FresSim: A Coverage Simulator for LoRaWAN Based on Fresnel Zone

This article introduces the LoRaWAN Fresnel Zone Simulator (FresSim), a tool designed to evaluate the feasibility of LoRaWAN deployments by analyzing the Fresnel Zone and terrain topography, allowing for the early prediction of coverage between nodes and the gateway. Furthermore, unlike other tools, FresSim can integrate real data from platforms such as The Things Network (TTN) and ChirpStack, providing an accurate assessment of potential coverage and signal quality in real deployments. Comparisons between FresSim and LoRaSim, a widely used signal propagation simulator, reveal that FresSim offers superior accuracy in scenarios with complex topography, achieving a 100% success rate in predicting coverage, doubling the 50% accuracy rate of LoRaSim. These results demonstrate that FresSim is a valuable tool for optimizing LoRaWAN networks in open environments, significantly contributing to the improvement of LoRaWAN deployment planning.