Do’s and Dont’s of LoRaWAN range tests.

Lora is a low-powered long-range radio IoT technology that allows the simple, secure worldwide formation of sensors and other Lora IoT devices for several applications under the Lora gateway. In Lora’s terminology, these deployed devices are called “nodes.”

Lora’s long-range and low-power nature makes it critical for the aggregation of applications in the IoT the technology liberates under the Lora gateway.

By ensuring long-range and low power, Lora is the optimal choice for transmitting a small quantity of IoT data over a long distance under LoRaWAN.

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Lora vs. LoRaWAN

LoRaWAN is the web on which all Lora devices execute. The media control layer protocol on top of the physical covering, LoRaWAN, defines a device’s communication protocol and system architecture under the Lora gateway.

On the other hand, Lora is a radio frequency carrier signal based on the physical layer that converts received data into signals under the Lora gateway.

Lora is a modulation that provides a significantly greater communication range with low bandwidths than other competing wireless data transmission technologies like cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth, or ZigBee under the Lora gateway.

LoRaWAN is a communication protocol that uses the Lora modulation to transmit small data packets over long distances. With these features, LoRaWAN is excellent for use in industrial deployments.

Do’s of LoRaWAN:

Supports 10+ years battery life: LoRaWAN enables sending data information over the long-range and by using low power under the Lora gateway. It allows LoRaWAN devices to run on batteries for up to 10 years.

Deep indoor penetration: Lora radio modulation is typically Sub-Gigahertz which provides deep indoor coverage, connecting end devices located in basements and undergrounds under LoRaWAN.

A public network is usually deployed with gateways and backhauls by a telecom operator where customers pay the network operator to connect their end devices under the Lora gateway.

Private LoRaWAN networks can be deployed by anyone with their gateways, backhaul, and end devices in the range of those gateways.

FUOTA: LoRaWAN simplifies updating applications and the LoRaWAN stack on end devices by using FUOTA.

Geolocation: LoRaWAN provides a low-cost, passive geolocation solution without requiring a GPS chip to be integrated within the end device under the Lora gateway.

End-to-end security: LoRaWAN uses 128-bit cryptographic keys and algorithms for providing two layers of protection. The first layer of security is applied between the end device and the Network Server, ensuring MAC commands encryption.

The second layer of security is applied between the end device and the Application Server, ensuring end-to-end encryption of the application payload under the Lora gateway.

Dont’s of LoRaWAN range tests:

• It is not for large data payloads; it is limited to 100 bytes.

• It is not for continuous monitoring.
• It has not an ideal candidate for real-time applications requiring lower latency and bounded jitter requirements under the Lora gateway.

• Densification of LoRaWAN networks: the proliferation of LPWAN technologies, particularly LoRaWAN, poses co-existence challenges as the deployment of gateways populates urban areas.

• The disadvantage of available frequency is that you may get interference on that frequency, and the data rate may be low under the Lora gateway. You can transmit on that frequency without interference for GSM or licensed frequency.

• GSM operators that use specific frequencies pay a significant licensing fee to the government for those frequencies—Lora operators on open frequencies do not need a state license under the Lora gateway.

• It is used for applications requiring a low data rate, i.e., up to about 27 Kbps.

• This parameter arises from the regulation as a critical limiting factor for traffic served in the LoRaWAN network. It is defined as the percentage of time during which the channel can be occupied under the Lora gateway.

• There are better candidates than this for real-time applications requiring lower latency and bounded jitter requirements under LoRaWAN.

Lora signals can’t transmit over 10 km. That’s nuts!

In an atypical LoRaWAN network, range depends on numerous factors – indoor/outdoor gateways, the message’s payload, the antenna used, etc., on average. In an urban environment with an outdoor gateway, you can expect up to 2-to 3-km-wide coverage under the Lora gateway. At the same time, in rural areas, it can reach beyond 5 to 7 km.

Lora’s range depends on “radio line-of-sight.”

The signal can reach as far as the horizon as long as there are no physical barriers to block it under LoRaWAN. Elevating Lora devices – placing them on rooftops or mountaintops, for example – will maximize their range under the Lora gateway. Other factors, such as antenna gain, will also have a significant impact on coverage.