How To Choose The Right ATEX Gateway: 7 Answers To Help You Pick The Best Option

If you’re planning an Industrial IoT (IIoT) deployment in hazardous environments or looking to upgrade your existing infrastructure, you’re in the right place.

Choosing the right ATEX gateways can be pretty difficult. The options on the market can vary widely in quality, and the technical requirements may seem daunting if you’re not familiar with them. How do you ensure the gateway meets safety standards? What features should you prioritize? And how do you navigate technical jargon to find the best fit for your business?

With over 15 years of expertise in IoT and a proven track record across industries like oil and gas, petrochemicals, and mining, we’ve helped countless businesses address these challenges. From understanding compliance requirements to solving connectivity issues in hazardous locations, we’ve seen what works—and what doesn’t. The wrong gateway can lead to costly inefficiencies and safety risks, while the right one can transform your IoT LoRa deployment into a seamless, reliable solution.

In this article, we’ll break down the process of selecting the right ATEX-certified LoRaWAN gateways into practical steps, so you’ll feel confident in your decision and ready to meet your project goals.

Let’s dive in and explore how to choose the best ATEX gateway for your needs.

What Is an ATEX IoT Gateway, and Why Is It Important?

An ATEX gateway is a specialized IoT device designed to operate safely in environments where flammable gases, vapors, or dust create a high risk of explosion. These areas, classified as hazardous environments, include oil refineries, chemical plants, mines, and wastewater facilities. Such environments are subject to strict safety regulations to prevent incidents, requiring all deployed equipment to meet specific certifications, such as ATEX certification.

Why is this important?

Hazardous zones present unique risks and challenges. Equipment failures in these areas can lead to catastrophic events, including explosions or significant operational disruptions. For instance, an uncertified gateway or one designed as a standard device placed in a retrofitted ATEX enclosure may overheat, spark, or otherwise fail to meet the necessary safety standards.

What makes ATEX-certified gateways essential?

An ATEX-certified gateway, particularly one custom-designed for hazardous zones, ensures compliance with safety regulations, provides reliable performance, and enables seamless data communication. This is not just a regulatory requirement but also a critical factor for securing insurance coverage for high-risk facilities.

TEKTELIC is the only company on the market producing purpose-built Zone 1 and Zone 2 gateways, designed specifically for hazardous environments. Unlike competitors who rely on ATEX enclosures for retrofitted solutions, TEKTELIC’s gateways are custom-engineered to meet the highest safety standards, ensuring reliability, durability, and peace of mind for operators.

Key Considerations For Choosing An ATEX Gateway

Selecting an ATEX-certified gateway for your Industrial IoT project is a critical decision that can significantly impact safety, reliability, and operational efficiency. To help you make the best choice, we’ve outlined seven key considerations that address the most important features to look for in a gateway. By focusing on these factors, you’ll be better prepared to ensure your project’s success in hazardous environments.

1. Certification and Compliance

Guidance for Decision-Making:
Ensure the gateway is fully ATEX-certified and purpose-built for hazardous environments. Generic products retrofitted into ATEX enclosures may technically meet safety standards, but they can suffer from design flaws like overheating or poor ventilation, increasing operational risks.

How KONA Mega ATEX Meets This Need:
The KONA Mega ATEX Gateway is designed specifically for hazardous areas, with fully integrated ATEX protection. Its purpose-built design ensures compliance without compromising performance.

How Other Products Operate:
Many solutions rely on third-party enclosures to achieve ATEX certification. While these may pass safety checks, they often lack the robust integration needed for reliable long-term use in hazardous zones.

2. Robust RF Performance

Guidance for Decision-Making:
Look for gateways with advanced RF filtering and interference reduction. Poor RF performance can lead to connectivity issues, impacting the reliability of your IoT network.

How KONA Mega ATEX Meets This Need:
The KONA Mega ATEX Gateway features high-selectivity RF cavity filters, ensuring interference-free communication even in dense IoT networks. It’s designed to handle high traffic and maintain stable connectivity.

How Other Products Operate:
Competitor solutions often lack advanced RF capabilities, resulting in weaker signal performance and higher susceptibility to interference, especially in complex industrial environments.

3. Durability and Environmental Resilience

Guidance for Decision-Making:
Choose gateways that can withstand extreme conditions such as high temperatures, humidity, and corrosive environments like coastal areas. A failure in harsh conditions can result in costly downtime.

How KONA Mega ATEX Meets This Need:
The KONA Mega ATEX Gateway is built for durability, with features like Salt Fog protection and rugged enclosures. It has been field-tested to deliver consistent performance in even the harshest environments.

How Other Products Operate:
Repackaged solutions may lack proper environmental sealing or protection, leading to faster wear and tear, frequent maintenance needs, and reduced reliability over time.

4. Scalability for Future Growth

Guidance for Decision-Making:
As IoT deployments expand, your gateway must support a growing number of devices without sacrificing performance. Limited scalability can hinder your network’s potential.

How KONA Mega ATEX Meets This Need:
With its high channel capacity, the KONA Mega ATEX Gateway can manage large-scale deployments, making it ideal for growing industrial networks in hazardous areas.

How Other Products Operate:
Competitor gateways often focus on smaller-scale applications, making them unsuitable for larger deployments where scalability is critical.

5. Efficient Deployment and Management

Guidance for Decision-Making:
Look for gateways that simplify deployment and ongoing management. Complex installations and lack of management tools can lead to higher operational costs and delays.

How KONA Mega ATEX Meets This Need:
TEKTELIC’s gateway includes intuitive connector placement and remote management tools like KONA Element, allowing for seamless deployment and efficient monitoring.

How Other Products Operate:
Competitor solutions often require additional tools or manual intervention for management, increasing complexity and operational costs.

6. Operational Cost Efficiency

Guidance for Decision-Making:
Consider the long-term operational costs of the gateway, including energy consumption, maintenance, and downtime. Higher costs can quickly erode your ROI.

How KONA Mega ATEX Meets This Need:
The KONA Mega ATEX Gateway is designed for energy efficiency and integrates features like surge protection to minimize maintenance and downtime.

How Other Products Operate:
Generic solutions often consume more energy and require frequent maintenance, leading to higher operational expenses over time.

7. Real-World Performance and Proven Success

Guidance for Decision-Making:
Choose gateways with a proven track record in similar applications. Real-world deployments can reveal a product’s true reliability and value.

How KONA Mega ATEX Meets This Need:
TEKTELIC’s gateway has been successfully deployed in industries like oil and gas, petrochemicals, and mining, where it consistently delivers reliable performance under demanding conditions.

How Other Products Operate:
Competitors may claim similar capabilities but lack the same level of field-proven reliability, often leading to performance gaps in real-world applications.

By focusing on these considerations, you can confidently select an ATEX equipment that meets the high demands of hazardous environments.

What Are the Key Features to Look For in LoRaWAN ATEX Gateway?

When selecting an ATEX-certified gateway for your IoT deployment, certain features are essential to ensure optimal performance, safety, and reliability. Here are the key attributes to prioritize:

1. Comprehensive ATEX Certification

The gateway should be fully certified to meet ATEX and IECEx standards. Look for purpose-built designs rather than retrofitted enclosures, as the latter often introduce risks such as overheating or improper ventilation.

2. Advanced RF Performance

Strong RF performance is critical for maintaining reliable connectivity in environments with high interference. Features like RF cavity filters, high selectivity, and power handling ensure uninterrupted data transmission.

3. Durability and Environmental Protection

The gateway must be able to withstand extreme temperatures, humidity, and corrosive environments. Features like rugged enclosures and Salt Fog protection are essential for longevity and reliability.

4. Scalability for Large Deployments

As IoT networks grow, the gateway should support high channel capacity and a large number of connected devices. Scalability is vital for future-proofing your investment.

5. Energy Efficiency

Low power consumption reduces operational costs and minimizes the risk of overheating, making energy-efficient designs a key consideration for hazardous environments.

6. Integrated Management Tools

Gateways with intuitive management tools and remote monitoring capabilities simplify deployment and ongoing operations. This reduces downtime and ensures smooth network performance.

7. Proven Real-World Reliability

A reliable gateway should have a track record of successful deployments in industries like oil and gas, petrochemicals, and mining. Field-tested solutions provide confidence in the product’s ability to meet your requirements.

TEKTELIC’s Advantage: A Superior Approach to ATEX Gateways

When designing ATEX IoT gateways, TEKTELIC’s engineers focused on solving the real challenges faced by businesses in hazardous environments. Safety, reliability, and efficiency were front and center. Every feature was carefully considered to ensure these gateways work seamlessly in tough conditions, are easy to deploy, and meet the high demands of industrial IoT networks.

Feature	TEKTELIC Gateways	Other Gateways
Design	Carrier-Grade, optimized for performance, dependability, and high-volume production	Industrial-Grade, designed for smaller-scale applications
RF Performance	Enhanced radio design with high linearity and low noise figure	Simpler RF setups
Antenna Placement	Antennas/Connectors at the bottom, built-in cellular and GPS antennas	Antennas/Connectors at the top
Power Consumption	Designed for low power consumption	Standard power consumption
Lightning and Surge Protection	Fully integrated, reducing downtime and extending gateway life	External protection may be required
Deployment Complexity	Simplified with integrated design and optimized connector placement	Moderate complexity
Channel Support	8, 16, 32, and 64 channels for LoRaWAN communication	8 or 16 channels
Management & Configuration	Full remote management via KONA Element, KONA Link web interface, LeapX application	Standard management tools
Environmental Protection	Salt Fog protection (KONA Mega Gateway), designed for coastal and marine deployments	Standard protection
Redundancy & Availability	Supports Dual Sim for enhanced redundancy and availability	Limited redundancy options

By focusing on the needs of businesses, TEKTELIC has created ATEX LoRaWAN gateways that are reliable, efficient, and easy to use. These gateways are designed to keep your IoT network running smoothly while meeting the strict safety requirements of hazardous environments.

Conclusion

Choosing the right ATEX-certified gateway for your Industrial IoT project is more than just a technical decision—it’s a critical step in ensuring the safety, reliability, and efficiency of your operations. The unique challenges of hazardous environments demand a solution that meets stringent safety standards, performs reliably under tough conditions, and scales with your business needs.

TEKTELIC’s approach to ATEX equipment focuses on solving these challenges with purpose-built designs that prioritize safety, advanced performance, and ease of use. With features like carrier-grade quality, strong RF capabilities, energy efficiency, and robust management tools, TEKTELIC gateways are designed to give you peace of mind and long-term value.

By focusing on what truly matters—compliance, performance, and reliability—you can make a well-informed choice that supports your project’s goals and ensures success in even the most demanding environments. Whether you’re starting a new deployment or upgrading your existing network, a carefully chosen ATEX equipment is the foundation for a safe and efficient IoT solution.

Ready to explore how TEKTELIC’s ATEX gateways can support your IoT journey? Get in touch with our team to learn more or discuss your specific needs.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)

How to Choose an ATEX Gateway?

1. Ensure Full ATEX Certification: Look for purpose-built designs that meet safety standards without relying on retrofitted enclosures.
2. Check RF Performance: Select gateways with advanced RF features to maintain strong and reliable connectivity.
3. Assess Durability: Ensure the gateway is built for harsh environments with features like Salt Fog protection.
4. Focus on Scalability: Choose a gateway that supports multiple channels for growing IoT networks.
5. Prioritize Energy Efficiency: Opt for low power consumption to reduce costs and minimize risks.
6. Seek Integrated Design and Management: Look for easy deployment and remote management capabilities.
7. Look for Proven Reliability: Select gateways with a strong track record in industries like oil and gas.