Inter-Protocol Interference Impact of LoRaWAN on IEEE 802.11ah in a Simulation Environment

Area of Science:

• Wireless communication networks
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Radio frequency spectrum management

Background:

• Sub-GHz unlicensed bands are crucial for IoT, but spectral coexistence of technologies like LoRaWAN and IEEE 802.11ah poses challenges.
• Dense IoT deployments exacerbate interference issues, impacting network reliability and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the performance impact of LoRaWAN interference on IEEE 802.11ah within a unified simulation environment.
• To quantify the effects of varying node densities and LoRa load on key performance metrics.
• To establish an SINR threshold for packet loss under interference conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an NS-3 simulation environment to model and analyze the coexistence of LoRaWAN and IEEE 802.11ah.
• Integrated both technologies within a unified framework, configuring PHY/MAC parameters and frequency bands (US902-928 MHz ISM band).
• Evaluated performance metrics including throughput, packet loss percentage (PPP), and SINR under diverse network densities and payload sizes.

Main Results:

• IEEE 802.11ah throughput decreased by up to 31% as LoRa node density increased from 10 to 8000.
• Packet loss percentage (PPP) for IEEE 802.11ah increased by up to 79% under high LoRa interference.
• An SINR threshold was identified as a critical factor determining packet loss due to interference.

Conclusions:

• LoRaWAN interference significantly degrades IEEE 802.11ah performance in dense IoT networks.
• The study provides a reproducible methodology for assessing inter-protocol coexistence in unlicensed sub-GHz bands.
• Quantitative evidence supports the design and analysis of multi-protocol IoT networks operating in shared spectrum environments.