Analysis of Real-World LoRaWAN Network Performance Across Outdoor and Indoor Scenarios

With the rapid expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs) have emerged as effective solutions for long-range wireless connectivity. Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) is a promising LPWAN architecture that enables robust, energy-efficient communication for distributed IoT devices. This paper presents an experimental performance analysis of a LoRaWAnnetwork deployed in urban and suburban environments across Benghazi, Libya. The results demonstrate LoRaWAN's capabilities in terms of reliability, transmission range, and adaptation to varied conditions. Packets were transmitted between LoRa32 nodes using different spreading factor (SF) configurations. Key performance metrics, including packet error rate, received signal strength indicator (RSSI), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), were measured across outdoor and indoor scenarios. The findings showcase LoRaWAN's resilience to channel noise and interference, achieving minimal packet loss over several kilometers. Furthermore, tuning parameters, such as the spreading factor, allow effective tradeoffs between data rate, communication range, and power consumption. This research validates LoRaWAnas a versatile IoT networking solution and offers insights to inform optimal deployment in diverse real-world settings.