LECTURE NOTES

Internet Of Things (IOT)

D5512 – Abba Suganda Girsang

Session 08
Wireless Network Technologies

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1. WPAN: Wireless Personal Area Network

A personal area network (PAN) is a computer network for interconnecting electronic

devices centered on an individual person's workspace. A PAN provides data
transmission among devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets and personal digital
assistants. PANs can be used for communication among the personal devices themselves, or
for connecting to a higher level network and the Internet where one master device takes up the
role as gateway. A PAN may be wireless or carried over wired interfaces such as USB.

A wireless personal area network (WPAN) is a PAN carried over a low-powered, short-
distance wireless network technology such as IrDA, Wireless USB, Bluetooth or ZigBee. The
reach of a WPAN varies from a few centimeters to a few meters.

Wired personal area networks provide short connections between peripherals. Example
technologies include:

 USB

 IEEE-1394

 Thunderbolt (interface)

A wireless personal area network (WPAN) is a personal area network in which the connections
are wireless. IEEE 802.15 has produced standards for several types of PANs operating in the ISM
band including Bluetooth. The Infrared Data Association (IrDA) has produced standards for
WPANs that operate using infrared communications.

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Bluetooth. Bluetooth uses short-range radio waves. Uses in a WPAN include, for example,
Bluetooth devices such as keyboards, pointing devices, audio headsets, printers may connect
to smartwatches, cell phones, or computers. A Bluetooth WPAN is also called a piconet, and is
composed of up to 8 active devices in a master-slave relationship (a very large number of additional
devices can be connected in "parked" mode). The first Bluetooth device in the piconet is the master,
and all other devices are slaves that communicate with the master. A piconet typically has a range
of 10 metres (33 ft), although ranges of up to 100 metres (330 ft) can be reached under ideal
circumstances. Long-range Bluetooth routers with augmented antenna arrays connect Bluetooth
devices up to 1,000 feet.[2]

With Bluetooth mesh networking the range and number of devices is extended by using mesh
networking techniques to relay information from one to another. Such a network doesn't have a
master device and may or may not be treated as a WPAN.

IrDA. IrDA uses infrared light, which has a frequency below the human eye's sensitivity. Infrared
is used in other wireless communications applications, for instance, in remote controls. Typical
WPAN devices that use IrDA include printers, keyboards, and other serial
communication interfaces.

IEEE 802.15 is a working group of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics

Engineers (IEEE) IEEE 802 standards committee which specifies wireless personal area
network (WPAN) standards. There are 10 major areas of development, not all of which are active.

The number of Task Groups in IEEE 802.15 varies based on the number of active projects. The
current list of active projects can be found on the IEEE 802.15 web site

 1IEEE 802.15.1: WPAN / Bluetooth

 2IEEE 802.15.2: Coexistence

 3IEEE 802.15.3: High Rate WPAN

o 3.1IEEE 802.15.3-2003

o 3.2IEEE 802.15.3a

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 o 3.3IEEE 802.15.3b-2006

o 3.4IEEE 802.15.3c-2009

 4IEEE 802.15.4: Low Rate WPAN

o 4.1WPAN Low Rate Alternative PHY (4a)

o 4.2Revision and Enhancement (4b)

o 4.3PHY Amendment for China (4c)

o 4.4PHY and MAC Amendment for Japan (4d)

o 4.5MAC Amendment for Industrial Applications (4e)

o 4.6PHY and MAC Amendment for Active RFID (4f)

o 4.7PHY Amendment for Smart Utility Networks (4g)

 5IEEE 802.15.5: Mesh Networking

 6IEEE 802.15.6: Body Area Networks

 7IEEE 802.15.7: Visible Light Communication

 8IEEE P802.15.8: Peer Aware Communications

 9IEEE P802.15.9: Key Management Protocol

 10IEEE P802.15.10: Layer 2 Routing

IEEE 802.15.1: WPAN / Bluetooth : This is based on Bluetooth technology. It defines

physical layer (PHY) and Media Access Control (MAC) specification for wireless
connectivity with fixed, portable and moving devices within or entering personal operating
space. Standards were issued in 2002 and 2005.

2. IEEE 802.15.4

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 IEEE 802.15.4 is a technical standard which defines the operation of low-rate wireless
personal area networks (LR-WPANs). It specifies the physical layer and media access
control for LR-WPANs, and is maintained by the IEEE 802.15 working group, which defined
the standard in 2003. It is the basis for
the Zigbee, ISA100.11a, WirelessHART, MiWi, 6LoWPAN, Thread and SNAP specification
s, each of which further extends the standard by developing the upper layers which are not
defined in IEEE 802.15.4. In particular, 6LoWPAN defines a binding for the IPv6 version of
the Internet Protocol (IP) over WPANs, and is itself used by upper layers like Thread

IEEE standard 802.15.4 intends to offer the fundamental lower network layers of a type of wireless
personal area network (WPAN) which focuses on low-cost, low-speed ubiquitous communication
between devices. It can be contrasted with other approaches, such as Wi-Fi, which offer more
bandwidth and require more power. The emphasis is on very low cost communication of nearby
devices with little to no underlying infrastructure, intending to exploit this to lower power
consumption even more.IEEE 802.15. 4 is a low-data rate wireless personal area network and is
the PHY and MAC layer used by many IoT protocols, such as ZigBee, and WirelessHART.

The basic framework conceives a 10-meter communications range with a transfer rate of 250
kbit/s. Tradeoffs are possible to favor more radically embedded devices with even lower power
requirements, through the definition of not one, but several physical layers. Lower transfer rates
of 20 and 40 kbit/s were initially defined, with the 100 kbit/s rate being added in the current
revision.

Even lower rates can be considered with the resulting effect on power consumption. As already
mentioned, the main identifying feature of IEEE 802.15.4 among WPANs is the importance of
achieving extremely low manufacturing and operation costs and technological simplicity, without
sacrificing flexibility or generality.

Important features include real-time suitability by reservation of Guaranteed Time Slots (GTS),
collision avoidance through CSMA/CA and integrated support for secure communications.
Devices also include power management functions such as link quality and energy detection. The
standard does have provisions for supporting time and rate sensitive applications because of its

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ability to operate in pure CSMA/CA or TDMA access modes. The TDMA mode of operation is
supported via the GTS feature of the standard.[4]

IEEE 802.15.4-conformant devices may use one of three possible frequency bands for operation
(868/915/2450 MHz).

Protocol Architecture.

Figure 8.1 IEEE 802.15.4 protocol stack

Devices are conceived to interact with each other over a conceptually simple wireless network.
The definition of the network layers is based on the OSI model; although only the lower layers are
defined in the standard, interaction with upper layers is intended, possibly using an IEEE
802.2 logical link control sublayer accessing the MAC through a convergence sublayer.
Implementations may rely on external devices or be purely embedded, self-functioning devices.

The physical layer

The physical layer is the initial layer in the OSI reference model used worldwide. The physical
layer (PHY) ultimately provides the data transmission service, as well as the interface to
the physical layer management entity, which offers access to every layer management function
and maintains a database of information on related personal area networks. Thus, the PHY

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manages the physical RF transceiver and performs channel selection and energy and signal
management functions. It operates on one of three possible unlicensed frequency bands:

 868.0–868.6 MHz: Europe, allows one communication channel (2003, 2006, 2011[5])

 902–928 MHz: North America, up to ten channels (2003), extended to thirty (2006)

 2400–2483.5 MHz: worldwide use, up to sixteen channels (2003, 2006)

The original 2003 version of the standard specifies two physical layers based on direct sequence
spread spectrum (DSSS) techniques: one working in the 868/915 MHz bands with transfer rates
of 20 and 40 kbit/s, and one in the 2450 MHz band with a rate of 250 kbit/s.

The 2006 revision improves the maximum data rates of the 868/915 MHz bands, bringing them up
to support 100 and 250 kbit/s as well. Moreover, it goes on to define four physical layers depending
on the modulation method used. Three of them preserve the DSSS approach: in the 868/915 MHz
bands, using either binary or offset quadrature phase shift keying (the second of which is optional);
in the 2450 MHz band, using the latter. An alternative, optional 868/915 MHz layer is defined
using a combination of binary keying and amplitude shift keying (thus based on parallel, not
sequential spread spectrum, PSSS). Dynamic switching between supported 868/915 MHz PHYs
is possible.

Beyond these three bands, the IEEE 802.15.4c study group considered the newly opened 314–
316 MHz, 430–434 MHz, and 779–787 MHz bands in China, while the IEEE 802.15 Task Group
4d defined an amendment to 802.15.4-2006 to support the new 950–956 MHz band in Japan. First
standard amendments by these groups were released in April 2009.

In August 2007, IEEE 802.15.4a was released expanding the four PHYs available in the earlier
2006 version to six, including one PHY using Direct Sequence ultra-wideband (UWB) and another
using chirp spread spectrum (CSS). The UWB PHY is allocated frequencies in three ranges: below
1 GHz, between 3 and 5 GHz, and between 6 and 10 GHz. The CSS PHY is allocated spectrum in
the 2450 MHz ISM band.[6]

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In April, 2009 IEEE 802.15.4c and IEEE 802.15.4d were released expanding the available PHYs
with several additional PHYs: one for 780 MHz band using O-QPSK or MPSK,[7] another for
950 MHz using GFSK or BPSK.[8]

IEEE 802.15.4e was chartered to define a MAC amendment to the existing standard 802.15.4-
2006 which adopts channel hopping strategy to improve support for the industrial markets,
increases robustness against external interference and persistent multi-path fading. On February 6,
2012 the IEEE Standards Association Board approved the IEEE 802.15.4e which concluded all
Task Group 4e efforts.

The MAC layer. The medium access control (MAC) enables the transmission of MAC frames
through the use of the physical channel. Besides the data service, it offers a management interface
and itself manages access to the physical channel and network beaconing. It also controls frame
validation, guarantees time slots and handles node associations. Finally, it offers hook points for
secure services.

Note that the IEEE 802.15 standard does not use 802.1D or 802.1Q, i.e., it does not exchange
standard Ethernet frames. The physical frame-format is specified in IEEE802.15.4-2011 in section
5.2. It is tailored to the fact that most IEEE 802.15.4 PHYs only support frames of up to 127 bytes
(adaptation layer protocols such as 6LoWPAN provide fragmentation schemes to support larger
network layer packets).

Higher layers. No higher-level layers and interoperability sublayers are defined in the standard.
Other specifications - such as ZigBee, SNAP, and 6LoWPAN/Thread - build on this
standard. RIOT, OpenWSN, TinyOS, Unison RTOS, DSPnano, RTOS, nanoOplus, Contiki, and
Zephyr operating systems also use a few items of IEEE 802.15.4 hardware and software.

3. Zigbee

Zigbee is an IEEE 802.15.4-based specification for a suite of high-level communication protocols

used to create personal area networks with small, low-power digital radios, such as for home
automation, medical device data collection, and other low-power low-bandwidth needs, designed

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for small scale projects which need wireless connection. Hence, Zigbee is a low-power, low data
rate, and close proximity (i.e., personal area) wireless ad hoc network.

The technology defined by the Zigbee specification is intended to be simpler and less expensive
than other wireless personal area networks (WPANs), such as Bluetooth or more general wireless
networking such as Wi-Fi. Applications include wireless light switches, home energy monitors,
traffic management systems, and other consumer and industrial equipment that requires short-
range low-rate wireless data transfer.

Its low power consumption limits transmission distances to 10–100 meters line-of-sight,
depending on power output and environmental characteristics. Zigbee devices can transmit data
over long distances by passing data through a mesh network of intermediate devices to reach more
distant ones. Zigbee is typically used in low data rate applications that require long battery life and
secure networking (Zigbee networks are secured by 128 bit symmetric encryption keys.) Zigbee
has a defined rate of 250 kbit/s, best suited for intermittent data transmissions from a sensor or
input device.

Zigbee was conceived in 1998, standardized in 2003, and revised in 2006. The name refers to
the waggle dance of honey bees after their return to the beehive.

Figure 8.2 Module ZogBee

4. WLAN

A wireless LAN (WLAN) is a wireless computer network that links two or more devices
using wireless communication to form a local area network (LAN) within a limited area such as a
home, school, computer laboratory, campus, or office building. This gives users the ability to move

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around within the area and remain connected to the network. Through a gateway, a WLAN can
also provide a connection to the wider Internet.

Most modern WLANs are based on IEEE 802.11 standards and are marketed under the Wi-
Fi brand name. Wireless LANs have become popular for use in the home, due to their ease of
installation and use. They are also popular in commercial properties that offer wireless access to
their employees and customers.

The IEEE 802.11 has two basic modes of operation: infrastructure and ad hoc mode. In ad hoc
mode, mobile units transmit directly peer-to-peer. In infrastructure mode, mobile units
communicate through a wireless access point (WAP) that serves as a bridge to other networks
(such as the Internet or a local area network).

Since wireless communication uses a more open medium for communication in comparison to
wired LANs, the 802.11 designers also included encryption mechanisms: Wired Equivalent
Privacy (WEP, now insecure), Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2, WPA3), to secure wireless
computer networks. Many access points will also offer Wi-Fi Protected Setup, a quick (but now
insecure) method of joining a new device to an encrypted network.

There are two definitions for wireless LAN roaming:

1. Internal roaming: The Mobile Station (MS) moves from one access point (AP) to another AP
within a home network if the signal strength is too weak. An authentication server (RADIUS)
performs the re-authentication of MS via 802.1x (e.g. with PEAP). The billing of QoS is in the
home network. A Mobile Station roaming from one access point to another often interrupts the
flow of data among the Mobile Station and an application connected to the network. The
Mobile Station, for instance, periodically monitors the presence of alternative access points
(ones that will provide a better connection). At some point, based on proprietary mechanisms,
the Mobile Station decides to re-associate with an access point having a stronger wireless
signal. The Mobile Station, however, may lose a connection with an access point before
associating with another access point. In order to provide reliable connections with
applications, the Mobile Station must generally include software that provides session
persistence.

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2. External roaming: The MS (client) moves into a WLAN of another Wireless Internet
Service Provider (WISP) and takes their services (Hotspot). The user can use a foreign
network independently from their home network, provided that the foreign network allows
visiting users on their network. There must be special authentication and billing systems
for mobile services in a foreign network.

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