2.4GHz WiFi
- Pros - Building wide coverage. Lots of bandwidth.
- Cons - Mains power needed for most off-the-shelf low cost boards. Low power would need a custom build in all probability. Security is a concern unless upgrades to WiFi includes a segregated network for IoT devices.
433MHz RTL-SDR Compatible
- Pros - Many low cost temperature sensing remote units available. Operates for a very long time with AA batteries. Easy to integrate (e.g., OpenMQTTGateway).
- Cons - Tests confirm that path loss is a big issue. Would need multiple receivers and they almost certainly need mains power.
Zigbee
- Pros - Many low cost temperature sensing remote units available. Operates for a very long time with AA batteries. Easy to integrate (e.g., Home Assistant). Mesh network can cover a lot of area with repeaters/routers.
- Cons - Repeaters/routers need mains power. Potential interference from WiFi 2.4GHz radios disrupting transmissions.
LoRa
- Pros - Low power. Easy to integrate (e.g., OpenMQTTGateway). Very long range.
- Cons - Limited Off-the-shelf hardware satisfying the low power requirement.
All things being equal, Zigbee would be the best fit with the exception of the repeaters needing mains power. As a result, we are proceeding with LoRa as the wireless radio technology.
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