Mid-range communication technology in detail: regional interconnection program for IoT devices

Author：世电IOT | Reviewed by Josh Xu | Date：2025-01-27

Introduction: In the construction of smart cities, a typical scenario is that the city management department needs to collect and control real-time data from thousands of environmental monitoring devices distributed in different areas. This kind of application scenario requires medium-range communication technology with larger coverage and more flexible networking. In this paper, we will discuss in depth the commonly used mid-range communication technologies in IoT, including WiFi (especially WiFi 6), LoRa, and so on. We will analyze the characteristics of each technology, such as the high speed rate and wide compatibility of WiFi, and the long range coverage and low power consumption of LoRa. By detailing their technical principles, protocol architectures, security mechanisms, and typical application scenarios, combined with practical case studies, we will help readers understand the advantages and disadvantages of various technologies, so that they can make the best technology selection in actual projects. At the same time, we will also look forward to the future development trend of these mid-range communication technologies to provide reference for the planning and design of IoT applications.

catalogs

1. Overview of medium-range communications technology
2. WiFi technology in detail
3. LoRa Technology Explained
4. Technology Comparison and Selection
5. Application Case Studies
6. Future Development Trends

Overview of medium-range communications technology

Definitions and characteristics

Medium-range communication technology is a general term for technologies that enable wireless data transmission between devices over a wide range (typically 100 meters to several kilometers). In the field of IoT, such technologies have the following common characteristics:

1. Area coverage: Communication range typically ranges from 100 meters to several kilometers
2. Flexible NetworkingSupport multiple network topologies to adapt to different application scenarios
3. Reliable transmission: anti-interference and error correction capabilities to ensure communication quality
4. Moderate cost: Good price/performance ratio compared to short- and long-range communications

Application Scene Classification

Key technical indicators

The following key metrics need to be looked at when selecting a medium-range communication technology:

Milestones

1. Early stage (1990s)
   • Traditional WiFi technology is born
   • Industrial wireless communications take off
   • Private network communications system applications
2. Rapid development period (2000-2010)
   • WiFi standards continue to evolve
   • Industrial Ethernet maturity
   • The Rise of Wireless Mesh Technology
   • Low-power WAN concept proposed
3. Innovation breakthrough period (2010-present)
   • WiFi 6 technology commercialization
   • LoRa technology is widely used
   • Multi-technology convergence development
   • Intelligent level enhancement

WiFi technology in detail

technological evolution

protocol stack architecture

1. Physical layer (PHY)
   • Supports multiple modulation methods
   • Dynamic Rate Adaptation
   • Channel management and allocation
2. MAC layer
   • MAC
   • Frame format definition
   • QoS Quality of Service Assurance
3. network layer
   • IP protocol support
   • routing function
   • network management
4. application layer (computing)
   • User data transfer
   • Service Quality Assurance
   • API

WiFi 6 Technology in Detail

WiFi 6 (802.11ax) is the latest generation of WiFi technology standards:

# WiFi 6 Network Performance Monitoring Sample Code
class WiFi6Monitor.
    def __init__(self).
        self.network = WiFiNetwork()
        self.devices = []

    def monitor_performance(self): for device in self.devices: []
        for device in self.devices.
            stats = {
                
                'latency': device.get_latency(), 'efficiency': device.get_spatial_reuse_electronic
                'efficiency': device.get_spatial_reuse_efficiency()
            }
            self.analyze_performance(stats)

    def analyze_performance(self, stats).
        if stats['efficiency']  MAX_LATENCY: self.optimize_spatial_reuse()
            self.adjust_ofdma_scheduling()

Networking

1. infrastructure model
   • AP and Client Architecture
   • centralized management control
   • Suitable for large-scale deployment
2. Mesh Networks
   • Multi-AP Collaborative Coverage
   • Automatic Routing
   • Seamless roaming support
3. direct connection mode
   • device point-to-point communication
   • No additional infrastructure required
   • Ideal for ad hoc networking

security mechanism

1. Access Authentication
   • WPA3 encryption standard
   • 802.1X authentication
   • Dynamic Key Management
2. data protection
   • end-to-end encryption
   • integrity check
   • anti-replay attack
3. network isolation
   • VLAN Segmentation
   • access control
   • flow isolation

typical application

1. intelligent park
   • network coverage
   • abortion analysis
   • asset location
2. Industrial Internet of Things (IoT)
   • Equipment Monitoring
   • data acquisition
   • Remote Operation and Maintenance
3. intelligent building
   • environmental control
   • energy management
   • safety monitoring

Practice Case: A large industrial park uses WiFi 6 technology to build a park network when implementing digital transformation. Through rational planning of AP layout and frequency usage, stable access to more than 1,000 IoT devices was realized. In one year of system operation, the network performance has been improved by 40%, and the access capacity of devices has been increased by 3 times, which effectively supports the intelligent upgrading demand of the park.

LoRa Technology Explained

protocol standard

1. physical layer
   • spread spectrum modulation technique
   • Multi-Channel Support
   • Adaptive data rate
2. MAC layer
   • LoRaWAN protocol
   • two-way communication
   • Graded quality of service
3. network layer
   • star topology
   • gateway forwarding
   • Server Management

network infrastructure

1. end node
   • Sensor equipment
   • actuators
   • data collector
2. Gateway equipment
   • signal relay
   • protocol conversion
   • data convergence
3. web server
   • equipment management
   • data processing
   • application matching

Key technologies

Core technical characteristics of LoRa:

# LoRa Node Configuration Sample Code
class LoRaNode.
    def __init__(self).
        self.spreading_factor = 7 # SF7-SF12
        self.bandwidth = 125000 # 125kHz
        self.coding_rate = 5 # 4/5

    def optimize_parameters(self, distance, environment).
        # optimize_parameters(self, distance, environment).
        if distance > 5000: # 5km
            self.spreading_factor = 10
        if environment == 'urban': self.bandwidth = 250000
            self.bandwidth = 250000

    def calculate_airtime(self):
        # calculate airtime
        payload_size = 10 # bytes
        return self._calculate_time_on_air(
            self.spreading_factor,
            self.spreading_factor, self.bandwidth, self.coding_rate, self.
            self.spreading_factor, self.bandwidth, self.coding_rate, self.payload_size
            payload_size
        )

application scenario

1. intelligent agriculture
   • Farmland monitoring
   • Irrigation control
   • weather station
2. smart city
   • Street light control
   • Waste management
   • Parking monitoring
3. industrial monitoring
   • Equipment monitoring
   • energy management
   • environmental monitoring

Practice Case: A smart agriculture project used LoRa technology to build an IoT system covering 5,000 acres of farmland. By optimizing the gateway layout and parameter configuration, effective connection of soil sensors, weather stations and other devices scattered in various places was achieved. After the system was deployed, the battery life of the equipment reached 3 years, and the success rate of data transmission exceeded 99.9%, which significantly improved the informatization level of agricultural production.

Technology Comparison and Selection

Comparison of performance indicators

Application Scenario Matching

Selection Decision Process

1. demand analysis
   • Coverage requirements
   • Bandwidth needs assessment
   • Power Consumption Limit
   • cost estimate
2. Environmental assessment
   • Deployment Scenario Analysis
   • Investigation of sources of interference
   • Topographic considerations
3. Technical Screening

def select_technology(requirements):
    score = {
        'wifi6': 0,
        'lora': 0
    }

    # Evaluate coverage requirements
    if requirements['coverage'] > 1000: # 1km
        score['lora'] += 5
    else.
        score['wifi6'] += 5

    # Evaluate bandwidth requirements
    if requirements['bandwidth'] > 100: # 100Mbps
        score['wifi6'] += 5
    else.
        score['lora'] += 3

    # Evaluate power requirements
    if requirements['power'] == 'ultra_low'.
        score['lora'] += 5
    else.
        score['wifi6'] += 3

    return max(score, key=score.get)

Frequently Asked Questions and Solutions

Application Case Studies

Smart Park: Hybrid Network Solutions

Project Background

A technology park needs to build an IoT system covering 2 square kilometers to support various application scenarios such as office, production and logistics.

technical program

system architecture

class SmartParkSystem.
    def __init__(self).
        self.wifi_network = WiFi6Network()
        self.lora_network = LoRaNetwork()
        self.data_center = DataCenter()

    def monitor_device_status(self).
        # device status monitor
        wifi_devices = self.wifi_network.get_connected_devices()
        lora_devices = self.lora_network.get_sensor_data()

        self.data_center.process_data({
            'wifi_devices': wifi_devices,
            'lora_devices': lora_devices
        })

    def optimize_network(self).
        # network optimization
        wifi_stats = self.wifi_network.get_performance_stats()
        lora_stats = self.lora_network.get_network_stats()

        if wifi_stats['congestion'] > THRESHOLD.
            self.wifi_network.optimize_channels()
        if lora_stats['packet_loss'] > THRESHOLD: self.wifi_network.optimize_channels()
            self.lora_network.adjust_spreading_factors()

Project results

• Network coverage of 99.9%
• More than 10,000 device accesses
• Data transfer success rate 99.9%
• O&M Cost Reduction 40%

Smart agriculture: large-scale Internet of Things monitoring system

Project Background

A modern agricultural demonstration area needs to intelligently transform 5,000 acres of farmland to achieve precise monitoring and regulation of the growing environment of crops.

technical program

Data Acquisition Architecture

class SmartFarmSystem.
    def __init__(self).
        self.soil_sensors = LoRaSensorNetwork()
        self.weather_stations = LoRaSensorNetwork()
        self.control_systems = WiFiControlNetwork()

    def monitor_environment(self):
        # environment monitoring
        soil_data = self.soil_sensors.collect_data()
        weather_data = self.weather_stations.collect_data()

        if self._need_irrigation(soil_data, weather_data):: self.control_systems.
            self.control_systems.start_irrigation()

    def _need_irrigation(self, soil_data, weather_data):
        # Irrigation Decision Algorithm
        return (soil_data['moisture'] < THRESHOLD and
                weather_data['rainfall_forecast'] < MINIMUM)

Project results

• Crop Yield Enhancement 20%
• Water Use Efficiency Improvement 35%
• Labor Cost Reduction 50%
• Payback period reduced to 2 years

Future Development Trends

Technology integration and innovation

New Application Scenarios

1. Smart City 2.0
   • urban digital twin
   • intelligent traffic management (ITM)
   • Environmental Intelligence Monitoring
2. industrial internet

# Industrial Internet Network Architecture Example
class IndustrialIoTNetwork.
    def __init__(self).
        self.field_network = {
            'wifi6': WiFi6Network(),
            'lora': LoRaNetwork()
        }
        self.edge_computing = EdgeComputingPlatform()

    def optimize_production(self).
        # production optimization
        field_data = self.collect_field_data()
        analysis = self.edge_computing.analyze_data(field_data)

        if analysis['efficiency'] < TARGET.
            self.adjust_production_parameters()

3. intelligent medical care
   • Medical Device Interconnect
   • patient monitoring system
   • Telemedicine services

Direction of technology evolution

1. Standardized development
   • Harmonization of interface standards
   • Interoperability Enhancement
   • Well-established ecosystems
2. performance enhancement
   • Transmission Rate Increase
   • Expanded coverage
   • Increased reliability
3. security enhancement
   • New encryption algorithms
   • Identity enhancement
   • Threat perception capability

As an important part of the Internet of Things, mid-range communication technology will continue to develop in the direction of smarter, more efficient and safer. Through technological convergence and innovation and in-depth application of scenarios, it will provide stronger network support for smart cities, industrial Internet and other fields. In this process, standardization, security and sustainability will be key considerations. Enterprises need to focus on the long term when selecting technologies and designing programs, and reserve space for future development while meeting current needs.