Spring 2023

ENSC 427: COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

Topic: ns-3 Simulation of Propagation Loss for Various LoRa Chirp Variations of RYLR896 Module

Miller Solis & Glorie Ramazani

Abstract

LoRaWAN (Long Range Wireless Area Network) is a wireless communication protocol that makes use of the unlicensed spectrum. It is optimized for low-power and long-range applications as its name suggests, implementing 2 different types of nodes, gateways and end devices which are capable of communicating using a signal that sweeps multiple frequencies as it travels in time, also known as chirp. A chirp is capable of encoding information while providing resiliency to interference and therefore a long range. This study leverages ns-3 to implement a mechanism to simulate scenarios where the chirp characteristics are not fixed, just like in real-life deployed gateways and end devices, where the chirp characteristics change on a regular basis. To achieve this, a LoRaWAN module/IC (RYLR896: SX1276 chip with antenna) was selected to be modeled in the ns-3 simulation. As a result, the behavior of LoRa products that make use of that specific LoRa module can be more accurately simulated on ns-3.

LoRa packet structure [8]

LoRaWAN network architecture [7]

Variations on LoRa chirp characteristics [6]

References

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