# Onboard a Hotspot

> How to add a LoRaWAN gateway to the Helium IoT Network as a Hotspot, either on-device with gateway-rs or on a server with multi-gateway.

Any LoRaWAN gateway can join the Helium IoT Network as a Hotspot and earn HNT for the device data it
carries. Onboarding is permissionless and the same for every Hotspot: add it to a wallet and assert
its location with the [CLI Wallet](/wallets/cli-wallet).

## Two ways to run a Hotspot

The difference is where the Helium gateway software runs, and which client holds the key that signs
the add transaction. Choose based on how many gateways you're bringing online.

- **gateway-rs, on the gateway.** The client runs on the gateway itself, next to its packet
  forwarder, and the key lives on the device. Best for a single Hotspot or a few. See
  [On-Device Onboarding](/iot/onboard-a-hotspot/on-device).
- **multi-gateway, on a server.** One server fronts many gateways and holds a key for each. The
  gateways run a standard packet forwarder pointed at the server. Best for fleets. See
  [Server Onboarding](/iot/onboard-a-hotspot/server).

## Architecture

[gateway-rs](https://github.com/helium/gateway-rs) is a lightweight client that runs on the gateway,
next to its packet forwarder.

```mermaid
graph LR;
  subgraph Gateway["Helium-Enabled Gateway (Hotspot)"]
    PacketForwarder["PacketForwarder"]
    HeliumGateway["HeliumGateway-rs"]

    PacketForwarder -- "Semtech GWMPover UDP" --> HeliumGateway
  end

  HeliumRouter["HeliumPacket Router"]
  LNS["LoRaWANNetwork Server"]

  HeliumGateway -- "gRPC" --> HeliumRouter
  HeliumRouter --> LNS
```

The packet forwarder sends LoRaWAN packets to gateway-rs over Semtech GWMP. Gateway-rs signs each
packet and forwards it to the Helium Packet Router, which routes it to a LoRaWAN Network Server
(LNS). For the latest releases and build notes, see the gateway-rs
[readme](https://github.com/helium/gateway-rs/blob/main/README.md).

## Packet forwarder setup

A Hotspot needs a [Semtech packet forwarder](https://github.com/helium/packet_forwarder) on the
gateway. If the hardware does not already have one, follow a hardware guide below. These guides
point the packet forwarder at gateway-rs on the same device; for the server method, point it at your
multi-gateway server instead.

- [Dragino LPS8/DLOS8](/iot/packet-forwarders/dragino)
- [RAKwireless Concentrator (RAK2245/RAK2247/RAK2287) + Raspberry Pi](/iot/packet-forwarders/rak-concentrators)
  - [Using Balena: RAKwireless RAK2287 Concentrator + Raspberry Pi](/iot/packet-forwarders/balena)
- [RAKwireless WisGate Edge Lite 2](https://github.com/HoBoWAN/Helium-Data-Only-Hotspot/blob/main/README.md)
- [Seeed Studio SenseCAP M2](https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/Network/SenseCAP_Network/SenseCAP_M2_Data_Only-Helium_gateway/SenseCAP_M2_Data_Only_Quick_Start/)

## Cost

Two transactions bring a Hotspot online. The **Add Hotspot** transaction links the Hotspot's key
(`swarm_key`) to a [wallet](/wallets) and makes the Hotspot known to the network. The **Assert
Location** transaction provides the physical location (lat/long), elevation (in meters), and antenna
gain (in dBi). A Hotspot must be onboarded before its location can be asserted.

- **Add Hotspot**: 50,000 Data Credits (USD \$0.50)
- **Assert Location**: 50,000 Data Credits (USD \$0.50)

These fees are paid using [Data Credits](/tokens/data-credit).

Transactions are submitted using the [CLI Wallet](/wallets/cli-wallet). The CLI Wallet should
**not** be installed on the gateway; doing so could expose account keys to the open internet if the
gateway is not properly secured. Existing accounts generated using the Helium Wallet App can be
[imported to the CLI](/wallets/cli-wallet#import-seed-phrase-account-into-cli).

For the step-by-step guide, see [On-Device Onboarding](/iot/onboard-a-hotspot/on-device).