Standalone LoRaWAN Network for Rural Production with Limited Connectivity

The increasing demand for Internet of Things (IoT) applications in rural and remote areas presents significant challenges due to limited or non-existent internet connectivity. While traditional IoT networks, such as LoRaWAN and NB-IoT, require constant internet access for communication between devices and servers, they are often not viable in such environments. Current solutions are heavily reliant on continuous connectivity, which is not feasible in areas with poor infrastructure. This paper addresses these limitations by proposing a novel, offline-capable LoRaWAN network solution. The proposed system integrates both the Network Server and Application Server into a single gateway, built on a low-cost Raspberry Pi platform, enabling the network to operate autonomously without the need for permanent internet access. The system collects, processes, and temporarily stores data locally, allowing users to access it via ad-hoc Wi-Fi links, and transmit it to remote servers when connectivity becomes available. This approach significantly reduces reliance on constant internet access while maintaining functionality for a wide range of IoT applications, including agricultural and environmental monitoring. The results demonstrate that this solution offers an efficient, scalable, and cost-effective way to deploy LoRaWAN networks in infrastructure-limited areas, extending the potential of IoT applications in rural settings.