A network performance analysis of LoRa modulation for LPWAN sensor devices

Abstract

The rise in low power devices has created a necessity for connectivity among systems, in some cases across great geographic lengths. Current wireless communication protocols for these devices cover only small areas or require several hops to communicate. LPWAN have surfaced to cover this necessity offering greater transmission range in energy efficient protocols. Among these can we find the LoRa technology, offering wide spread spectrum modulation for WSN. The most common implementations of LoRa work at 868 MHz frequency range, and there is few information for other frequency bands. Given the nature of this modulation, it is of great interest to analyse lower frequencies. In this article a direct comparison of LoRa in the 868 MHz and 433 MHz will be done. Additionally, several parameters will be modified to find the best configuration available. This will help validate the possibility of transmitting at longer distances than current 868 MHz implementations.