Introduction to LoRaWan Gateway Range
According to Thomas H. Clause, the LoRa implements a single wireless hoop on end devices to communicate with gateways connected to the internet and the range can be disrupted by a number of factors. Therefore, if you are having an issue with your IoT device in terms of range coverage and you are unsure of the possible methods you can use to improve the gateway range, we will guide you on this.
A unique wireless communication called LoRa, or long range, combines a low power consumption that covers a wide range of an area. Typically, LoRa has a range between 13 and 15 kilometers, indicating that a single LoRa gateway may cover a city and an entire country with a few more. The LoRaWan technology was created in France, and companies and other organizations started implementing it in 2012.
5 Effective Ways to Improve LoRaWan Gateway Range
Adjusting the Spreading Factor
Adjusting the spreading factor allotted to the LoRaWan gateway is one method for enhancing network and gateway performance. Since capture effects result from the SFs, Lora’s cell capacity is quite important. The user is further away from the doorway when the SF is higher and closer when the SF is lower.
The spreading factor in a chirp spread spectrum is distributed to each of the EDs to enhance the parallel redundancy protocol (PRP) of LoRaWan devices. Since the time of arrival (TOA) of each ED varies, changing the SF can improve the functionality of the LoRaWan network.
Optimizing the Duty Cycle
Another element that can improve the LoRaWan gateway range is the duty cycle. The duty cycle of every LoRa network node is altered to maximize the data transfer and frequency rate. The number of confirmed frames that the gateway sends is likewise impacted by the spreading variables, where the length of time it takes for LoRa’s communication to be finished increases with the duty cycles.
You might need to modify the duty cycle parameter if you want to improve the range and performance of the gateway. This setting restricts the number of packet transmission communications that can take place within a single hour. Typically, the duty cycle of IoT devices with bands ranging from 83 to 85 MHz has a duty cycle of 1%. You can improve the range and performance of your LoRaWan network gateway by up to 50% by changing the duty cycle parameter.
You should carefully plan the quantity of channels, and the number of channels and end devices should also be closely correlated To reduce the likelihood of packet collisions. If two network nodes clash, there must be enough channels to provide them with an alternative communication path.
Therefore, you should consider modifying the duty cycle to view the end devices’ quantity and data requirements to maximize the gateway network’s efficiency. A well-sized LoRaWan gateway can serve many end devices, but it must still be flexible enough to accommodate the needs of various applications.
Reducing the Channel Occupancy Rate
Reduced channel overlapping and improved channel occupancy rate are two methods to raise the LoRaWan gateway range. The LoRa transducer’s computer-aided design (CAD) capabilities enable it to recognize the LoRa signal and synchronize its set-up with the multichip topology in mind, this technology distributes transmitter pairs to the SF in a way that lessens collisions.
The existing mechanism for estimating the link quality is not flexible and does not take into account the loss bought on by other LoRa device collisions. Additionally, the collision effect with other LoRa networks is not considered.
Therefore, more end nodes will be able to communicate with one another as the rate of channel occupancy rises. This method can significantly improve the range and performance of the LoRaWan getaway. Network performance can go up to a 15% increase in channel occupancy rate.
Checking the Distance between Gateways
The range between any LoRaWan gateways significantly impacts its range and performance. A large number of gateways can boost the overall performance, but a small number of gateways can interfere with the range and performance.
The range of the internet of things will increase if the distance between two gateways is within the radius of the network. The placement of the gateways closer together can expand the distance between them. However, this is only useful for LoRaWan networks with many LoRa nodes.
Additionally, the adaptive data rate packets’ susceptibility increases with the distance difference between the LoRaWan gateways. Therefore, more gathered data packets are exposed to SF values as the distance between the gateways increases. This lowers the SF for more LoRa nodes, which lessens interference and quick fading. However, the radio signals have a maximum limit on how they can go and how much data entry they can carry.
Increasing the Processing Gain
You might need to increase the processing gain to boost the gateway’s overall long-range throughput. Nearly 100 nodes can use LoRa technology at once, and by doing this, they can reduce the distributed queuing control overhead (DQ). The processing increase might be up to three times the overall throughput, depending on the arrangement of the gateway network.
Another aspect to take into account when enhancing the LoRaWan gateway range is the MAC protocol. Each LoRaWan network can accommodate millions of messages every day. The quantity of IoT devices and other monitoring devices on a gateway may determine the number of messages it can accommodate. A single eight-channel gateway, for instance, might only be able to handle about a hundred thousand messages per day. Therefore, increasing the processing gain will help improve the gateway’s range.
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Wrapping it Up
LoRaWan has transformed the internet of things (IoT) by providing low-power data transmission across large distances. The technology gap between cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, which need either high bandwidth or high power, or have a restricted range. When it comes to range, it might be interrupted by several obstacles you will need to be familiar with to use the ideal solutions to solve them.
References
https://www.tektelic.com/expertise/how-to-improve-lorawan-gateway-performance/
https://circuitdigest.com/article/introduction-to-lora-and-lorawan-what-is-lora-and-how-does-it-work
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405896321014294
