Bluetooth, LoRa or cellular: how to connect your sensors
IoT means "Internet of Things": objects that measure something and send the data to a platform. The practical question is how that data travels. These are the most common options.
Cable
It is the most stable and uses none of the sensor's battery. It works well when the sensor is near the device, for example inside the same vehicle.
Bluetooth
Short range (a few meters) and very low power use. Ideal for sensors inside a vehicle or a box: temperature, humidity, doors, tire pressure. It avoids wiring and makes installation easier.
LoRa
Long range (from hundreds of meters to several kilometers, depending on the environment) and very low power use, but it sends little data. It is used in yards, farms, plants and warehouses, with a central antenna that collects the signal from many sensors.
Cellular network
Wide coverage, perfect for assets that move along roads. It has a connection cost (the SIM) and uses more power, so it is used for the main device, which gathers the data and sends it.
Wi-Fi
Useful inside facilities with their own network. It does not work for assets moving along the street.
How to choose
- Is the sensor in the same vehicle as the device? → cable or Bluetooth.
- Many sensors spread over a large site? → LoRa.
- Does the asset travel on roads? → cellular network in the main device.
- Does everything happen inside a building? → Wi-Fi.
In practice they are combined: Bluetooth sensors that talk to a device that uses the cellular network. If you do not know which suits you, tell us your case and we will solve it.
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