Performance Evaluation of LoRaWAN SX1276 Radio in Non-Line of Sight conditions

Abstract

The study presents a comprehensive performance evaluation of the SX1276 radio module within LoRaWAN technology under Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) conditions. LoRaWAN's proliferation in IoT applications demands a thorough understanding of its performance in challenging environments. This study investigates NLOS scenarios, identifying factors influencing signal strength, packet loss, and latency. Finally, the performance of the network under LOS condition was compared to NLOS to shed light on NLOS challenges. Results showed that spreading factor and transmission power are the most critical parameters that influences the performance of the network. Results from the study also shows that in LOS condition the spreading factor 7 has the highest data rate but also the least range. Furthermore, the study revealed that using high spreading factor is more beneficial than high transmission power in non-line of sight conditions. Finally, by comparing both conditions, LoRaWAN nodes under LOS condition was found to have a range of up to 5 km as against 1 km at NLOS which further highlight the importance of LOS in LoRa transmissions.