On-boarding and Deploying Your First Devices on the Helium Network - Part 1
LoRaWAN Sensor and Device Basics
In many ways, purchasing and deploying a LoRaWAN sensor or device is similar to purchasing similar devices based on other wireless technologies, like Wi-Fi, BLE, and Zigbee. Most are small, easy to install, and battery-powered. Notably, LoRaWAN sensors usually offer longer battery life and much longer wireless transmission range than devices using other wireless standards. Also, LoRaWAN devices can join local private networks and/or communicate on wide area public LoRaWAN networks like Helium. This allows LoRaWAN devices to be deployed in a much wider range of IoT use cases than Wi-Fi, BLE, or Zigbee sensors.
Be sure to check the sensor manufacturer's datasheet to determine the exact capabilities of a specific device. Each LoRaWAN sensor uses specific frequencies that align to its region of deployment. For example, in North America, the US915 LoRaWAN frequency plan is used; for Europe it is the EU868 frequency plan. The regional frequency plans for the Helium Network can be found at https://docs.helium.com/lorawan-on-helium/frequency-plans/.
When purchasing a LoRaWAN sensor or device, make sure the device supports the frequency plan of its intended region of deployment.
Example of Dragino Door Sensor Box and US915 frequency band