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Advantages and Disadvantages of LoRa Wireless Communication

There are various technical solutions for the transmission technology of IoT. Remember, different communication technologies have their own applications and characteristics. But the most famous technical solutions are LoRa, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc. it’s not easy to choose a manufacturer that can produce IoT devices with multiple protocols. But when you find one, it can make your internet of things project work more smoothly.

So, here our focus will be on LoRa. We’ll cover its applications, advantages, and disadvantages. So, don’t go anyway because, in the end, we’ll share the most reliable manufacturer for LoRa Design Services.

Introduction to IoT

In simple words, IoT refers to technologies that connect different objects and devices to the network. It’s impossible for the object to sense a change in environment. Therefore, Internet of Things devices have become handy. You must install various components on the object, such as a radio frequency identification instrument, laser scanner, temperature and humidity sensor, information sensor, etc to get information from the situation of devices.

All these devices can help in data collection and processing to the server. When the server processes the data, it will give feedback according to the collected information. All the IoT objects are connected through gateways, network devices, and sensors. IoT connects all  devices and establishes an interconnected network.

Internet of things (IoT) and its key effects on next industrial revolution 🔑📌

What Is LoRa?

LoRa stands for ‘Long Range.’ It’s a low-power transmission technology. The main use of LoRa is in the Internet of Things (IoT). It means this low-power technology can help you meet long-distance data transmission.

On the other hand, it’s not possible for other IoT technologies to meet this application scenario.

LoRa technology is a type of LPWAN communication technology that is based on spread spectrum technology. Moreover, it works on linear frequency modulation spread spectrum. It means it maintains the low-power consumption characteristic.

When we talk about LoRa IoT, it has a strong signal-to-noise ratio and high sensitivity. But the good news is that the emergence of LoRa can serve many applications, such as small signals in the transmission of IoT and long-distance and low-power transmission.

Applications of LoRa Technology

Due to its incomparable performance, it has multiple applications on the Internet of Things.

Smart City

When LoRa WAN and IoT work together, they can have the following smart city applications:

  • Smart lighting
  • Waste management
  • Fire detection and management
  • Smart parking and vehicle management

 Industrial Applications

In industries, LoRa WAN can serve the following functions:

  • Smart sensor technology
  • Items location and tracking
  • Shipping and transportation
  • Radiation and leak detection

 Agriculture

LoRa WAN can be used in smart agriculture and farming:

  • Smart water metering
  • Monitoring and tracking animals
  • Temperature and moisture monitoring

LoRa WAN

 Smart Healthcare

It can help connect healthcare devices efficiently.

  • Wearable technology
  • Connecting and managing health monitoring devices

So, now you can see how famous and vital LoRaWAN is in every field of life. In the future, it will get more involved in our daily lives.

Advantages of LoRa Wireless Communication

As mentioned earlier, it offers various benefits, and some advantages of LoRa IOT are given below:

  • Low Power

When we talk about wireless communication, we often face two issues. It’s not easy to maintain a long transmission distance with low power consumption. But it’s not the case anymore because,

with the emergence of LoRa, this issue doesn’t exist. Low-power consumption is the major factor in its popularity. As it doesn’t consume much power, the battery can last longer.

  • Long Range

As mentioned above, it has a wide coverage range. For example, it can cover the communication distance of up to 15 kilometers in suburban areas and 5 Km in urban areas.

  • High Security

Nowadays, cyber crimes are at their peak. Therefore data security is mandatory. But the good news is that LoRa offers secure communication because all the data is encrypted.

  • No Need for Internet

It’s another major advantage that makes it superior to other technologies. When you use LoRa, you don’t need any other communication channel.

  • Easy to Deploy

It has very simple architecture. Therefore it’s easy to deploy.

  • Low Cost

It has an unlicensed spectrum. Therefore, the price of LoRa isn’t too high when we compare its advantages to other IoT devices and technologies.

Disadvantages of LoRa Wireless Communication

Most people are familiar with the advantages of LoRa but don’t know its disadvantages.

  • Low Bandwidth

Due to the duty cycle, the LoRa WAN network size is limited. Moreover, it’s best suited for periodical and short communications.

  • Low Transmission Rate

No doubt it has a long transmission distance, but do you know why and how it becomes possible? Whenever the transmission distance is long, the transmission rate will be low. In wireless communication, the closer the transmission distance, the higher the transmission rate.

  • Spectrum Interference

Network deployment is continuously increasing due to continuous development in LoRa and LoRa equipment. Therefore, spectrum interference will occur between each other.

  • Not Suitable for Some Applications

Real-time applications that require lower latency and boundary jitter can’t use LoRa.

Conclusion

In this article, we have explained the applications, advantages, and disadvantages of LoRa WAN. So, if you want to develop a custom LoRa protocol for your needs, you can contact Arshon Technology. We have a good background in IoT development and have done many projects in the past. Some projects done by Arshon Technology are:

  • LoRa Offline GPS Tracking System
  • LTE-LoRa Gateway Gamma (AST1223)
  • USB Multi-RF Gateway for Wireless Sensor Network

So, we can say that Arshon Technology is the best option for LoRa design services. You can try our services and we ensure that you’ll not regret it.

Author: Sara (Fakhri) Siahkar IoT Specialist @ Arshon Technology Inc.