Why do we use LoRaWAN, and what is it?

The short answer

LoRaWAN is a radio standard that sends small amounts of data over long distances using very little power. That is a perfect fit for temperature measurements.

We use it because the system runs on its own network, reaches far through buildings and does not require each device to be set up on your IT network.

We use Wi-Fi for smaller installations, or when a logging interval faster than 1 minute is needed. Both types of logger are shown in the same system.

What LoRaWAN is

LoRaWAN stands for Long Range Wide Area Network. It is an open radio standard for devices that send small amounts of data over long distances using very little power.

The signal is spread across a wide frequency band, which makes it robust against noise and makes it possible to reach far with low transmission power. The trade-off is low speed. That makes no difference when what is being sent is a temperature reading of a few digits.

In practice this means up to 15 km in open air, typically 1 to 2 km inside a building, and less in basements, behind metal shelving and through reinforced concrete.

The benefits of LoRaWAN

The system runs on its own network. Only the gateway needs an internet connection, and the rest of the devices never touch your network. A change to your network therefore does not affect the monitoring.

The range means that one gateway typically covers an entire building and handles up to 50 data loggers and 100 to 200 sensors.

Power consumption is low because the radio is only on for a moment at a time. That is why a battery-powered logger can stay in place for a long time without being touched.

LoRaWAN vs Wi-Fi

With Wi-Fi, every device must be within range of an access point, and IT must open up for both the devices and the connection to the system.

Every time the network changes, someone has to check that the devices are still connected. With LoRaWAN, that dependency is gone.

Wi-Fi, on the other hand, can send more often. If you need a logging interval faster than 1 minute, Wi-Fi is the right choice.

When Wi-Fi makes sense

Wi-Fi suits smaller installations with a few measuring points close to an access point, and setups that need to log faster than every minute.

Whatever the technology, the data logger stores the measurements locally, and the measurements sit in the same system with the same limits, alerting and reports.