The impact of gateway node density on the performance of LoRaWAN

Abstract

The concept of Internet of Things (IoT) has increased in prominence as the demand for device interconnectedness increases worldwide. Numerous technologies have been proposed to provide the required technology and network infrastructure. Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) have emerged as popular preference, providing low power, long range communication, and low-cost devices, particularly in Long Range Wide Area Networks (LoRaWAN). Components of the LoRaWAN architecture such as the number of end devices (EDs) and gateways (GWs) connected to the network impact the overall network performance. The Adaptive Data Rate (ADR) protocol, which is an essential component of LoRaWAN, allows ED transmission parameters to be dynamically adjusted to adapt to network conditions to improve the network¿s lifetime. Extensive work has been done in literature to analyse LoRaWAN performance but focuses on single gateway networks. In this work, we present the impact of the GW and ED node density on the performance of the LoRaWAN network through extensive simulations in NS-3. The evaluation measures packet success rate, packet delivery ratio and energy consumption. The results obtained showed that GW node density improves energy efficiency and battery life of the EDs. The analysis aids in understanding the behaviour of LoRaWAN ADR and provides means to optimise the network.