What is LoRa WAN?
LoRaWAN stands for Long Range Wide Area Network. It is often shortened to LoRa. This internet connectivity service utilizes a lower frequency than Wi-Fi (915MHz in the US, other frequencies outside the US) and is able to work over large areas (lower frequencies travel farther than higher frequencies). Depending on the environment, LoRa can transmit and receive up to 5 miles. In urban environments, a mile or so is more likely. By design, LoRa only supports small packets. It’s not suitable for streaming data, but it is perfectly suited for transmitting eTrapp data packets.
LoRa works by having a LoRa Gateway installed in the area where devices are located. The LoRa Gateway connects to the internet (cellular, ethernet or Wi-Fi are the most commonly used connection types). The Gateway communicates with the LoRa devices to send the data to wherever it needs to go on the internet and vice versa.
What Are the Benefits?
The benefits of using LoRa over Wi-Fi are:
- LoRa is in a frequency spectrum that doesn’t require FCC licensing.
- LoRa covers areas where Wi-Fi doesn’t reach. It works well in densely populated areas where multiple devices need to communicate small bits of data. For example, The New Orleans Airport uses LoRa to monitor and communicate used/available parking spots in their parking garages.
- Deployment is usually straight forward. Once a device (called an End Device) communicates on a LoRa network, there’s nothing else to configure. No usernames or passwords are required; it just needs to be able to reach the Gateway.
- LoRa Gateways can serve hundreds of End Devices and are a cost effective way of connecting many devices scattered over a large area. Since Gateways are not expensive, they can be added to enhance coverage as needed. They just need power and an internet connection.
How Does eTrapp Employ LoRa?
eTrapp Condensate Treatment System has two versions: Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi/LoRa enabled.
- LoRa enabled and provisioned eTrapp devices connect to a Gateway and transmit our 5-minute data packet.
- As with a Wi-Fi eTrapp, our Network Operations Center monitors signal strength and reports it to the eTrapp App. If we miss a packet or packets, an email sends to the consumer or Pro for investigation.
- Simply put, it’s a transmission protocol we can use in certain environments such as apartment complexes, neighborhoods, housing developments with HOAs that manage properties, etc.
For example, in an apartment complex where people are moving in and out on a frequent basis, using Wi-Fi-only eTrapps would be unsustainable as every time the Wi-Fi changed for an apartment unit, a technician would have to go change it in the eTrapp.
LoRa stabilizes the connectivity by communicating through the LoRa Gateway (or Gateways) connected to a stable internet connection.
The eTrapp Team is happy to discuss which version of eTrapp is best suited to your needs. Contact us today at info@edeltainc.com or call 833-984-4100.