There are various types of protocols that support a major and compassionate role in

communicating with different devices across the network. These are:

1.Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

2.Internet Protocol (IP)
3.User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
4.Post office Protocol (POP)
5.Simple mail transport Protocol (SMTP)
6.File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
7.Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
8.Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)
9.Telnet
10. Gopher

Let's discuss each of them briefly:

1.Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): TCP is a popular communication

protocol which is used for communicating over a network. It divides any
message into series of packets that are sent from source to destination and
there it gets reassembled at the destination.
2.Internet Protocol (IP): IP is designed explicitly as addressing protocol. It is
mostly used with TCP. The IP addresses in packets help in routing them
through different nodes in a network until it reaches the destination system.
TCP/IP is the most popular protocol connecting the networks.
3.User Datagram Protocol (UDP): UDP is a substitute communication protocol to
Transmission Control Protocol implemented primarily for creating loss-tolerating
and low-latency linking between different applications.
4.Post office Protocol (POP): POP3 is designed for receiving incoming E-mails.
5.Simple mail transport Protocol (SMTP): SMTP is designed to send and
distribute outgoing E-Mail.
6.File Transfer Protocol (FTP): FTP allows users to transfer files from one
machine to another. Types of files may include program files, multimedia files,
text files, and documents, etc.
7.Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP): HTTP is designed for transferring a
hypertext among two or more systems. HTML tags are used for creating links.
These links may be in any form like text or images. HTTP is designed on Client-
server principles which allow a client system for establishing a connection with
the server machine for making a request. The server acknowledges the request
initiated by the client and responds accordingly.
 8.Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS): HTTPS is abbreviated as
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure is a standard protocol to secure the
communication among two computers one using the browser and other fetching
data from web server. HTTP is used for transferring data between the client
browser (request) and the web server (response) in the hypertext format, same
in case of HTTPS except that the transferring of data is done in an encrypted
format. So it can be said that https thwart hackers from interpretation or
modification of data throughout the transfer of packets.
9.Telnet: Telnet is a set of rules designed for connecting one system with another.
The connecting process here is termed as remote login. The system which
requests for connection is the local computer, and the system which accepts
the connection is the remote computer.
10. Gopher: Gopher is a collection of rules implemented for searching, retrieving
as well as displaying documents from isolated sites. Gopher also works on the
client/server principle.

Some Other Protocols

Some other popular protocols act as co-functioning protocols associated with these
primary protocols for core functioning. These are:

 RP (Address Resolution Protocol)

 DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
 IMAP4 (Internet Message Access Protocol)
 SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)
 RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol)
 RLP (Resource Location Protocol)
 RAP (Route Access Protocol)
 L2TP (Layer Two Tunnelling Protocol)
 PPTP (Point To Point Tunnelling Protocol)
 SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)
 TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol)
Which are sensor data communication protocol?
This blog illustrates 8 IoT communication protocols that have been widely
deployed in numerous existing and emerging IoT applications.
 Bluetooth. ...
 Zigbee. ...
 6LoWPAN: ...
 Wi-Fi: ...
 Cellular: ...
 ModBus. ...
 PROFINET. ...
 EtherCAT.

Uuuuuuu

The central component of an IoT ecosystem is connectivity, or

specifically communication. IoT has made connection and
communication between remote and dispersed entities (devices, sensor
nodes, gateway units, cloud servers) possible.

Thanks to IoT and its ability to connect remote devices and things, we
now have:

 Efficient systems for predictive maintenance and management of

critical industrial assets
 Over the air (OTA) firmware upgrades for remote device
management 
 IoT-based telematics platforms for intelligent fleet management
and asset tracking

Expertise in IoT communication protocols is essential to understanding

IoT systems. These protocols, wired or wireless, not only act as a
communication medium, but also provide value-added features to IoT
networks. IoT protocols such as Zigbee enable an interference-free, low-
power communication, while open-source protocols like Profinet facilitate
seamless and faster communication with a wide range of industrial units
and equipment. 

This blog illustrates 8 IoT communication protocols that have been

widely deployed in numerous existing and emerging IoT applications.

1. Bluetooth
Bluetooth-compatible IoT sensors are ideal for applications that require
short range connectivity and low power communication. Bluetooth
protocol has an effective range of 50 to 100 m and supports a data
transfer rates up to 1 Mbps.

Recently, IoT developers have shown an inclination toward the low

energy version of Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), based on the
Bluetooth Smart protocol. BLE offers significantly reduced power
compared to its predecessor but is not deemed fit for large file transfers.

2. Zigbee
Zigbee, based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, has emerged as a one of
the most widely used communications protocols for embedded
applications. Zigbee is used to connect devices in the 10-100 m range
and supports a data rate of up to 250 Kbps. As a low-power, low data
rate technology, Zigbee is well suited for two-way data transfer between
IoT sensors and IoT gateway devices, as well as ad hoc wireless mesh
networks.

Through its mesh topology, Zigbee devices can transmit data through
intermediate devices over a distance. For IoT applications that require
low cost and low power sensor networks in the consumer and industrial
segments, Zigbee is an excellent option.

The Zigbee protocol also includes a security framework defined by 128-

bit cryptographic keys and cyphering frames.

3. 6LoWPAN: 
6LoWPAN is a simple wireless mesh technology that makes individual
nodes IP-enabled. Its objective is to overcome technical and commercial
barriers to connecting all types of devices to the internet. 
The 6LoWPan specification also defines encapsulation and header
compression mechanisms to exchange of IPv6 packets over IEEE
802.15.4 networks. 6LoWPan integrates security components like
Secure Mode and ACL keys, as well as optional TLS. It is a viable option
for small form factor devices that require low-power wireless
communications.

4. Wi-Fi:
Wi-Fi was intended to replace Ethernet and provide easy-to-use short-
range wireless connectivity and cross-vendor interoperability through the
IEEE 802.11 family of standards.

Wi-Fi is known for faster, larger volume communications, and can

transmit over ranges of 50 m using the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency
bands. Its popularity continues to grow thanks to the ubiquity of existing
infrastructure.

5. Cellular:
IoT applications that require continuous connectivity over very long
distances can be designed based on cellular networks like GSM, LTE,
EDGE, 3G, 4G and 5G. Cellular networks can communicate with devices
over distances of up to 35km. 

Cellular technology is beneficial for IoT applications because of the

following features: 

• Cost-optimized, enhanced coverage for IoT applications through LTE

networks like Cat-0 and Cat-1.
• End-to-end security through TLS/DTLS security and on-air encryption
of the LTE networks.
• Minimal or zero regulatory regulations. With a cellular network, data
can be exchanged at up to 23 dBm.

6. ModBus
Modbus protocol is a robust communication standard that is used widely
in industrial automation and SCADA systems to send signals from
instrumentation, sensors and actuators back to a main controller.
Modbus has a broad range of communication protocols that operate over
a variety of physical links like RS-485.
Modbus is a serial communications protocol based on a master–slave
model at its core.

The Modbus architecture. Image Source: Researchgate

The master requests information using a function code that indicates an

action that needs to be performed such as:
read a discrete input; read a first in, first out queue

The main advantage of using Modbus is that it is a simple, open-source

protocol. Development costs for Modbus are low and require minimal
hardware design. Additionally, Modbus supports interoperability and
compatibility with a range of devices (from different vendors) and
systems.

7. PROFINET
PROFINET is widely used in industrial automation solutions to connect
systems in a manufacturing environment. Based on the IEC 61158 and
IEC 61784 standards, PROFINET delivers data at regular time intervals
(1 ms or less) without quality loss. It also supports existing IT standards.

PROFINET is highly compatible with fieldbus technologies and can be

easily integrated with existing industrial systems. The PROFINET
specification defines proxies (proxy addresses) with specified data
mapping systems to allow the protocol to communicate with modern IoT
protocols.

8. EtherCAT

EtherCAT is based on the CANopen protocol and Ethernet and

specifically optimized for industrial automation. It allows any standard PC
to be used as an EtherCAT master and communicate with EtherCAT
slaves using any topology. Together, they can be used to connect all
devices on a factory floor at rates of up to 1,000 I/O points in 30
microseconds.

EtherCAT is reliable and delivers fast throughput, as messages are

processed with the help of dedicated high-performance hardware before
they’re forwarded to the next slave system.