Those who are experienced in the world of IoT will have likely heard the name LoRaWAN®
before but if you’re new here, you might not know what it is or why it’s becoming so popular.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to LoRaWAN® and explain how it works as well as where and why it’s used. So, let’s dive right into it…
What is LoRaWAN®?
Before we can explain what LoRaWAN® is, we first need to introduce the foundation of LoRaWAN®, LoRa.
LoRa
LoRa is a wireless modulation technique which uses technology derived from the Chirp Spread Spectrum. LoRa encodes information on radio waves using chirp pulses, similar to how dolphins communicate with each other.
LoRa is perfect for applications that require small packets of data to be transmitted with low bit rates.
LoRaWAN®
Now that you know what LoRa is, we can explain LoRaWAN®. LoRaWAN® stands for Long Range Wide Area Network. It’s a Media Access Control (MAC) layer protocol that is built on top of LoRa modulation. In essence, LoRaWAN® tells devices how they use the LoRa hardware when they transmit data or how to format their messages.
LoRaWAN® is renowned for its high transmission rate and low power usage making it ideal for IoT use cases since some devices can last as long as 10 years on a single coin battery.
The difference between LoRa & LoRaWAN®
LoRa and LoRaWAN® are often, unsurprisingly, confused for one another and while both technologies must be used together, the terms shouldn’t be used interchangeably.
LoRa represents the physical layer of the network technology, powering the wireless modulation allowing devices to communicate with each other. However, while named similarly, LoRa is a network protocol that tells LoRa devices how to use their hardware to transmit data and messages including when to send a message, where to send it, and how it should be formatted.
How does LoRaWAN® work?
Unlike other communication protocols like Zigbee (used by devices such as the Philips Hue lighting system) which use a mesh network architecture, LoRaWAN® uses a “star”-shaped architecture. This means that gateways aren’t always assigned to specific nodes but rather receive data that is broadcast from multiple nodes. From there, each gateway will relay the data packet to the network server for processing.
This means that any complexity created by the removal of duplicate data packets, verification of data integrity, and security checks is passed onto the server reducing the power requirements of the gateway devices in the network. Additionally, this means that nodes in the network don’t need to constantly listen for messages from other nodes allowing them to remain in a sleep state, further reducing their energy consumption.
What is LoRaWAN® used for?
LoRaWAN® can be used in a vast variety of different applications; from smart buildings to transportation, the use cases are seemingly endless. This could include things such as:
- Energy monitoring
- Air quality monitoring
- Occupancy monitoring
- Security – such as open and close states of windows and doors.
- Condition monitoring – such as temperature, humidity, and more.
Essentially, LoRaWAN® can be the solution for any application that needs small data packets to be sent over certain distances.
Pros & Cons of LoRaWAN®
As with anything, LoRaWAN® comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages, but what are they?
Pros
Transmission Range
LoRaWAN® uses sub-1GHz frequencies and narrow frequency bands making it very effective and penetrating physical barriers allowing it to transmit data over larger indoor distances than other similar technologies.
Low Power Consumption
Transmitting data through LoRa requires very little energy making it ideal for businesses that want to “fit and forget” their network communication devices.
Low Cost
LoRaWAN® uses unlicensed network frequencies so you don’t have to pay a penny for data usage unless you’re using services from an infrastructure provider who may charge you.
Cons
Communication Restrictions
While LoRaWAN® is ideal for sending small amounts of data, too much communication can lead to the frequencies becoming overcrowded resulting in interference, errors, and packet loss.
Infrastructure
With LoRaWAN® you’re responsible for configuring and securing your network, however there are vendors that offer the components required but this can incur quite a significant financial cost.
Discover LoRaWAN® Compatible Devices from Pressac
Pressac manufactures and sells a variety of IoT sensors for smart buildings and more. Our devices are compatible with either the EnOcean or LoRaWAN® protocols. Discover our LoRaWAN compatible sensors today!
