LoRaWAN: An Introduction

• Introduction
• LoRa
• LoRaWAN
• References

1.1
Introduction

Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) main critical

factors:
Network architecture
Communication range
Battery lifetime or low power
Robustness to interference
Network capacity (maximum number of nodes in a network)
Network security
One-way vs two-way communication
Variety of applications served
Examples: LoRaWAN, SigFox, NB-IoT, Weightless

1.2
What is LoRa?

LoRa technology was originally a patented spread-

spectrum wireless modulation developed by a French
company Cycleo (established in 2009 as an IP and design
solution provider) and was acquired by SemTech Corp. for
US$5 million in 2012.
Then, in April 2013, the SX1272 chip published by
SemTech Inc. was equipped with LoRa technology.
At the time, the FSK-modulated European smart meter
transceivers were generally used, and the maximum
transmission distance was between 1 and 2 km.
LoRa operates under the same conditions, and the longest
transmission distance can exceed 15 km.
LoRa is a proprietary radio modulation.

1.3
LoRa Modulation

FSK Chirp Spread Spectrum

• CHIRP = 'Compressed
High Intensity Radar
Pulse'

1.4
Chirp Spread Spectrum
• LoRa uses three different bandwidths (BW): 125kHz,
250kHz and 500kHz (125kHz is used here)
• LoRa uses SF7 to SF12 spreading factors.

1.5
Chirp Spread Spectrum
• LoRa Symbols: upchirps and downchirps
• Each symbol encodes SF bits
• Jump in the frequency represents the modulated symbol.

1.6
Chirp Spread Spectrum: some Math
• Symbol Rate

• Chirp Rate (slope of the chirp)

• Raw Bit Rate

• Net Bit Rate

• CR = Code Rate (k/n of the error correcting code)

• Bit Error Rate (empirical approximation)
( )

1.7
Chirp Spread Spectrum
• Signals transmitted with different chirp rate are
orthogonal.

1.8
Chirp Spread Spectrum
• Signals transmitted with different chirp rate are
orthogonal.

1.9
What is LoRaWAN?

LoRaWAN is a network protocol optimized specifically for energy

limited EDs.
The LPWAN typically has star topology and consists of BSs (also
designated Gateways) relaying data messages between the EDs
and an Application Server.
The Network Server implements the MAC layer and network
management functions.
The BSs can be connected to the central server via backbone
internet protocol (IP) based link, and the wireless
communication based on LoRa or GFSK modulation is used to
move the data between EDs and the BSs.
Independent ED-NS and ED-AS security sessions. The network
is unable to decipher ED-AS messages.
LoRaWAN is defined in an open specification maintained by the
LoRa Alliance consortium.

1.10
LoRaWAN Architecture (e.g., TTN)

1.11
LoRaWAN Architecture

1.12
LoRaWAN Gateway at INESC

1.13
LoRaWAN Network Protocol Stack

1.14
Three Classes of EDs

1.15
LoRaWAN Frame
• Class A ED operation
• RX1 frequency and data rate are functions of uplink
frequency and data rate.
• RX2 uses fixed configurable frequency and data rate.

1.16
LoRaWAN Packet Structure
• Physical Frame (explicit mode)
• In the following picture, the preamble includes the
synchronization word.
• Explicit mode includes the explicit header + CRC
• Explicit header: Payload length + CR + CRC present flag

1.17
LoRaWAN Time on Air (ToA)

SF : spreading factor PL : number of bytes of payload

BW : bandwidth IH : implicit header mode enable = 0,
NP : the number of disable = 1
preamble symbols DE : set to 1 when use of the low data
SW : synchronization rate optimization,
word 0 when disabled
For GFSK ,DR = 50kbit /s CR : coding rate from 1 to 4

1.18
LoRaWAN Packet Structure

MType Description Obs.

MHDR : MAC Header
000 Join Request 1st message of Join procedure. MACPayload : MAC Payload of Data
001 Join Accept 2 message of Join procedure.
nd
Messages
010 Unconfirmed Data Up Receiver does not need to respond. MIC : Message Integrity Code
011 Unconfirmed Data Receiver does not need to respond.
Down
(based on AES-CMAC – RFC 4493)
100 Confirmed Data Up Receiver must respond.
101 Confirmed Data Receiver must respond.
Down
110 RFU Reserved for Future Use
111 Proprietary Can be used to implement custom
format messages, but only
between devices that have
common understanding.

1.19
LoRaWAN Packet Structure
• Frame Header (FHDR)

DevAddr: Device Address (short)

FrCtrl: Frame Control
FCnt: Frame Counter
Fopts: Frame Options
ADR: Adaptive Data Rate

1.20
LoRaWAN Performance

1.21
LoRaWAN Data Rates

1.22
LoRaWAN Performance

1.23
LoRaWAN Performance
• LoRaWAN channels in EU 863-873 MHz band

1.24
LoRaWAN Performance
• Maximum throughput per LoRaWAN channel and ED

1.25
LoRaWAN Performance
• LoRaWAN Capacity

1.26
LoRaWAN Performance
• LoRaWAN Capacity

1.27
LoRaWAN: ED Activation

• Activation By Personalization (ABP)

• Manual, static configuration.

• Over-The-Air-Activation (OTAA)
• Dynamic, automated configuration.

1.28
LoRaWAN: ED Activation
• Data stored in ED after activation:
• End-device address (DevAddr): identifies the end-device
within the current network.

• Forwarding Network session integrity key (FNwkSIntKey):

partial Uplink MIC key.
• Serving Network session integrity key (SNwkSIntKey):
Downlink + partial Uplink MIC key
• Network session encryption key (NwkSEncKey): Encryption
key between ED and Network Server (commands).
• Application session key (AppSKey): Encryption key between
ED and Application Server (data)

1.29
LoRaWAN: Over-The-Air-Activation
(OTAA)
• Alternative to static activation configuration.
• Join procedure prior to participating in data exchanges with the
Network Server.
• An ED has to go through a new join procedure every time it has lost
the session context information.
• Required information in ED prior to OTAA:
• JoinEUI: global application ID in IEEE EUI64 address space that uniquely
identifies the Join Server that is able to assist in the processing of the Join
procedure and the session keys derivation.
• DevEUI: Globally unique device identifier in IEEE EUI64 address space.
• AppKey: root AES-128 encryption key specific for the end-device that is
assigned by the application owner to the end-device and most likely derived
from an application-specific root key exclusively known to and under the
control of the application provider. Since all end-devices end up with
unrelated application keys specific for each end-device, extracting the
AppKey from an end-device only compromises this one end-device.
• NwkKey: root AED-128 key specific to the end-device, but provided by the
network operator.

1.30
LoRaWAN: Over-The-Air-Activation
(OTAA)
ED NS

(Encrypted with NwkKey)

• AppSKey = aes128_encrypt(NwkKey, 0x02 | JoinNonce |

NetID | DevNonce | pad161)
• FNwkSIntKey = aes128_encrypt(NwkKey, 0x01 |
JoinNonce | NetID | DevNonce | pad16)
• SNwkSIntKey = NwkSEncKey = FNwkSIntKey.
1.31
LoraWAN: Adaptive Data Rate (ADR)

1.32
LoraWAN: Adaptive Data Rate (ADR)

https://doi.org/10.3390/s18113995

1.33
References
[1] Konstantin Mikhaylov, Juha Petäjäjärvi, Tuomo Hänninen , “ Analysis of Capacity and
Scalability of the LoRa Low Power Wide Area Network Technology ,” In European Wireless
2016; 22th European Wireless Conference; Proceedings of, pages 1–6.

[2] Konstantin Mikhaylov, Jouni Tervonen, Joni Heikkilä and Janne Känsäkoski , “ Wireless
Sensor Networks in industrial environment: Real-life evaluation results ,” Future Internet
Communications (BCFIC), 2012 2nd Baltic Congress on Future Internet Communications.

[3] Tara Petrić, Mathieu Goessens, Loutfi Nuaymi, Laurent Toutain, Alexander Pelov, Telecom
Bretagne, “Measurements, Performance and Analysis of LoRa FABIAN, a real-world
implementation of LPWAN ,” 2016 IEEE 27th Annual International Symposium on Personal,
Indoor, and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC).

[4] N. Sornin , M. Luis , T. Eirich , T. Kramp , and O. Hersent , “ LoRaWAN specification ,” LoRa
Alliance Inc., San Ramon, CA, Ver. 1.0., January 2015 .

[5] Chao-Lin Tsai, Ho-Ting Wu, “Analysis of Capacity and Scalability of the LoRa Low Power
Wide Area Network Technology”,
http://netlab.csie.ntut.edu.tw/seminar/year2016/20170119_Analysis%20of%20Capacity%2
0and%20Scalability%20of%20the%20LoRa.pptx

[6] http://www.sghoslya.com/p/lora-is-chirp-spread-spectrum.html

[7] https://doi.org/10.3390/s18113995

1.34