LoRa and LoRaWAN Technology Detailed Explanation and Application Solutions

22 10, 2025

1. What is LoRa?

LoRa (Long Range) is a wireless communication technology known for its long transmission distance, low power consumption and strong anti-interference ability. It is particularly suitable for scenarios that require long-term operation and large-scale coverage, such as smart cities and environmental monitoring.

(1) Comparison with other wireless communication technologies

Compared with technologies such as 4G, WiFi, NB (Narrowband Internet of Things) and Bluetooth, LoRa has lower data transmission rate and capacity, but its advantages are:

• Longer transmission distance: Wider coverage than WiFi.
• Lower power consumption: Suitable for long-term battery-powered applications.
• Lower cost: No need to pay for data traffic like 4G.

(2) LoRa networking mode

LoRa supports point-to-point communication and star networking, and realizes centralized collection and forwarding of data from multiple nodes through gateway devices.

2. What is LoRaWAN?

LoRaWAN is a protocol layer specification developed based on the LoRa physical layer technology. It defines the data transmission format and utilizes AES encryption technology, significantly improving data standardization and security. The LoRaWAN standard is managed by the LoRa Alliance and recognized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as the global standard for low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs).

3. Characteristics and applications of LoRaWAN

Characteristics:

• Long distance communication
• Low power consumption
• Strong anti-interference capability
• Low cost

Each country and region has its own legal frequency band specifications. Common ones are: CN470 (Chinese standard), EU868 (European standard), AU915 (Australian standard), US915 (US standard), AS923 (other Asian country standards)

Application areas:

• Smart meters (such as electricity meters, water meters)
• Smart cities and smart buildings
• Intelligent public transportation
• Manufacturing Internet of Things
• Logistics and personnel tracking
• Environmental sensing and smart agriculture

(1) LoRaWAN networking mode

LoRaWAN adopts a star topology. Terminal devices send data to the network server through the gateway, and then forward it to the application platform.

(2) Comparison between LoRaWAN devices and WiFi and 4G devices

4. LoRaWAN electricity meter

(1) Single-phase wireless meter: ADW310-HJ-D16/LW868

Suitable for single-phase electricity metering, supports LoRaWAN communication, and can realize remote data collection and monitoring.

(2) Three-phase wireless meter: ADW300-LW series

Designed for three-phase power systems, it has high-precision metering and remote communication functions and is suitable for industrial and commercial scenarios.

5. LoRaWAN Data Conversion Module

(1) AWT100-LW Series

This module communicates with terminal devices that do not support LoRaWAN via the RS485 interface using the Modbus protocol. After collecting data, it sends it to the gateway via LoRaWAN, enabling IoT upgrades for traditional devices.

(2) LoRaWAN Gateway: AWT200-LW Series

The gateway is responsible for receiving LoRaWAN signals sent by terminal devices and forwarding data to the server via Ethernet. It is the core device of the LoRaWAN network.

6. LoRaWAN Gateway Networking Solution

(1) Third-party Gateway Solution

• Terminal Device: LoRaWAN Meter or Data Conversion Module
• Uplink Gateway: Third-party LoRaWAN Gateway (such as Milesight)
• Platform: User’s third-party platform or own platform

(2) Own Gateway Solution

• Gateway: AWT200-LW923
• Terminal Device: LoRaWAN Meter or Data Conversion Module
• Platform: Own Platform
• Note: It is not recommended to connect to a third-party platform to ensure system compatibility and stability.

7. LoRaWAN Device Model-Frequency Band Comparison Table