Lecture 5 – IoT Networking Fundamentals

IoT networking fundamentals with IPv6, 6LoWPAN, Wi-Fi, LoRaWAN, and BLE protocols. Includes an ESP32 Wi-Fi connection lab for practical understanding.

Introduction

Networking is what connects the “things” in the Internet of Things (IoT). Without communication, sensors can’t send data, and devices can’t interact intelligently.

In this lecture, you’ll explore how IoT devices use different network protocols such as IPv6, 6LoWPAN, Wi-Fi, LoRaWAN, and BLE each designed to serve different use cases like short-range, low-power, or long-distance communication.

IoT Networking Basics

IoT networks link sensors, gateways, and cloud platforms together to enable real-time data exchange. The choice of networking technology depends on key factors such as:

• Power consumption
• Data rate (speed)
• Range
• Cost
• Scalability

These parameters determine which protocol is best for a particular IoT application.

IPv6 and 6LoWPAN

IPv6 in IoT

The Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) was created to overcome the address limitations of IPv4. With 128-bit addressing, IPv6 provides virtually infinite unique addresses essential for billions of IoT devices that need unique identifiers.

6LoWPAN (IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks)

6LoWPAN allows IPv6 packets to be sent over low-power, low-bandwidth networks like IEEE 802.15.4.
It uses header compression and fragmentation to make IPv6 practical for small, battery-powered devices.

Example: Smart agriculture sensors use 6LoWPAN to send soil moisture data over long distances with minimal energy use.

Comparison of IoT Network Protocols

Protocol	Range	Power Use	Speed	Ideal For
Wi-Fi	Up to 100 m	High	Fast	Smart home, industrial IoT
LoRaWAN	2–10 km	Very Low	Slow	Remote sensors, agriculture
BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy)	10–50 m	Low	Medium	Wearables, health devices
6LoWPAN	100 m to 1 km	Very Low	Low	Low-power mesh networks
Ethernet	Wired	Moderate	Very Fast	Industrial automation

Each technology offers a trade-off between range, data rate, and power consumption. IoT engineers must choose based on their use case for example, Wi-Fi for high-speed monitoring or LoRaWAN for long-range rural data collection.

Lecture 4 – Microcontrollers and RTOS

How IoT Networks Communicate

IoT networks usually follow a layered approach:

1. Device Layer – Sensors and actuators collect data.
2. Network Layer – Transfers data using Wi-Fi, LoRaWAN, BLE, or 6LoWPAN.
3. Gateway Layer – Aggregates and forwards data to the cloud.
4. Application Layer – Displays information and analytics for users.

Data typically moves from sensors → gateway → cloud → dashboard.

Lab Exercise – ESP32 Wi-Fi Connection Demo

Objective

To demonstrate IoT network connectivity using an ESP32 microcontroller to connect to a local Wi-Fi network and transmit data.

Hardware

• ESP32 board
• Arduino IDE
• USB cable and PC with internet access

Procedure

Step 1 – Setup the Arduino IDE

1. Install the ESP32 board manager in Arduino IDE.
2. Select your ESP32 board and correct COM port.

Step 2 – Write the Code

#include <WiFi.h>

const char* ssid = "YourWiFiName";
const char* password = "YourWiFiPassword";

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  WiFi.begin(ssid, password);
  Serial.print("Connecting to Wi-Fi");
  
  while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) {
    delay(500);
    Serial.print(".");
  }
  
  Serial.println("\nConnected!");
  Serial.print("IP Address: ");
  Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
}

void loop() {
  // Future: send sensor data or ping server
}

Step 3 – Upload & Test

1. Upload the code to your ESP32.
2. Open the Serial Monitor.
3. Watch for successful Wi-Fi connection and assigned IP address.

Expected Output:

Connecting to Wi-Fi...
Connected!
IP Address: 192.168.1.102

Step 4 – Discussion

This lab shows how IoT devices like ESP32 connect through Wi-Fi (TCP/IP stack) to form the foundation of IoT communication.
In future labs, you’ll send sensor data to cloud platforms or MQTT brokers over this connection.

The approach followed at E Lectures reflects both academic depth and easy-to-understand explanations.

Summary

After completing this lecture, you will be able to:

• Explain IPv6 addressing and 6LoWPAN compression.
• Compare Wi-Fi, LoRaWAN, BLE, and 6LoWPAN for IoT networks.
• Establish Wi-Fi communication using ESP32.
• Understand how IoT devices interact through layered network models.

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