Differences between LoRa and LoRaWAN

I. Differences between LoRa and LoRaWAN in Functionality, Technical Level, and Application Scenarios

1. Functional Scope

LoRa: Provides physical layer and partial data link layer functions, suitable for point-to-point (P2P) or private networks. LoRa devices can directly connect to each other, offering high flexibility but lacking standardized management.

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LoRaWAN: Provides a complete network architecture, a standardized wide area network that implements data routing through gateways and network servers, supporting two-way communication (e.g., Class A/B/C).

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2. Technical Level

LoRa: A physical layer technology, LoRa focuses on wireless signal transmission, using spread spectrum modulation to achieve long-range, low-power communication. It offers low device cost and simple deployment, without the need for gateways or servers.

LoRaWAN: A network protocol layer based on LoRa, LoRa defines network-level specifications for data transmission, authentication, security, and other aspects, and is a MAC layer protocol. Requires deployment of a gateway and network server, resulting in a high initial cost, but supports large-scale device management and remote updates.

3. Application Scenarios

LoRa: Suitable for small, customized local monitoring projects, such as rural soil monitoring and factory equipment status transmission.

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LoRaWAN: More suitable for public IoT projects (such as smart cities and environmental monitoring) and requires compatibility with standardized protocols.

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II. Differences between LoRa and LoRaWAN in Transmission Rate and Coverage

LoRa: Has a lower transmission rate (0.3kbps-27kbps). A single node can cover up to 10-15 kilometers in open air environments, and approximately 2-5 kilometers in complex environments such as cities.

LoRaWAN: The transmission rate is determined by the LoRa physical layer modulation technology, while the protocol layer balances the transmission rate of each node by assigning different spreading factors. As a network protocol, LoRaWAN does not directly define coverage, but it achieves large-area coverage by coordinating multiple LoRa gateways.

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