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How is IoT used in wireless communication?

Introduction

The Internet of Things (IoT) relies heavily on wireless communication

technologies to interconnect smart devices and objects. Wireless provides

the flexible, low-cost connectivity fabric that enables the wide range of IoT

applications transforming homes, cities, industries, transportation and

more. This article explores how various wireless technologies are utilized

in IoT systems and the considerations around selecting the best approach.

IoT Wireless Communication Requirements

IoT solutions have diverse connectivity requirements that span long range,

high bandwidth, mesh networking, low power, and mobility:

 Range – Connectivity of sensors across a home, factory floor, city

grid, agricultural field, etc.

 Bandwidth – Video security cameras require high throughput

wireless links.

 Mesh Networking – Extending reach by device-to-device

multi-hop routing.

 Low Power – Enabling battery-powered operation for years before

maintenance.

 Mobility – Tracking goods in transit or medical assets in a hospital.

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 Scale – Potentially thousands of nodes even in a local IoT network.

 Cost – Inexpensive wireless hardware to enable mass deployments.

 Standards – Interoperability across devices from many vendors.

No single wireless technology optimally meets all of these needs. IoT

systems utilize multiple wireless protocols combined in a complementary

way.

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Wireless Communication Protocols for IoT

Micro

soft IoT PCB

Several wireless technologies are commonly used for IoT connectivity:

Cellular

 2G/3G/4G/5G – Provides wide area connectivity using

existing cellular infrastructure. IoT-optimized LTE variants called

LTE-M and NB-IoT exist.

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 Benefits – Ubiquitous coverage, mobility, security, bandwidth

 Limitations – Cost, power consumption

WiFi

 802.11 – Ubiquitous wireless local area networking technology. IoT

uses low power WiFi variants like 802.11ah.

 Benefits – Commonly available, supports IP networking, high

bandwidth

 Limitations – Power hungry, limited range

Bluetooth

 Bluetooth LE – Low energy version of Bluetooth ideal for periodic

IoT sensor data.

 Benefits – Ubiquitous, very low power, low cost, standards-based

 Limitations – Short range under 100m. Low bandwidth.

LoRaWAN

 LoRaWAN – Long range, low power wireless protocol

using LoRa modulation on sub-GHz bands.

 Benefits – Long range (kms), low power, secure, operates below 1

GHz

 Limitations – Lower bandwidth, higher module cost

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Proprietary RF

 Proprietary – Custom wireless protocols using freely available ISM

bands like 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz.

 Benefits – Optimized for specific application needs around range,

power, cost.

 Limitations – Vertical integration required. No interoperability.

LPWAN

 Sigfox, Ingenu – Ultra narrowband, long range technologies for

basic IoT data.

 Benefits – Long range, low power, low cost connectivity

 Limitations – Very low bandwidth. Limited data.

This variety of wireless options provides flexibility to match the right

connectivity to application requirements.

Key Considerations for Wireless IoT

Key factors to evaluate when selecting wireless technologies for an IoT

solution include:

Power Consumption

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Battery powered devices may need to operate for years before

maintenance. Low power wireless like Bluetooth LE, LoRaWAN, and

LPWAN reduce power use.

Range Requirements

Sensors spread across large physical spaces require long range wireless

connectivity, even km-scale for rural settings. Cellular, LoRaWAN provide

this.

Bandwidth Needs

Video security cameras require WiFi or 4G LTE class bandwidth versus

simple temp sensors that just need low bandwidth LoRaWAN uplinks.

Cost Sensitivities

Bluetooth LE provides the most cost efficient wireless modules. LPWAN

networks have low subscription costs for massive sensor deployments.

Mobility

Tracking assets in motion requires cellular or WiFi. Fixed assets can use

LoRaWAN, Bluetooth LE, or other lower power approaches.

Security Concerns

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Public networks require proven secure connectivity like LTE/5G. Private

networks on proprietary RF or LoRaWAN also enable encryption.

Interoperability Needs

WiFi, Bluetooth LE, and LoRaWAN are standardized for interoperability.

Proprietary RF limits to single vendor deployments.

Combining technologies is common to meet varied connectivity needs. For

example, sensors could use Bluetooth LE to a gateway, then LoRaWAN

backhaul to the cloud.

Wireless Technologies for Common IoT Applications

Different vertical IoT applications impose unique wireless requirements:

Smart Home – Primarily uses WiFi with supplemental Bluetooth LE, ZigBee,

or proprietary mesh networks to link low-bandwidth sensors and smart

home devices.

Industrial IoT – Requires multi-km range on private networks with

combinations of proprietary wireless, LoRaWAN, and cellular for backhaul.

Reliability and security are critical.

Smart Cities – Take advantage of existing infrastructure using 4G/5G

networks for connectivity of city assets. LoRaWAN also sees adoption in

city-scale deployments.
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Agriculture IoT – Connectivity of rural agricultural assets is enabled by

LoRaWAN, Sigfox, and proprietary wireless which provide range of up to

10 km or beyond.

Connected Vehicles – Leverage 4G LTE, emerging 5G networks, and

on-board WiFi hotspots for vehicles. DSRC provides short range

vehicle-to-vehicle links. Bluetooth LE connects in-cabin.

Retail and Inventory – Stores use a combination of WiFi, Bluetooth

beacons, RFID, and LPWAN to link devices managing inventory, logistics,

and merchandise flow.

Healthcare IoT – Hospitals employ WiFi supplemented by proprietary RF

for reliable indoor asset tracking of medical equipment, and Zigbee

devices for long battery life.

The diversity of vertical applications demonstrates why IoT takes

advantage of nearly the full spectrum of wireless technologies today.

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Wireless Communication Protocols for IoT – Comparison

IoT devices raspberry pi

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Protocol Frequency Range Bandwidth Power Security

2G 850MHz, <br> 1900MHz Wide area UP to 0.3 Mbps High Strong

3G 850MHz, <br> 1900MHz Wide area Up to 14 Mbps High Strong

4G LTE Sub 1 GHz, <br> 2.4GHz Wide area Up to 300 Mbps High Strong

5G NR Sub 6 GHz, <br> mmWave Wide area Multi-Gbps Medium Strong

WiFi 2.4 GHz, <br> 5 GHz Up to 100m Up to 1 Gbps High WPA2 Encryption

Bluetooth LE 2.4 GHz Up to 50m Up to 2 Mbps Very Low 128-bit AES

LoRaWAN Sub 1 GHz 2 – 15 km 0.3 – 50 kbps Very Low AES 128 Encryption

Sigfox Sub 1 GHz 3 – 50 km 100 bps Very Low Proprietary

Proprietary ISM RF 315/433/868/915MHz, <br> 2.4GHz Up to 2 km Up to 1 Mbps Low Custom Security

Optimizing Wireless Coexistence

With various wireless technologies potentially deployed in proximity, steps

must be taken to minimize interference between protocols sharing

frequency bands:

 Proper RF site survey and planning of wireless coverage areas

 Frequency channelization optimization and allocation

 Transmit power level adjustments to minimize overlap

 Scheduling of transmission activity windows

 Prioritizing co-located traffic based on quality of service needs

 Adding physical isolation between nearby wireless infrastructure

 Leveraging directional antennas and spatial separation

Testing and adjustments after deployment can optimize coexistence and

performance.

The Role of LP-WAN for IoT Wireless Connectivity

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LP-WAN (Low Power Wide Area Network) technologies like LoRaWAN and

Sigfox provide a uniquely optimized combination of long-range wireless

connectivity and low power operation:

 Enable battery lifetimes up to 10 years from a single AA battery

 Provide wireless coverage across entire cities, agricultural areas, and

industrial sites

 Operate in license-free sub-1GHz frequency bands

 Leverage a star network topology with distributed gateways

 Offer strong security and interference resistance

 Support millions of end node devices

 Enable low cost connectivity at approximately $5 per node

 Sustain excellent range even in urban areas and indoor locations

 Provide sufficient thoughput for typical IoT sensor data

 Maintain robustness at very low transmit power levels

LP-WAN fills a technology gap between short range protocols like

Bluetooth LE and wide area cellular networks. This drives adoption for

water metering, asset tracking, agricultural monitoring, and smart city

applications.

Future Outlook for Wireless IoT Connectivity

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The landscape of wireless technologies for IoT continues to rapidly evolve:

 5G will provide higher performance cellular connectivity especially

benefiting high bandwidth video and mobile IoT uses

 WiFi 6 increases speed, density, and efficiency of wireless local

networking for IoT

 Bluetooth 5 improves range, broadcasting, and mesh capabilities of

Bluetooth LE

 Thread and Zigbee will gain adoption in smart home and building

automation

 NB-IoT and LTE-M extend cellular capabilities for low power wide

area IoT

 Carrier aggregation across multiple wireless protocols to enhance

reliability and throughput

 Edge computing will distribute intelligence into the IoT network

lowering wireless data needs

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 New spectrum like CBRS and 6 GHz bands will expand available

wireless capacity

Conclusion

IoT is driving adoption of a diverse palette of wireless technologies to

serve the connectivity needs of smart objects. Factors around power,

range, bandwidth, mobility, scale, and cost dictate the optimal wireless

approach for specific applications. Ongoing enhancement of wireless

protocols and spectrum availability will support the growth of IoT

innovations transforming our infrastructure, industries, homes and cities.

Comprising the communication fabric tying everything together will be

standards-based, IP-connected wireless networks enabling the promise of

the Internet of Things.

IoT Wireless Communication – Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between LPWAN and WAN?

LPWAN refers to Low Power Wide Area Network technologies designed

specifically for wireless IoT sensors. This includes LoRaWAN and Sigfox.

WAN more broadly means any wide area network including cellular

networks.

Which wireless technology has the longest range for IoT?

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Sigfox and LoRaWAN can provide wireless connectivity exceeding 50km in

rural areas. Proprietary sub-GHz networks can also attain multi-km ranges

suitable for wide area IoT.

Do IoT devices support WiFi?

Some do – WiFi provides high bandwidth wireless connectivity suitable for

IoT video cameras, gateways, and devices requiring faster data rates. Low

power WiFi variants help address high power consumption.

What is 5G NR?

5G NR stands for Fifth Generation New Radio. It defines the global

standard for upgraded 5G cellular networks with benefits like multi-Gbps

speeds, ultra low latency, and improved support for massive IoT

device density.

Which wireless protocol offers the lowest power consumption?

Bluetooth LE currently enables the lowest power wireless communication,

allowing IoT sensors to run for years on small batteries. However, new

LPWAN technologies like NB-IoT are competitive on power usage.

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