LoRaWAN
LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) is a low-power, wide-area networking protocol designed for connecting battery-operated devices to the internet in regional, national, or global networks. It enables long-range communication (up to several kilometers in rural areas) with minimal power consumption, making it ideal for Internet of Things (IoT) applications such as smart cities, agriculture, and asset tracking. The protocol operates on unlicensed radio spectrum and uses a star-of-stars topology with gateways relaying messages between end-devices and a central network server.
Developers should learn LoRaWAN when building IoT solutions that require long-range connectivity, low power consumption, and cost-effective deployment, such as environmental monitoring, smart metering, or industrial automation. It is particularly useful in scenarios where cellular networks are unavailable, too expensive, or consume too much power, and when devices need to operate for years on a single battery charge. Use cases include tracking livestock in agriculture, monitoring air quality in urban areas, or managing waste collection in smart cities.