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

The spectral coexistence of LPWAN technologies, such as IEEE 802.11ah and LoRaWAN, in the sub-GHz band presents significant challenges for the performance of dense IoT networks. This study analyzes the impact of LoRaWAN interference on IEEE 802.11ah using an NS-3-based simulation environment. To this end, both technologies were integrated within a unified simulation framework, enabling the configuration of PHY and MAC parameters, as well as operating frequency bands consistent with real-world deployments in the US902-928 MHz ISM band and aligned with official standards. The evaluation focuses on fundamental performance metrics-throughput, total packet loss percentage (PPP), and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR)-under varying node densities and payload configurations. Across our sweep, moving from the lowest to the highest LoRa load (from 10 to 8000 LoRa nodes within the specified deployment radius), IEEE 802.11ah throughput decreases by up to 31%, and the packet loss percentage (PPP) increases by up to 79%. Furthermore, an SINR threshold was established as the criterion for packet loss under interference. Overall, this work provides a reproducible methodology for assessing inter-protocol coexistence in unlicensed sub-GHz bands, contributing quantitative evidence to the analysis and design of multi-protocol IoT networks in dense environments.