IoT networking technologies have completely changed the way we connect and interact in our digital world period! Today, wireless protocols and communication standards play a huge role in nearly every aspect of IoT deployments, ranging from smart cities, connected vehicles, environmental monitoring and many more. According to IoT Analytics, the global connected IoT devices market could reach 18.8 billion units by the end of 2024, a growth of 13% from 2023. Meanwhile, as the number of connected devices explodes, there is never a greater need for robust, scalable and efficient communication technologies. In this post, we check out some of the widely used protocols for IoT communications. I hope that you get a deeper understanding of the key IoT networking solutions before making choices.
What is IoT networking
IoT networking refers to how IoT devices connect and communicate with each other and with the central systems. This creates an autonomous ecosystem of smart devices working together.
Typically, an IoT ecosystem consists of four main layers: devices, data, connectivity technologies, and the users. As you can see these layers form the building blocks of an IoT network, and the network architecture is the backbone that enables efficient communication between all of the elements.
It should come as no surprise that IoT networks need to have a robust communication technology that enables seamless connectivity between devices. These network protocols serve the same purpose as language does in human communication. Basically, they are designed specifically for the unique requirements of IoT devices. There are special considerations in terms of power consumption, range, bandwidth, and device density. Given these requirements, a major aspect of planning an IoT project is choosing the right IoT protocol.
In previous articles, we’ve discussed some network protocols and their suitable applications. Here, we list some widely used short-range and long-range wireless technologies for your IoT project reference.
Key short-range IoT networking technologies
Short-range wireless communication technology refers to the technology that realizes wireless transmission over short distances. Typically, their transmission range is within tens of meters or hundreds of meters. Common examples include Bluetooth, WiFi, Zigbee, UWB, NFC and RFID (no detailed introduction here).
Bluetooth and BLE
Bluetooth is one of the most common short-range wireless technologies. From wireless earbuds to car systems, smart watches and fitness trackers, we see Bluetooth everywhere.
The latest Bluetooth standard is Bluetooth 6.0, which was released in September 2024 and brought new features such as Bluetooth channel detection. However, the current standard being widely used are Bluetooth 4.0, 5.0 and above. The Bluetooth 5.0 offers transmission speeds up to 2Mbit/s whereas 4.2 offered up to 1Mbit/s.
To address the weakness of Bluetooth over power consumption, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) was introduced. The development of this protocol has been successful and seen wide spread adoption around the world. One of the main reasons is this maintains compatibility with existing Bluetooth devices while offering significantly reduced power consumption.
We need to understand that Bluetooth Low Energy is specifically designed for low-power devices used in the Internet of Things. It does not take over or replace the existing Classic Bluetooth. BLE uses the same 2.4GHz ISM band as Bluetooth. Unlike Classic Bluetooth which supports up to 7 devices connected to a single master device, BLE allows up to 128 devices. BLE uses 40, 2 MHz wide channels and utilizes an adaptive frequency hopping algorithm to optimize performance and minimize interference.
WiFi
Wi-Fi accounts for 31% of the total IoT connections. Here, we will discuss the traditional WiFi radio, as well as the WiFi HaLow (802.11ah), which is specifically designed long-range low-power IoT applications.
WiFi 6 uses the same 2.4GHz and 5GHz ISM bands as other wireless protocols, with 6E adding support for the 6GHz band. The range varies significantly from 10m indoors to over 100m outdoors, depending on environmental factors and transmission power. Unlike Bluetooth’s point-to-point architecture, WiFi follows a star network topology, where devices connect through a central access point (router).
WiFi 6/6E (802.11ax) released in 2021 is the popular standard being used currently. On the speed side, it can hit up to 9.6 Gbps — faster than WiFi 5 (802.11ac) which topped out at 3.5 Gbps. Chances are that you have seen devices with older standards of 802.11ac/n/g. Due to WiFi’s backward compatibility, these old devices can still work with new standard deivces. The latest standards of WiFi offer a longer range than the older.
WiFi HaLow operates below 1GHz. It offers better wall penetration and longer ranges (up to 1km) while lower power. Nevertheless, the technology has not been widely embraced in industry like we have seen in Bluetooth LE.
One main thing to note is that WiFi supports hundreds of simultaneous connections to a single access point, though practical limitations often reduce this number based on network configuration.
ZigBee
ZigBee is a low-cost, low-power wireless communication standard designed for personal area networks. It was specifically developed for industrial and home automation applications. Zigbee may not be as ubiquitous as WiFi, but it is becoming more and more common in the smart home — light bulbs, thermostats and security sensors among them.
It came into existence in 2002, when the ZigBee Alliance (now Connectivity Standards Alliance) was formed. Now it has big organizations like Philips, Texas Instruments, Samsung, and Amazon to evolve the ZigBee protocol.
To be honest, ZigBee was specifically designed for automation, with easy device setup and connectivity, low power consumption for long battery life, and very strong security.
The architecture is built on top of the 802.15.4 standard. The best part about ZigBee is that it is an open protocol that can support up to 65,000 nodes in a single network. ZigBee is particularly notable for its mesh networking capabilities.
The ZigBee protocol defines three key types of devices in the network:
- Coordinators (only one in any ZigBee network)
- Routers (intermediator to transmit data)
- ZigBee End devices (Talk only to parent node, mostly in sleep mode)
Texas Instruments and Silicon Labs are major suppliers of ZigBee chips.
UWB
UWB (ultra-wideband) is one of the emerging communication protocols. You probably haven’t seen it in many devices yet, but it’s rapidly gaining adoption. From smartphones to car keys, smart home devices to industrial settings, we see UWB increasingly appearing in modern technology.
Like other radio technologies, UWB operates in a defined spectrum, but unlike narrow-band systems, it spreads transmission across a wide frequency range from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz. It has a typical range of 1-50 meters, and works best in line-of-sight between devices or anchors.
Ultra Wideband uses channels that are at least 500MHz wide as compared to Bluetooth’s 1MHz or 2MHz channels. UWB also uses ultra-short pulse transmission, which gives it higher positioning accuracy than narrow-band systems.
The maximum power spectral density for UWB transmission is 41.3 dBm/MHz. This equals about 0.5 mW of average transmit power. It helps minimize interference with the existing narrow-band systems like WiFi or Bluetooth. The low power also makes UWB secure. The signals are hard to intercept because of their wide frequency spread and low power density.
Short-range IoT networking technologies comparison
| Technology | Bluetooth (BLE) | WiFi | ZigBee | UWB |
| Range | 10-100m | 50-100m indoor | 10-100m | 10m |
| Data Rate | 1-2 Mbps | Up to 1 Gbps+ | 250 Kbps | Up to 27 Mbps |
| Power Consumption | Very Low | High | Very Low | Low |
| Frequency Band | 2.4 GHz
|
2.4 GHz, 5 GHz | 2.4 GHz | 3.1-10.6 GHz |
| Pros | – Low power consumption
– Widely supported – Easy to implement – Low cost |
– High data rate
– Universal compatibility – Robust security options |
– Low power consumption
– Large network support – Self-healing mesh |
– Precise positioning
– High security – Immune to interference |
| Cons | – Limited range
– Limited nodes – Potential interference |
– High power consumption
– Limited battery life – Network congestion |
– Low data rate
– Short range – Complex implementation |
– Limited range
– Higher cost – Limited adoption |
| Key Applications | Wearables, Smart Home, Indoor positioning, Asset tracking, Point of interest | Home automation, Video streaming, High bandwidth applications | Home automation, Industrial control, Sensor networks | Indoor positioning, Asset tracking, Secure access |
Popular long-range IoT wireless technologies
We will now focus our discussion on the long range wireless technologies and how IoT has benefited because of these protocols. These technologies are the foundation of LPWANs, covering distances from a few kilometers to thousands of kilometers. Here, we will introduce LoRa, Sigfox, and Cellular networks.
LoRa and LoRaWAN
LoRa is a wireless protocol providing long range, low power, and secure data transmission. It is based on chirp spread spectrum modulation which means you can communicate great distances without using too much power. It bridges the gap between the short range wireless local area networks like Bluetooth and WiFi, and the much longer range of cellular networks.
LoRa and LoRaWAN were initially developed by Cycleo and later acquired by Semtech. Today, the non-profit association LoRa Alliance manages it. It’s not surprising that it has grown into one of the largest alliances in the tech industry. LoRa Alliance not only supports LoRaWAN but also promotes LoRaWAN products and technology interoperability.
LoRa utilizes sub-GHz RF bands (433MHz, 868MHz for Europe, 923MHz for Asia, 915MHz for North America and Australia). These ISM frequency bands are license-free and available to all of us for IoT applications. It has an impressive range from 2-5km in urban areas up to 15km or more in rural settings.
LoRa represents the physical layer protocol (at layer one of the OSI model) that enables long-range communication. This layer specifies how raw bits are transmitted over a physical data link between network nodes. LoRaWAN, a network protocol operating at layer three of the OSI model, is built on top of LoRa and handles communication between end devices and a central network server.
To address various use cases, LoRaWAN defines three device classes: Class A devices (lowest power, all uplink initiated), Class B devices (scheduled receive slots), and Class C devices (continuous listening).
Sigfox
Sigfox is a pioneering LPWAN technology designed for IoT applications that require long-range communication with minimal power consumption. It uses Ultra Narrow Band (UNB) technology, with each message occupying only a 100 Hz bandwidth.
Sigfox protocol operates in unlicensed ISM bands (868 MHz in Europe, 915 MHz in North America) and offers data rates of just 100 or 600 bits per second. This slow transmission rate, combined with the narrow bandwidth, results in excellent sensitivity and very low power consumption. Typical transmissions use around 20–30 mA for a few seconds, providing long battery life—often lasting years on a single battery. It can achieve up to 40 km in rural areas and 3–10 km in urban environments.
Sigfox is an asymmetric protocol, meaning uplink and downlink capabilities differ significantly. End devices can send up to 140 messages per day, with each message limited to 12 bytes of payload. Downlink messages are limited to 8 messages per day with 8 bytes each.
Different from LoRaWAN, Sigfox was designed with simplicity in mind, pushing most of the complexity to the network side rather than the end devices. This approach allows for very simple and energy-efficient end-device implementation.
Cellular networks
Cellular networks handle an incredible amount of our communications, and is one of the most foundational communication technologies in our modern world. From 2G to the latest 5G, and specialized IoT-focused technologies like LTE-M and NB-IoT, cellular networks makes up about 20% of global IoT connections.
Cellular networks operate on what called a cellular architecture, where geographical areas are divided into cells. Each served by at least one fixed-location transceiver known as a base station. These cells work together in a honeycomb-like pattern to provide a continuous coverage over large areas.
The technology has come a long way since the 1980s, when 1G networks could barely handle voice calls. We’re truly in the 5G era ($98.3 billion 2023) and are deploying NB-IoT, LTE-M and 5G as part of the broader Cellular IoT ecosystem today. One of the main advantages of Cellular IoT is the ability to leverage the existing cellular infrastructure while optimizing for IoT unique needs. Importantly, Cellular networks are not free of charge.
Long-range IoT networking technologies comparison
| Technology | LoRa/LoRaWAN | Sigfox | Cellular (4G/5G) | NB-IoT |
| Range | 2-15km | Up to 40km | Several km | 1-10km |
| Data Rate | 0.3-50 Kbps | 100 bps | Up to 1 Gbps+ | 250 Kbps |
| Power Consumption | Very Low | Very Low | High | Low |
| Frequency Band | Sub-GHz | Sub-GHz | Licensed bands | Licensed bands |
| Pros | – Long range
– Excellent battery life – Good penetration |
– Ultra-long range
– Very low power – Simple deployment |
– Universal coverage
– High reliability – High data rate |
– Good building penetration
– Licensed spectrum – Long battery life |
| Cons | – Low data rate
– Gateway dependency – Regional restrictions |
– Extremely low data rate
– Subscription required – Limited messages per day |
– High power consumption
– Expensive – Monthly fees |
– Network dependency
– Higher latency – Coverage limitations |
| Key Applications | Asset tracking, Parking management, Environmental monitoring, Agricultural sensing, Smart metering | Asset tracking, Environmental monitoring | Connected vehicles, Smart cities, Mobile applications | Smart metering, Asset tracking |
What IoT networking technology is right for me?
It makes sense to use IoT networks because they can connect and manage devices across challenging scenarios. In particular, IoT networks are growing in the connected world, taking into account variables such as massive scale, diverse device types, and real-time operation requirements.
Connectivity technology is one of the most crucial decisions you’ll have to make when developing an IoT project. The choice here will determine to a level the success, cost, and performance of your project. Before diving into specific technologies, ask yourself these essential questions:
– Where are the devices going to be used? Will they be used indoors or outdoors?
– What range do you need to cover? Is it meters, kilometers, or somewhere in between?
– How much data will you be transmitting, and how often?
– What is your power budget? Are you running on batteries or mains power?
– What network infrastructure exists at your deployment location?
– What are your security requirements?
– What is your budget for both hardware and ongoing connectivity costs?
The technologies we’ve covered above aren’t an exhaustive list of connection types, but they should get you up and running on most any IoT project.
Short-range technologies in practice
For short-range wireless communication technologies, WiFi provides high-throughput data transmission. It dominates wireless network coverage in homes and public spaces. Since many buildings have WiFi already, it’s ideal for IoT applications like smart homes, security cameras, and integrated tracking solutions.
In the consumer space, Bluetooth Low Energy shows clear dominance. It’s become the preferred choice for short-range location services due to cost considerations. The market reflects this – Bluetooth Location Services Device shipments reached $255 Million in 2024. BLE is also growing strong in smart homes. With its inclusion in the Matter standard, we’ll see even more smart home applications emerge.
Zigbee is another key player that can’t be ignored in smart homes. It’s currently used more in industrial automation and smart home applications. Zigbee’s mesh network can expand connection distance and support more network nodes.
UWB technology hasn’t reached the same adoption levels as the first three. Its main advantage is centimeter-level accurate positioning. However, it comes with higher relative deployment costs. This makes it more suitable for specific use cases requiring precise location tracking.
Long–range technologies in practice
For long-range wireless IoT technologies, LoRa and LoRaWAN are leading the way in many IoT deployments. They offer impressive coverage with very low power consumption. LoRaWAN works great when your devices need to operate on battery power for extended periods and can tolerate some latency in data transmission. The technology finds common use in animal tracking, vehicle tracking, parking management, environmental monitoring, agricultural sensing, and utility metering.
Sigfox has a more streamlined design than that of LoRaWAN. It’s designed to reduce device cost and complexity, though this means sacrificing data rates. While Sigfox and LoRaWAN can sometimes serve similar purposes, you should go for LoRaWAN if you need private networks or two way communication.
NB-IoT and LTE-M bring a major advantage – they can use existing cellular infrastructure. These technologies overlap with some LoRaWAN and Sigfox applications, especially when tracking assets across wide geographic areas. The logistics sector has particularly embraced cellular-based tracking solutions. However, cellular options come with higher costs due to subscription fees.
Get IoT devices from MOKOSmart
MOKOSmart offers end-to-end IoT hardware solutions employing BLE, RFID, LoRaWAN, WiFi, NB-IoT and UWB. We have a portfolio of beacons, trackers, sensors, gateways and modules for different uses as well. All products are tested and certified with possibilities of customization. Need an IoT solution today? Contact us now!
