LoRaWAN Private Network

Understanding LoRa Technology and Deploying Your Own

LoRaWAN Data Network for the Internet of Things
Lionel Anciaux @ IOT Factory ([email protected]) V1 - MAY-2018

iotfactory.eu
 LoRaWAN Private Network
Understanding LoRa Technology and Deploying Your Own LoRaWAN Data Network for the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things is the new Industrial Revolution. The choice of the network (or networks)
of communications that will be used to allow communication between real-world objects
(machines, equipment, installations, etc.) is crucial for each company. The options are
numerous (M2M, WIFI, LoRaWAN, SigFox, BLE, NB-IOT, ZigBee ...). All of these options have
advantages and disadvantages.

Among these options, the LoRaWAN data network has a peculiarity that makes it unique and,
as such, particularly interesting. It is possible to deploy LoRa sensors / actuators, both on the
public network of a telecom operator. Or deploy its own private network, LoRaWAN.

This white paper aims to explain what is a LoRaWAN network, the building blocks, and the steps
needed to deploy its own private LoRaWAN network.

What is a LoRaWAN Network ?

LoRaWAN is a LPWAN - Low Power Wide Area Network - network. The objectives of these
LPWAN networks are to have IOT sensors:

• Cheap - in the end only a few euros ...

• Small sizes - a few centimeters of side, or less ...
• Can run on battery, with great autonomy (5-10 years!)
• Optimized to communicate for very small data rates, for a few Euro cents per month

LoRaWAN is the main player in this market, with SigFox and RPMA (Ingenu). LoRaWAN has this
feature, unlike SigFox, to allow the deployment of its own network. The only constraint is that
all the nodes of the network must use the chipset of the company Semtech. Conversely, SigFox
does not impose the chipset, but imposes the use of its own network, with the major constraint
that if SigFox is not present in your country / region, you will not be able to use SigFox. With
LoRa, you have the choice of a public network, or a private network!

The difference between LoRa and LoRaWAN?

We often hear about LoRa or LoRaWAN. While in general, both refer to the same concept,
in reality, there is a fundamental difference that is often overlooked, even by technology
solution providers:
• LoRa is the "Long Range" communication technology that allows communication
between 2 points (P2P - Peer-to-Peer) over long distances.
• LoRaWAN is the network communication protocol, based on LoRa technology
layer, which allows to network with a set of Base Stations

So LoRa is the specification of a long distance communication technology between 2

objects. LoRaWAN is the specification for using LoRa within a communication network
between Objects and Base Stations.

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 LoRaWAN Private Network
Understanding LoRa Technology and Deploying Your Own LoRaWAN Data Network for the Internet of Things

Why a LoRaWAN Network ?

In 2018, there are (according to the LoRa Alliance) more than 76 LoRaWAN public network
operators in more than 100 countries.

Besides that, there are tens of thousands of private LoRa networks.

The motivations of a company, a public institution, or a group to deploy a private LoRa network
are numerous:

• The country, region, or environment in which you wish to deploy LoRa

communicating sensors is not covered by a public LoRaWAN network. Not all
countries have a LoRaWAN operator yet, and even if they are present, not all regions
/ locations are covered. There is indeed no obligation of the operator to cover the
entire territory ...
• You deploy LoRa sensors in places that are difficult to access via a public network
(deep basements, quarries, remote geographical areas, etc.)
• You deploy a large number of LoRa sensors and you want to limit costs, especially to
avoid the monthly subscriptions of a LoRa public operator
• For security reasons, you do not want to transit data communications over the
Internet, or through a public LoRa operator.

Also note ... If the LoRa Alliance announced in 2018 to have conducted first roaming tests, it
will probably be necessary to wait until 2019 or 2020 to see roaming offers for public LoRa
networks. That is to say, to allow a LoRa sensor to be used transparently in several countries,
with only one subscription / configuration. Given that the different regions of the world have
regulated the LoRa frequencies differently (868 MHz in Europe, 915 MHz in the USA, ...), and
that the current LoRa devices (sensors, actuators) rarely support multi frequencies, a true
roaming, to the image of the GSM (Smartphone), is unlikely in the coming years.

« Internet » of Things – Through Internet ?

If the term Internet of Things has become a "buzz word", it is nevertheless bad choice. The idea
behind this name probably refers to the different waves of networking (Internet connection)
carried out so far:

• Connect computers ... to the Internet in the 90's

• Connecting people ... to the Internet through their smartphone in the 2000s'
• And now connect the physical, real world: objects, machines, tools, equipment, cities
...

It is therefore good to connect. Interconnect. Internet is just one way to connect them. And
precisely, by creating a private LoRa network, it is possible to connect its machines, buildings,
tools ... without going through the Internet.

Is it Legal ?

The LoRa communication technology is based on a free radio frequency spectrum, the ISM
frequency band to be precise (Industrial, Scientific and Medical), not subject to a license. It is
therefore completely legal to use this frequency band to communicate data between a sensor
and a remote application. The only restriction concerns the intensity of its use. It is not allowed
to use with a sensor more than 1% of the bandwidth, which technically translates in the
transmission of a maximum of 140 messages of 12 bytes per day.

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 LoRaWAN Private Network
Understanding LoRa Technology and Deploying Your Own LoRaWAN Data Network for the Internet of Things

Components of a LoRaWAN Network

Deploying your own LoRa network is not complex. We must nevertheless understand what is
done: "Devices" (sensors, actuators), Gateways (Base Stations - "antennas"), the Network
Server, and finally your Application , most often developed on a IOT platform Software.

LORA
BASESTATION

LORA DATA Business Application

LORA SENSORS
NETWORK INTERNET
IOT Platform
LORA NETWORK
© iotfactory.eu SERVER

LORA
BASESTATION

Devices - Sensors and Actuators

The principle of a "device" LoRa is to broadcast messages, of 12 bytes, either on the basis of an
event (measured - for example the stopping of a machine), or at a predefined frequency (for
example every hours). At most, the device can send 140 messages per day, one every 10
minutes on average.

These broadcast messages are received by all "visible" Antennas (Gateway), and transmitted to
the Network Server for decoding and distribution to business applications.

Class A
In general, LoRa sensors are programmed to transmit data. Not to receive it. They only use
the "uplink". Class A LoRa devices are the ones that consume the least. Between 2 data
programs, they go into "Deep Sleep" mode, and therefore consume very little energy.

Class C
In contrast, a "device" must sometimes also act as an actuator ("actuator"), namely to
receive commands, either to transmit them to the connected object, or to change the
operating mode of "device" Himself. This requires a Class C LoRa device. This class allows
the use of the LoRa downlink. For this, obviously, the "device" must remain awake
permanently. It will usually be connected to the power grid (not battery) because it will
consume much more electricity.

Class B
More recently, the LoRa Alliance has finalized the specification of Class B, which allows an
intermediate mode between Class A and Class C. Basically, the "downlink" is activated only
after the broadcast of a message since the "device". So when he is still awake, before going
back to sleep. This allows to maintain a reasonable power consumption (and therefore
operate on battery), while allowing for example a change of configuration of the "device",
or sending a command to the connected object, when this command is not urgent, and
does not require immediate transmission.

OTAA or ABP
The method of activating LoRa devices (via the Network Server) is important. It depends on
the capabilities of both the device and the network. OTAA ("Over The Air Activation")
activation is better because it is simpler and safer. Indeed, at the security level, the keys
are exchanged when the "device" connects to the network the first time. In ABP mode
("Activation by Customization"), you must pre-define the keys and encode them, on the
"device", and on the Network Server.

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 LoRaWAN Private Network
Understanding LoRa Technology and Deploying Your Own LoRaWAN Data Network for the Internet of Things

LoRa Base Station / Gateway

LoRaWAN base stations manage radio communication with LoRa devices. They are managed /
controlled by the Network Server.

The Base Station will be connected to the Network Server, either via an Ethernet cable, a 3G /
4G card, or WIFI.

Among the important parameters of a LoRa base station, the number of communication
channels. This parameter is the factor that will limit the number of sensors that can be
connected to it. To make a simple / fast calculation, one can consider that a communication of
a "device" LoRa takes about 2 seconds. It will occupy a communication channel for 2 seconds.

If we take for example a Base Station with 8 channels, and sensors broadcasting their data every
hour, the calculation is as follows:

1 channel = 30 slots of 2 seconds per minute. That is 30x60 = 1800 slots of 2 seconds per hour.
So for 8 channels, the theoretical maximum is 14400 devices connected (transmitting every
hour). Of course, this figure is based on perfect synchronization of all sensors. To get a more
realistic figure, it can be divided by 4. So 3600.

3.600 devices communicating once an hour,

supported by an 8 channel LoRaWAN gateway

The LoRa Network Server

The Network Server is the central element of a LoRa network. It is in charge of:

• Management of different LoRaWAN gateways (the "antennas")

• Activation of "devices" on the network, their authorization to communicate,
management of security keys ...
• The management of the LoRa frequency plans used and the ADR (Adaptive Data
Rate), which corresponds to a dynamic parameterization of LoRa sensor emissions
according to local conditions (distance, transmission quality, etc.)
• Message transmission to the software platform and remote applications

IOT Software Platform and Business Application

Finally, the data collected by LoRa devices must be interpreted, stored and visualized. This is
the role of the business application, most often deployed on an IOT software platform.

Data Devices Reporting &

Data Storage Alerting Dashboards APIs
Decoding Management Analytics

In the features expected for an IOT software platform, we find:

• Decoding and processing of data transmitted by sensors, storage (Big Data).

• LoRa device fleet management (Sensors / Actuators)
• The generation of alerts based on rules (eg: exceeding a threshold ...)
• The ability to generate reports and analyze data, possibly based on Artificial
Intelligence (AI), eg for predictive / preventive maintenance
• The ability to create your own dashboards
• And obviously be able to interact, via APIs, with remote systems / software.

iotfactory.eu ©2018 - Lionel Anciaux

 LoRaWAN Private Network
Understanding LoRa Technology and Deploying Your Own LoRaWAN Data Network for the Internet of Things

How the LoRaWAN Network works (private or public)

A LoRaWAN network can be deployed from a Gateway (an "antenna"). To ensure better service,
and to ensure good coverage, adding a second Base Station is often recommended.

1. Placement of the LoRaWAN Base Station (the "antenna") and configuration

(frequencies, channels used ...)
2. Declaration of the Base Station on your Network Server
3. Activation of a LoRa sensor on the Network Server. By encoding the OTA parameters
(or by reading the QR code of the sensor) or ABP.

Your network and a LORA sensor are now active.

Conclusion
It is not essential to deploy your own LoRa network to benefit from the Return on Investments
promised by the Internet of Things. It is entirely possible to use a public LoRa network, or
SigFox, or NB-IOT, or M2M, WIFI, Bluetooth ...

Nevertheless, there may be reasons, operational or strategic, that may justify opting for a
private network. In this case, the LoRaWAN technology is probably the best suited for a
generalist network, because it is simple and inexpensive.

A propos de IOT Factory

IOT Factory offers a complete range of products for the deployment of a private LoRa network:

• "Devices" LORAWAN (smart metering, smart building)

• LoRa Gateways (Ethernet and 3G / GPS)
• LoRa Network Server
• Complete Starter Kits (Sensors, Gateway, Network Server, IOT Platform)
• IOT Software Platform

The content of this report is taken from an "IOT Business Training" course intended for
companies planning - strategically or operationally - to deploy solutions related to the Internet
of Things. This training covers all aspects of the Internet of Things: use cases, business models,
IOT networks, security, sensors, project management ...

About the Author

Lionel Anciaux
linkedin.com/in/lionelanciaux
twitter.com/lionelanciaux

Expert, Consultant & Trainer IOT. Founder of IOT Factory.

Active for more than 15 years in deploying M2M and IOT
solutions in business. Fleet Management, Workforce
Management, Industry 4.0, Smart Metering.

iotfactory.eu ©2018 - Lionel Anciaux