Welcome to LoRa Workshop

At LoRa Workshop, we show you how to build your own sensor networks, transmit data across long distances, and get insights from that data on your live dashboard. LoRa (short for Long Range Radio) is a low-power wireless technology that lets sensors send data over long distances without Wi-Fi or the need for a mobile signal. Click here to find out why.

Click on the picture to see live data from board 6

Our Hands on Tutorials

Whether you're monitoring your garden, tracking indoor air quality, or just curious about the Internet of Things, our tutorials are designed for people who want to learn by doing. We keep it practical, hands-on, and jargon-free. Learn how to set up LoRa devices, integrate with cloud platforms, and visualise your data in real time. No jargon, just practical knowledge you can build on.

LoRa provides the ideal solution for real time off-grid environmental monitoring and other Internet of Things projects. And, perhaps best of all, the components are inexpensive, and LoRa is free!

This image shows a temperature sensor connected to an Arduino MKR WAN 1310, which is currently active. Click on the image or use this link to view live temperature and battery state-of-charge data on the Datacake dashboard.

Start experimenting. Start connecting. Start visualising.

What is Arduino? What is LoRaWAN

What are the benefits of using Arduino and LoRaWAN?

This powerful combination means that your applications have:

No need for mains power
No need for Wi-Fi
No need for 4G or 5G

Build your own monitoring applications for free*

Free connection to the LoRaWAN network
Free data visualisation on your laptop or phone

* Fair usage policy applies (a fee is payable for commercial use)

Application include:

Temperature monitoring
Soil and water pH
Soil and water nutrient levels
Solar irradiance
Soil moisture content
Air quality
Precipitation

What is Arduino?

Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. It consists of a family of microcontroller boards. The board that is of interest to us is the Arduino MKR WAN 1310 or 1300. This board offers several benefits, making it a popular choice for various projects:

Why are we using the Arduino MKR WAN?

LoRa® Connectivity: The board provides LoRa® connectivity, which allows for long-range, low-power communication. This is ideal for applications in remote areas or where power consumption needs to be minimized.
Cost-Effective: The MKR WAN board is relatively inexpensive, making it accessible for hobbyists and professionals alike.
Low Power Consumption: Designed for minimal energy use, it's perfect for battery-powered projects.
Ease of Use: It integrates seamlessly with the Arduino environment, making it easy to program and use, even for those with minimal experience in networking.
Security: It includes the ECC508 crypto-chip for secure data transmission.
Versatility: The board can connect to various networks, including the Arduino Cloud, your own LoRa® network, or existing LoRaWAN® infrastructure like The Things Network and Datacake.

What is LoRaWAN?

LoRaWAN stands for Long Range Wide Area Network. It consists of a security layer developed by the LoRa® Alliance, which is built on top of the LoRa® radio modulation technique. This allows for the free use of certain radio frequencies. These frequencies vary from region to region. In Europe, the allowed frequencies are 863–870 MHz. LoRaWAN wirelessly connects devices to the internet and manages communication between end-node devices (sensors) and network gateways (radio receiver/transmitters).

Because LoRaWAN is both long-range, and has a low power requirement (sensors can run for months or years on a battery), it is the best solution for Internet of Things projects which need to operate in regions without power and without Cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity. For example, this would probably be the only option for environmental monitoring in unpopulated areas.

More about LoRaWAN