This chapter covered a necessary portion of IoT communication. Using IP-based standard communication greatly simplifies design and allows for rapid and easy scaling. Scaling is critical for IoT deployments that reach into thousands or millions of nodes. Using an IP-based transport allows for common tools to simply just work. 6LoWPAN and Thread demonstrate standards that can be applied to traditionally non-IP protocols such as 802.15.4. Both protocols allow for IPv6 addressing and mesh networking to massive IoT networks. 802.11 is a significant and extremely successful protocol that forms the basis of the WLAN, but can also reach into IoT devices and sensors using 802.11ah or transportation systems using 802.11p. The following table contrasts a non-IP traditional protocol to an IP protocol. Typically, the difference will be in power, speed, and range.

The architect needs to balance these parameters to deploy the correct solution:

The next chapter will go into the very far range protocols or the wide area network. This will include traditional cellular (4G LTE) and IoT cellular models such as Cat1. The chapter will also discuss LPWAN protocols such as Sigfox and LoRa. The WAN is the next necessary component for getting data onto the internet.