System Communication Architecture

How BESTMOW Components Communicate

The BESTMOW system consists of four components: the BESTMOW App, the Charging Station, the Mower, and the RTK Base Station. They communicate through a specific chain — understanding this chain is essential for diagnosing connectivity issues.

Initial Setup (Pairing)

1. Download the BESTMOW app (iOS/Android) and create an account.
2. Power on the charging station and place the mower on it. Turn on the mower.
3. The app connects to the charging station via Bluetooth.
4. Through Bluetooth, the app writes the home Wi-Fi SSID and password into the charging station.
5. The charging station connects to the home 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network.
6. Repeat the same Bluetooth → Wi-Fi credential process for the RTK base station.

Operational Communication

• The charging station connects to the home 2.4GHz Wi-Fi for internet/cloud access.
• The charging station creates its own wireless access point using 802.11ah (WiFi HaLow), a sub-1GHz protocol optimized for long-range IoT communication.
• The mower connects to the charging station's HaLow AP. The mower does NOT connect directly to home Wi-Fi. The charging station acts as a wireless router for the mower.
• Each charging station has a unique HaLow SSID, which is why one charging station pairs with exactly one mower — they cannot be shared.

Cloud Communication Path

App ↔ Internet ↔ Cloud (MQTT) ↔ Home Wi-Fi ↔ Charging Station ↔ (HaLow AP) ↔ Mower

RTK Data Path

The RTK base station connects independently to the home Wi-Fi (it does not go through the charging station). It uploads differential positioning data to BESTMOW's NTrip server in the cloud. The mower retrieves RTK correction data from the NTrip server through the cloud communication path described above.

Because RTK data flows through the cloud, one RTK can serve multiple mowers within a 15-mile radius — the mowers do not need to be near the RTK itself, only within cloud connectivity range.

What Happens When Wi-Fi Drops

The mower stops mowing. Without a Wi-Fi connection, there is no RTK positioning data available from the NTrip server, and the mower cannot navigate accurately. The mower will not continue operating with "last known instructions." It will pause and wait for connectivity to be restored.

Key Facts for Troubleshooting

• If the charging station goes offline, the mower loses both its internet connection and its HaLow link — it cannot receive commands or report status.
• If the RTK goes offline but the charging station is still online, the mower loses precision positioning and will stop mowing, but it can still communicate with the app and receive commands like "return to charge."
• If the mower goes offline but the charging station and RTK are online, the issue is likely with the HaLow connection between the mower and charging station — restart both devices.