IoT sensors that measure temperature in cold rooms, moisture in fields or levels in tanks need a way to send their readings. Wi-Fi doesn't reach far, and a mobile connection costs money for every device. The Helium network offers a different answer: a LoRaWAN network built by its own users, with small devices called Hotspots or, in earlier days, Helium Miners.
What the Helium network is
Helium is a decentralised wireless network for IoT devices. It isn't owned by a single telecoms company. It is made up of thousands of Hotspots in homes, offices and rooftops around the world, which together provide LoRaWAN coverage in cities and across much of the countryside.
LoRaWAN is a protocol for devices that send small amounts of data over long distances with very low power use. A sensor can run for years on the same battery and talk to a Hotspot anywhere from a few hundred metres to several kilometres away, depending on the terrain and obstacles.
What a Helium Hotspot does
A Hotspot is a LoRaWAN gateway with an antenna and an internet connection. It receives data packets from sensors within range and forwards them over the internet to the platform where the sensor's owner sees the readings.
- It carries data from any network user's sensors, not just its owner's.
- It takes part in mechanisms that verify it really provides coverage where it says it is.
- It only needs power and an internet connection, wired or Wi-Fi.
Where cryptocurrency comes in
To grow without a central operator, Helium rewards people who install Hotspots with the network's cryptocurrency. The reward depends on the coverage a Hotspot provides and the data traffic it carries. In this way blockchain and IoT work together: the first provides the incentive, the second the usefulness.
The network's rules have changed several times since it began. In 2023, for example, Helium moved to the Solana blockchain. Rewards and their value fluctuate, so a Hotspot should not be treated as an investment with a guaranteed return. We don't give investment advice.
Why it matters for businesses
For a business, the interesting part isn't the cryptocurrency but the coverage. If there is Helium coverage in your area, your sensors can use it without you setting up your own gateway. If there isn't, a Hotspot at your premises covers your own sensors and strengthens the network for everyone.
- Cold rooms and warehouses: temperature and humidity, with alerts when they drift out of range.
- Agriculture: soil moisture and weather in fields far from Wi-Fi.
- Buildings and cities: energy use, bin levels, air quality.
What to watch for when installing
A Hotspot's performance depends mostly on where its antenna sits. The higher it is and the clearer its view of the horizon, the larger the area it covers.
- Mount the antenna high, on a roof or mast, away from metal surfaces.
- Use good-quality coaxial cable and keep it as short as possible, because every metre loses signal.
- Protect outdoor connectors from moisture and earth the mast.
- Make sure power and the internet connection are stable, ideally wired.
Before buying equipment, check Helium's coverage map for your area. If coverage is already there, you may only need the sensors and a platform for the data.
How we help
At CyberSpace Dynamics we install and maintain Hotspots and LoRaWAN gateways, choose the right sensors and connect the readings to dashboards such as Datacake and Tago.IO. If you are thinking of monitoring something in your business with sensors, talk to us and we'll work out whether the Helium network or a gateway of your own is the better choice.