smartphone. If the card has a PIN, you will have to enter this later in the configuration.
  2. Insert the SIM card into the router
  3. Connect the router to a PC with a network cable
  4. Connect the router to power and wait until the green power LED stops flashing and turns solid.
  5. Start your web browser and enter “http://192.168.1.1/” as the address.
  6. The “Geneko” login should appear with “Login first time” and ask for username + password. Enter “admin” as your username and password.
  7. In the next step you will be asked for your OWN username and password. Enter this and note the data.
  8. Log in with the new details. The Geneko configuration menu appears.

b) Set up SIM card:

  1. Click on “Settings/Mobile Settings” and activate “SIM Enable” and “Data Enable”
  2. For the PIN, activate “SIM Advanced settings” , “PIN enabled” and then enter the PIN there (only if the SIM has a PIN)
  3. You only need to enter additional access data, such as APN and authentication, if required by the provider, e.g. for Vodafone IoT, enter “iot.vodafone.de” here. Also the username + password from Vodafone's IoT portal (CHAP authentication).
  4. Enable “Connection settings” and “Persistent connection” for a permanent connection

c) Port forwarding: Set up access to OpenSprinkler

  1. Click on “Settings/Routing/Port Forwarding” and enable “Enable Network Address Translation (NAT)”
  2. There should already be an empty row in the table. Enter the values ​​here as follows and click on “Add” and then “Save”. The port release connects the external port 81 with the OpenSprinkler port 80. Note: I recommend 81 and not 80, otherwise the router's web interface will no longer be available externally.

d) Other settings:

To ensure long-term and secure operation, I would activate the option to restart the router daily:

  1. Click on “Maintenance/System Control” and enter “Daily” under “Scheduled Reboot” and 1h 0min under “Time” and confirm with “Save”.
  2. The router will then restart daily at 1:00 a.m.

The time on the device should always be correct, so make the following settings:

  1. Click on “Maintenance/Date/Time Settings”
  2. Enter the correct time zone under “Time zone”, for Germany this is “Europe/Berlin”
  3. Enable “From mobile provider”
  4. If the time and date do not update (note: data connection required!), then activate “From time Server” and enter a time server under “Time server address”, for Germany this would be “de.pool.ntp.org”. Confirm with “Save”.

e) Set up OpenSprinkler:

  1. Connect the OpenSprinkler to your PC according to the quick instructions.
  2. Click “Settings/Edit Options/Advanced” and uncheck “dhcp”.
  3. Now enter the values ​​as follows and click save at the top right. Then restart the OpenSprinkler.

NOTE: NTP must be 0.0.0.0

Now if everything is set up correctly, connect OpenSprinkler to the LTE router and restart all devices.

Once the connection is established, you should be able to reach OpenSprinkler via the IP address with port 81, i.e. “http://123.456.123.456:81”

If you change the IP address (e.g. because it is a public but not a fixed IP), then you should activate DynDns in the router and register accordingly. More information about it online.