Evaluación de redes MESH en comunicaciones LoRa: Conexión y desempeño en escenarios con obstáculos

Abstract

The lack of telecommunications infrastructure in rural and hard-to-reach areas poses a significant challenge for monitoring and controlling resources in productive sectors (aquaculture, agriculture, among others). This project aims to propose an alternative solution by developing a LoRa Mesh network prototype, based on the premise that this technology allows for extended coverage and more stable communication in scenarios with vegetation, buildings, and no line of sight. A prototype based on microcontrollers programmed with Meshtastic open-source software was used to develop the project. Tests were implemented in a controlled environment with vegetation and obstructions, in suburban and open environments, comparing the performance of a conventional LoRa network with a LoRa Mesh network. Additionally, an empirical model based on RSSI measurements taken on the ESPOL campus is proposed, together with a statistical analysis to establish the model's gradient and contrast it with propagation models such as Cost-231 Hata and Free Space Loss (FSL). The results showed that the LoRa Mesh network doubled the communication distance compared to the conventional LoRa network, improving stability and coverage. Likewise, an empirical propagation model with CONDITION FOR PUBLICATION OF PROJECT. gradients was obtained that better fits the actual data compared to the empirical models used as a reference. It is concluded that the implementation of LoRa Mesh is an efficient and adaptable alternative for monitoring and control in rural areas with connectivity limitations. Keywords: Mesh, LoRa, Gateway (GW), prototype, nodes, multi-hops, Meshtastic, multiple gradients.