LoRaWAN

LoRaWAN stands for Long Range Wide Area Network. It's a type of low-power, wide-area networking (LPWAN) protocol designed for long-range communication between remote devices and gateways using LoRa, typically in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT). LoRaWAN is an official standard of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), ITU-T Y.4480. It operates in the unlicensed radio spectrum and is characterized by its long-range communication capabilities (up to several kilometers in urban environments and much farther in rural areas) and low power consumption, making it suitable for applications such as smart cities, agriculture, industrial monitoring, and asset tracking.

LoRaWAN technology utilizes chirp spread spectrum modulation to achieve long-range communication with low power consumption. Devices, often referred to as "nodes", "endpoints", "sensors", or "end devices" transmit small packets of data to nearby gateways, which then forward the data to a central network server. The network server then processes the data and routes it to the appropriate application server or cloud platform.

Confirmed uplinks and confirmed downlinks

The user can use confirmed uplinks or confirmed downlinks for messages that require acknowledgment. The server acknowledges confirmed uplinks, therefore, they take airtime budget from the gateway. Conversely, confirmed downlinks require an extra uplink from the device taking airtime budget and energy from it.

Adaptive Data Rate (ADR)

The spreading factor a LoRa device uses can be changed dynamically upon instruction of the LoRa Network Server using Adaptive Data Rate (ADR). ADR optimizes the power consumption of a device by controlling the SF based on radio frequency conditions the device reports. It is recommended for static devices such as the NEON devices to enable ADR.

Benefits

One of the key features of LoRaWAN is its ability to support large-scale deployments with thousands of devices, thanks to its efficient use of spectrum and support for bi-directional communication. Additionally, LoRaWAN networks can be deployed privately or using public network infrastructure provided by companies specializing in LPWAN services.

Overall, LoRaWAN offers a cost-effective solution for IoT applications requiring long-range communication, low power consumption, and the ability to connect a large number of devices over a wide area.