In short
A farm combines several technologies: a point-to-point link or cable joins buildings to the router; outdoor WiFi serves cameras and powered equipment; LoRaWAN connects battery probes spread across the field over several kilometres; and where there is no fixed line, internet comes via 4G or satellite.
Technology comparison
Ranges depend on terrain, vegetation and antenna height; they are always checked with a coverage test.
| Technology | Indicative range | Power use | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network cable or fibre | Up to 100 m on copper; kilometres on fibre | No battery | Nearby buildings, cameras and controllers. |
| Point-to-point link | Hundreds of metres to several kilometres with line of sight | Powered equipment | Taking internet from the house to the shed or greenhouse. |
| Outdoor WiFi | Tens of metres per access point | High for battery devices | Cameras, tablets and powered equipment. |
| Zigbee | Tens of metres, extendable as a mesh | Low | Sensors in a greenhouse close to the house. |
| LoRaWAN | Several kilometres in open country, terrain permitting | Very low: years on a battery | Soil, level and climate probes across the farm. |
| 4G / 5G | Wherever the operator has coverage | Medium | Internet without a fixed line and alarm backup. |
| Satellite | Anywhere with clear sky | High | Farms with no fibre or good mobile coverage. |
A typical architecture
- Internet access at the house or main shed, via 4G or satellite if there is no fibre.
- Point-to-point link to each distant greenhouse or hut.
- A small cabinet with switch, controller and backup power in each building.
- A LoRaWAN gateway for battery probes in the field.
- Secure remote access via VPN, with no ports opened to the outside.