These are cool little LoRa modules, and they absolutely do work, but they need to be treated like a fragile UART modem, not a magic wireless serial pipe. I used a pair of RYLR998 boards with an ESP32-S3 on one side and an STM32 Nucleo on the other for a LoRa link validation project, eventually sending correction-like test packets and logging receive quality. Once configured properly, the modules transmitted and received reliably enough to be useful, and the AT command set is simple enough to get on the air quickly. For basic telemetry, remote sensors, hobby control links, or bring-up work, these are a solid value.

The main warning is that reliability depends heavily on disciplined UART handling. Always terminate commands correctly, wait for "+OK" or "+ERR" after every command, and do not treat "+RCV" as confirmation of the previous command. "+RCV" is asynchronous receive data, and it can show up while your firmware is waiting for an AT command response. I also found that long "AT+SEND" payloads, turnaround timing, retries, and "+ERR=12" events need to be handled deliberately. This is not a high-throughput transparent serial cable, and it has limited buffering/hidden modem behavior that can make debugging annoying. That said, after I separated command responses from receive events, preserved partial lines, waited for real command responses, and stopped blasting commands blindly, the modules became useful. Good board, good price, but write your firmware like you’re talking to a picky little radio modem, because that’s exactly what you’re doing.

I have not used them in a completed project yet but I have played around with them and they seem to work well. Easy to connect to a computer, Arduino or Raspberry Pi. Easy to setup. Commands are easy to use. I haven’t tested the range yet.

The REYAX RYLR998 LoRa Module is an excellent choice for long-range wireless communication projects. Setup was straightforward using the UART interface, and the documentation provided made integration smooth. The module delivers stable performance with strong signal coverage, and the included antenna works well to maximize range.

I really appreciate that it comes FCC, CE, and NCC certified, which adds confidence for both hobby and professional use. The build quality feels solid, and it has been running reliably in my IoT test setup without any issues.

Overall, this is a high-quality LoRa module that’s easy to work with and provides excellent value. Perfect for IoT, remote sensing, and low-power wide-area applications. Highly recommended!

This is the first Lora module I've worked with and I like that its a UART device so programming is as simple as any other serial device. The format for the messages is well documented as are all of the AT commands to configure it. I'm very impressed with it. I've been able to get good clear messages as far as 1.5Km despite being in a bit of a topographic hole. It would be much better if I had no obstructions but...

I will say that the antenna solder pads are very delicate and I had one of them break free so the antenna moved around and was no longer connected. These things are tiny and fit on the head of a dime so just be careful with them and they should be fine.

[Edit 2024-05-13]

Regarding stability: I wrote some C code, replacing the micropython, and found that the key to getting reliability is not to simply DELAY, but to always check for +OK or +ERR after each time sending data to the LoRa module, including when setting up configuration. The code works fine without a single sleep,, and spends most of its time waiting for serial input from the module. I am not counting +RCV as confirmation for the previous request sent over serial to the module.

[Edit 2024-05-09]

Did some distance testing, had an echo-server on second floor at home, and another with me, which lit a led while getting echoes in return, and turning it off if no data received. There are a bit of both low and high buildings here, and I am impressed with the range. Did not see signal strength, only success or failure, through the led, but got clear signals at least 3-400 meters away, through some threes, and even behind small bumps in the landscape. I had been worried that having only one inside the house would greatly limit range, if not in line with a window, but that didn't seem to matter. Incredible little radios!!

[Original review]

I started out using an FTDI chip from my Linux PC, but got +ERR=1 on every keypress. It seems the terminal emulators I tried sent each keypress, instead of buffering up a line, and send it followed by \r\n which the LoRa chip expects.

So I hooked up two Raspberry Pi Pico to control the LoRa modules, and in front of that, two Raspberry Pi, flashing them with micropython and developing with thonny.

Getting the first message across was easy, but it felt unreliable. After some testing I figured out that after each command is sent to the LoRa module, it is best to delay a couple of seconds before the next, as well as reading any serial input as well before the next command.

I tried connecting from basement to two floors up, and it works great, at -50 signal strength.

I am very satisfied with the result so far, and look forward to do outdoor testing.

It was easy to use and setup on my Raspberry Pi Pico.

So I had ChatGPT craft python code that did random byte send and pushed the RYLR998 to the breaking point. I had the code send random length characters with payloads up to 32 Bytes with no delay and then had Python graph the throughput. The data stream capped out at about 3,500 Bps before the frame buffer became overloaded. Overall I am impressed with the ease of use, the fact it uses simple easily understood AT commands, the simple wiring to a USB TTL interface, and general performance when I hammer it with garbage to send.

I tried both the REYAX RYLR896 and the RYLR998 because I wanted the ability to set the address, network ID, etc. These REYAX modules will frustrate you. I dealt with weird inconsistent issues. Maybe try them with the Arduino mini? I am using the Arduino and the Nano which required a voltage divider. I watched lots of YouTube videos and read many online posts that provided examples. I would get them to work and then they would fail. I'm going back to Maduino from Makerfabs Product Code: OAC915MLR for LoRa connectivity. Good luck if you decide to try these.

All works good.

Funcionan muy bien aunque es importante resaltar que únicamente mediante un protocolo propietario, por lo que no son módulos LoRaWAN. Si esto se requiere, el módulo RYLR993 posee ambas modalidades y funcionan también de maravilla. He podido transferir datos de ida y vuelta a aproximadamente 5km

Absolutely outstanding little device So easy to use standby current sub 1mA, if I could give it bore than 5 star I would

Plugged straight into my phone with an adaptor I purchased. Worked right away.

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