Selecting the Right Gateway? Four Features to Evaluate First Before Choosing your Next LoRa Gateway4/22/2020 With the field of IoT continuously connecting everyone with its breakthroughs, it is no surprise that everyone is capable of creating an IoT project of one’s own now. You can just get devices and software on hundreds of catalogs on the internet to make your project work. The building and deployment will follow after. However, this ease of access brings upon errors that most excited beginners take in their project: failing to select the right gateway for their project. Gateways are an essential part of an IoT project as they act as a bridge between the devices on your LoRa network and the cloud or the internet. In comparison to a cellular network, gateways are the equivalent of a cellular tower. In cellular communications, no mobile device can communicate directly with each other. Instead, all messages and calls pass through the nearest cellular tower first. Similarly, all devices on the LoRa network send their data on the nearest gateway, which in turn, uploads this data to the cloud or internet. These gateways also come in two types: the ones that run on minimal firmware and the ones that run an operating system. The first type of gateway is very easy to use and requires the least amount of financial investment. DIY gateways fall into this category. With this type of gateway, you will have more freedom in making modifications to be able to perfectly suit your application. To create your DIY gateway, you need to start with a gateway concentrator module. Examples of modules that are available online are RAK2245 and RAK2247 from one of the leading IoT solutions provider, RAKwireless. The second type, on the one hand, is those that are ready to use and requires minimal network configuration. RAK7249, RAK7258, and RAK7244 are RAKwireless’ gateways for this type as well. Given this information, you can now explore and evaluate the four features of a LoRa gateway to select the best gateway for your project. Environmental ProtectionChoosing gateways starts with the question of whether the gateway will be located indoors or outdoors. For large-scale network implementations, outdoor gateways are usually used along with some indoor gateways to cover blind spots inside buildings and structures. More often than indoor gateways, outdoor gateways are designed to have a high IP rating to protect it from the elements. Internet ConnectionAnother very important feature is how the gateway will connect to the internet. Most outdoor applications will require gateways to support 3G or 4G while most indoor applications require gateways that support an ethernet connection. Gateway CapacityThe next criterion that must be determined is the gateway’s capacity. This is measured by the number of devices that can connect to the network at any given point in time. Public networks and very dense deployments will require a higher number of channels to keep an acceptable quality of service (QOS) and to avoid high traffic. Other than the number of channels, gateways are also categorized into carrier-grade or enterprise-grade. Carrier-grade gateways are usually used for high-value commercial applications, while enterprise-grade gateways are used for other applications where low cost is an important factor. Data Protection and PrivacyFor commercial applications that carry sensitive information, it is greatly critical to choose a gateway that offers real-time data control and data privacy protocols. This is even more important for large-scale implementation since the long transmission range of LoRa can allow unauthorized devices to connect to it without permission. Due to IoT’s efforts in connecting everyone, the ease of starting one’s project has also made starting developers excitedly jump into their projects without carefully selecting the right gateways they need. Making a correct decision in choosing is important for a developer in preventing unnecessary costs and ensuring the success of the project. You may like also: LoRaWAN, Two, Three, and More! The Future of Combined and Individual Protocols IoT and LoRa Applications - Smart Grids LoRaWAN™ vs. the world of IoT! 8 Applications of LoRaWAN | More Than Just Tech Why you need LoRaWAN | RAK Smart Devices and Home Security Exploring The Possibilities Of LoRaWAN In Your Business
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IoT SIM cards are specialized SIM cards designed for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Unlike traditional SIM cards used in smartphones, IoT SIM cards are optimized for low-power, low-data applications. They offer secure, reliable connectivity for IoT devices across various networks, including 2G, 3G, 4G, and now even 5G. IoT SIM cards are often customizable, allowing users to select data plans and manage their IoT devices efficiently. They play a crucial role in enabling the connectivity of IoT ecosystems worldwide.
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