UC Riverside LoRaWAN Network

Visualizing Sensor and Gateway Coverage

Device Configuration

Installed Sensors

About This Page

This page provides a visualization of the LoRaWAN network coverage for sensors and gateways in various environments. Users can add sensors and gateways to the map, adjust their positions, and see the coverage area based on the selected environment.

LoRaWAN Coverage Characteristics

Urban Areas

Range: 2-5 km

In dense urban environments with tall buildings, expect coverage to be on the lower end of this range. Signal penetration through concrete structures can be challenging.

Suburban Areas

Range: 10-15 km

Suburban environments typically offer better coverage than urban areas due to fewer obstacles, though tree coverage and building placement can still affect signal quality.

Rural Areas

Range: Up to 20 km

In open rural areas with minimal obstructions, LoRaWAN can achieve its longest ranges. Line-of-sight deployments can sometimes exceed 20 km.

Additional Considerations

Gateway Placement

Optimizing gateway positions can improve coverage by 40-60%. For multi-story buildings:

  • Mount near the building's core
  • Use horizontally aligned antennas
  • Elevate above surrounding structures

Antenna Selection

  • High-gain antennas can boost coverage by 25-30%
  • Rooftop mounting preferred
  • Consider omnidirectional vs directional

Environmental Factors

  • Concrete walls: 10-20 dB attenuation
  • Forests: 5-15 dB signal scattering
  • Hilly terrain: 10-30% range reduction

Data Rate Optimization

  • Spreading Factors (SF7-SF12)
  • SF7: 5 kbps, ~2 km range
  • SF12: 250 bps, ~20 km range
  • Adaptive Data Rate (ADR) recommended