Wireless connectivity: Protocols adapted to each type of application

Connectivity protocols have diversified with the proliferation of connected objects to offer, for each application, the best possible compromise between range, throughput/measurement frequency, quality of service and reliability, consumption, lifespan and cost.

Here are some parameters on which they can be compared:

• Range: some protocols have a limited range, while others can cover greater distances.
• Power consumption: some protocols are more energy efficient than others, which is important for battery-powered connected objects.
• Bandwidth: some protocols have higher bandwidth than others, which is important for connected objects that require fast data transmission.
• Security: some protocols offer better security than others, which is important for connected objects that store sensitive data.
• Compatibility: certain protocols are more compatible with certain types of connected objects than others.

Depending on these parameters, connectivity protocols can be classified into different categories:

• short-range protocols (Bluetooth, Zigbee),
• long-range protocols (LoRaWAN, NB-IoT),
• low consumption protocols (Z-Wave, Thread), etc.

Example of a comparative table on a non-exhaustive list of protocols:

Source : symes.fr