Today, IoT technologies are evolving rapidly to meet the needs of deployments in remote or hard-to-reach areas.
Until now, the LoRaWan revolution has remained dependent, to a certain extent, on an internet connection to send the data collected by the gateways to the Cloud or the operator's server.
Let's take an example: A private LoRaWan network with several gateways to collect data from hundreds of sensors.
Before
Each gateway in the fleet communicates via TCP/IP Internet
NOW
Each gateway in the fleet communicates via LoRaWAN
To summarize, the sensor data was sent back to its gateway via LoRaWAN. However, each gateway in the network needed internet access (sometimes via 4G or 5G, which generated costs). To group into a fleet, the gateways communicated with each other via the internet.
This is now ancient history with the arrival of LoRaWAN MESH.
What is LoRaWAN Mesh?
LoRaWAN Mesh represents a major advancement, allowing gateways to communicate with each other without requiring an internet connection for each point. It's the same system as WiFi Mesh, each gateway in the fleet can exchange data without having internet access.
Unlike traditional solutions where each gateway had to be connected directly to the Internet, here, only the so-called “Border” gateways need it. The others, called “Relays,” transmit the information via the LoRa network to the Border gateway, which then sends it to the Internet.
Now there is only one point that needs an Internet connection, which could be considered a terminal.
How does it work?
In a LoRaWAN Mesh network, “Relay” gateways play a key role: they connect to each other to transmit data.
This is ideal for areas where internet access is limited or non-existent. Imagine a remote industrial site or an isolated farm: by placing multiple Relay gateways in the field, data can be relayed to a Border gateway, which is itself connected to the internet, ensuring a continuous flow of information, even without conventional network infrastructure.
The advantages of LoRaWAN Mesh
• Extended Coverage : By placing Relay gateways in strategic locations, you can extend the reach of your IoT network without having to install expensive and complex internet connections.
• Redundancy and resilience : In the event of a gateway failure, data can be redirected through other gateways, ensuring continuous transmission of information.
• Reduced costs : Fewer gateways require an internet connection, simplifying installations in hard-to-reach environments.
ChirpStack: A powerful ally for LoRaWAN Mesh
ChirStack Gateway OS is here! It extends the capabilities of certain LoRaWAN gateways.
Chirpstack is an open-source solution, it offers a simple and intuitive interface to monitor your gateways and manage your data flows.
ChirpStack gives you maximum flexibility, whether you're deploying a small IoT network or a larger infrastructure, while optimizing the efficiency and resilience of your deployments.
Whether in the agricultural, industrial or logistics sectors, LoRaWAN Mesh combined with ChirpStack can enhance your IoT deployments, making data collection possible even in remote or isolated environments.
We support you
Sparwan can advise and support you in your LoRaWAN network deployment needs, whether for a "classic" deployment or a LoRaWAN Mesh network deployment. Are you unsure of the architecture on which to deploy? Do you need to set up a network server? Do not hesitate to contact us, we can answer all your questions.