What is IoT?
IoT means Internet of Things. It's all about connecting stuff – like sensors, lights, fridges, machines – to the internet or local networks. The goal is to get data, control things from far away, or just make life easier. You can find IoT in smart homes, cities, factories, farms, hospitals – almost everywhere.
Why does IoT exist?
Because people want more control and info in real-time. Think of checking your house temperature on your phone, or machines in a factory telling when they need repair. IoT makes that possible. It saves time, energy, and money.
How do IoT devices communicate?
They use different wireless technologies to send and get data. Some are fast but short-range. Others are slow but work many kilometers away. Choosing the right one depends on power, range, data, and money.
Comparison of IoT communication types (extended)
| Name | Frequency | Range | Bandwidth | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi (802.11) | 2.4 / 5 GHz | 10–100 m | High (Mbps–Gbps) | $$$ |
| Bluetooth LE | 2.4 GHz | 1–50 m | Medium (~1 Mbps) | $$ |
| Zigbee | 2.4 GHz / 868 MHz | 10–100 m | Low (250 kbps) | $$ |
| Z-Wave | 868 / 915 MHz | 30–100 m | Low (~100 kbps) | $$ |
| Thread | 2.4 GHz | 10–50 m | Low (~250 kbps) | $$ |
| LoRa | 868 / 915 MHz | 2–15 km | Very Low (0.3–50 kbps) | $ |
| LoRaWAN | 868 / 915 MHz | 2–15 km (via Gateway) | Very Low (0.3–50 kbps) | $$ |
| SigFox | 868 / 902 MHz | Up to 50 km | Tiny (100–600 bps) | $ |
| NB-IoT | LTE Band | 1–10 km | Low (up to 250 kbps) | $$$$ |
| LTE-M (Cat-M1) | LTE Band | 1–10 km | Medium (~1 Mbps) | $$$$ |
| 5G IoT | Sub-6 GHz / mmWave | Up to 1 km (urban) | High (10 Mbps – Gbps) | $$$$$ |
| UWB (Ultra-Wideband) | 3.1 – 10.6 GHz | 10–30 m | High (~27 Mbps) | $$$ |
| 6LoWPAN | 2.4 GHz / Sub-GHz | 10–100 m | Low (~250 kbps) | $$ |
| WirelessHART | 2.4 GHz | 50–200 m (Mesh) | Low (~250 kbps) | $$$$ |
| ISA100.11a | 2.4 GHz | 50–300 m (Mesh) | Low (~250 kbps) | $$$$$ |
So what's next?
All these technologies – Zigbee, LoRa, NB-IoT, Z-Wave, whatever – I'm gonna rip them apart right here in this blog. One by one. No shiny charts, no fancy graphics, no sponsored BS. Just raw tech, config details, and what works and what breaks. I'll go deep, down to the protocol guts and real-world use. Yeah, expect some bad formatting and sloppy code examples too – because this ain't a press release. It's just how tech really works after two beers and some swearing. Stay tuned.