Evaluating LoRa for Diverse IoT Applications: A Comparative and Experimental Approach

Abstract

In many IoT applications, conventional wireless technologies suffer from high energy consumption, limited range, and infrastructure dependency making them unsuitable for large-scale deployments across diverse deployment contexts, including urban and rural areas. LoRa technology offers a compelling alternative, with long-range, low-power communication and minimal infrastructure needs. This paper presents a comparative study of LoRa and LoRaWAN application domains, analyzing their suitability across key metrics such as signal quality, transmission frequency, energy efficiency, and scalability. Experimental validation is conducted using a custom-designed LoRa-based sensor system tested in both rural and urban environments. Results confirm the strong performance of LoRa in open-field scenarios, while highlighting its limitations in dense urban conditions. The combined analysis provides practical insights for selecting LoRa in real-world IoT deployments.