I rely on TTN's free public coverage. What changes after migration?

Datacake is a managed LNS, not a community gateway network. If your devices currently rely on uplinks from gateways operated by other TTN users, you will need to bring or deploy your own gateway. For most commercial deployments this is already the case.

Are TTN and Datacake compatible at the device level?

Yes. Both implement LoRaWAN 1.0.x and 1.1. Datacake re-uses the same DevEUI, JoinEUI/AppEUI and AppKey your devices already hold, so no firmware re-flash is required.

What about TTN V2-style endpoints? My devices are still configured for V2.

TTN V2 was decommissioned at the end of 2021 and replaced by V3. Datacake works with V3-compatible device profiles directly. Migrating is a good opportunity to consolidate any legacy configuration onto standards-compliant LoRaWAN profiles.

Will my TTN MQTT and webhook integrations work with Datacake?

Datacake offers equivalent MQTTS and HTTPS webhook outputs. You will need to update endpoint URLs, but the JSON payload format is similar, so most consumers need only a small field-name mapping change.

How long does a TTN-to-Datacake migration usually take?

For typical hobbyist or small-business deployments (1-2 gateways, 10-50 devices), one engineer can complete the migration in an afternoon, including CSV import and validation.

← Datacake LoRaWAN Network Server

Migration guide

Migrate from The Things Network to Datacake's free LoRaWAN Network Server

A practical, no-firmware-re-flash migration path from The Things Network to Datacake's managed LNS. Run both stacks in parallel during the cut-over so you never lose a device, then decommission the old server when you're ready.

Re-use the same DevEUI, JoinEUI/AppEUI and AppKey: no firmware re-flash
Cut over gateway-by-gateway with zero downtime
400+ device templates ready, with payload decoders included
Free LNS in every Datacake plan, no per-gateway fees

Create a free Datacake account Jump to the steps

The Things Network vs Datacake at a glance

A side-by-side view of the parts of the LoRaWAN stack that change when you migrate. We've kept it factual. Both products have their strengths.

Capability	The Things Network	Datacake
Cost	Free for fair use only	Free LNS in every plan; you only pay for device licenses if you exceed the free tier
Fair-use rate-limits on uplinks	TTN enforces fair-use uplink and integration limits	No fair-use rate-limit; production traffic is the default
Commercial support / SLA	Community forum only	Paid SLA tiers available
Built-in dashboards		Template-driven dashboards
Built-in rules / alerting		Email, SMS, push, webhook
Re-use existing devices (no re-flash)		Same DevEUI, JoinEUI/AppEUI and AppKey
Community gateway coverage	Devices can use uplinks from gateways operated by other TTN users	Datacake is a managed LNS; bring your own gateway(s)

TTN is a free public community network operated by The Things Foundation. Datacake is a commercial managed platform. Capabilities reflect public TTN documentation and Datacake at the time of writing.

Migration in 5 steps

If your project has outgrown TTN's fair-use sandbox, you can move to Datacake without re-flashing devices. Run both in parallel during the cut-over and decommission TTN once you are confident.

1
Create a free Datacake account
Sign up at app.datacake.de. Datacake's LoRaWAN Network Server is included on every plan, including the free tier. You can run the migration without any commercial commitment up front.
Tip:If you already use Datacake's free tier for a separate project, you can simply add a new application within your existing account.
2
Bring or deploy your own gateway
TTN devices typically rely on community-operated gateways. Once you migrate to Datacake, your devices need a gateway that forwards uplinks to Datacake's LNS. The gateway hardware can be the same one you already use, with no replacement needed.
Compatibility:Any gateway running Semtech UDP Packet Forwarder or LoRa Basics Station works with Datacake: RAK, Kerlink, Multitech, Tektelic, Mikrotik, Dragino, Laird and others.
3
Re-register your devices on Datacake
Add each device to Datacake using the same DevEUI, JoinEUI/AppEUI and AppKey from your TTN application. Most popular hardware is in Datacake's template catalog: applying the template auto-configures the payload decoder and starter dashboard.
Bulk migration:Datacake supports CSV import of device identifiers and keys, so you can move dozens or hundreds of devices in a single batch.
4
Verify uplinks on Datacake
Watch for joins and uplinks in Datacake's device list. If a device hasn't joined within a few minutes, trigger a re-join from the device side. Decoded values should appear on the dashboard within seconds.
Sanity check:Compare last-uplink timestamps and decoded values between Datacake and TTN's V3 console for a few minutes. When they match, the device is fully migrated.
5
Decommission TTN endpoints (optional)
Once devices are reliably on Datacake, you can remove them from your TTN application or simply leave the TTN registrations in place. The devices will only respond to whichever LNS receives their uplinks via the gateway. Re-point any TTN MQTT or webhook subscribers to Datacake equivalents.
Rollback:No firmware was changed. To roll back, just re-point your gateway at TTN and re-activate the existing TTN device entries.

Still evaluating?

Compare The Things Network vs Datacake side by side

Pricing, hosting model, integrations and where each platform wins, laid out in a single comparison table.

Read the The Things Network comparison

The Things Network migration FAQ

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