I. Overview

In the IoT era, choosing the right wireless connectivity technology is crucial to project success. With so many protocol options, how can you find the most suitable solution? This article will help you identify key considerations.

There's no "one-size-fits-all" wireless communication solution in the IoT world. Different application scenarios have varying requirements for coverage, power consumption, data rate, and cost, making technology selection a key factor in project success.

II. Low-Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) Technology: The Long-Range, Low-Power Choice

LPWAN technology is designed for long-range, low-power IoT applications, making it ideal for transmitting small amounts of data and in widely distributed environments.

1. TurMass™ Technology: The world's first system to utilize massive multi-antenna technology for narrowband wireless transmission. Based on unlicensed random access massive MIMO (mGFRA), it uses spatial division multiplexing and beamforming to improve system access capacity, signal gain, and interference mitigation.
It utilizes constant envelope differential phase-frequency two-dimensional modulation (CP-DPFSK), offering frequency offset immunity, constant envelope, and high Eb/N0 performance. At the same transmission distance, the terminal transmission rate is approximately six times that of LoRa, while consuming only one-quarter the energy consumption.
2. LoRa: Utilizing linear frequency modulation spread spectrum (CSS) technology, it offers long-range, multi-node, and low-cost features. In open areas, communication distances can exceed 10 kilometers, and a single gateway can support thousands of nodes.

3. Mesh Network Technology: The Choice for High-Reliability Networks

Mesh networks are renowned for their self-organizing and self-healing capabilities, making them ideal for applications requiring high reliability.

Wi-SUN FAN (Field Area Network) is based on the IEEE 802.15.4g/e standard and incorporates IPv6 multi-hop relay technology. It utilizes a mesh network architecture, enabling devices to automatically discover neighboring nodes and dynamically build routing paths. In the event of a node failure, the network automatically selects an alternative path. It operates in the sub-1GHz unlicensed frequency band (such as 920MHz and 868MHz), boasts strong diffraction resistance and superior penetration performance to 2.4GHz band technologies. It supports data rates of 50-300kbps and a transmission range of 1-5 kilometers in urban environments.

IV. RF Protocol: The Choice for Short-Range Communication

For short-range communication scenarios, there are a variety of RF protocols to choose from.

ZigBee, based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, offers low cost and power consumption. It supports 128-bit AES encryption and powerful mesh networking capabilities, allowing network nodes to connect via multiple paths for enhanced network reliability and stability.

Wi-Fi, based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, provides high-speed transmission rates. The latest 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) can achieve theoretical speeds of several Gbps, making it suitable for high-bandwidth applications such as HD video streaming.

V. Technology Selection Considerations

① When selecting a wireless connection technology, consider the following factors:
② Transmission distance: The actual distance between the device and the gateway or base station
③ Power consumption: The required battery life of the device
④ Data rate: The amount of data required to be transmitted and the real-time requirements
⑤ Network topology: Star, tree, or mesh network is more suitable for your needs
⑥ Cost constraints: Module price and deployment budget
⑦ Environmental factors: The complexity and interference level of the deployment environment
⑧ Security: Data encryption and security certification requirements

VI. Chengdu Ebitter Module Product Recommendations

1. E290-T Series Domestic LoRa Extended Spectrum Module

Based on the Panqi Micro PAN3060 RF chip, it supports the 433MHz and 470MHz frequency bands and has a maximum transmit power of +33dBm (2W). It utilizes ChirpIoT™ modulation technology, offering superior anti-interference performance and communication range compared to products using FSK and GFSK modulation.
It supports data rates of 0.5-59.9Kbps and a communication range of up to 16 kilometers under ideal conditions. It features both over-the-air wake-up and single-point wake-up functions, and consumes a low sleep current of just 200nA, making it ideal for smart home applications, wireless meter reading, and medium- and long-range wireless communication devices.

2. EWM103-WF8723DU dual-mode WiFi module

Based on the Realtek RTL8723DU-CG chip, it supports dual-mode WiFi and Bluetooth, complying with IEEE 802.11b/g/n standards and Bluetooth 4.2.
With a maximum data rate of 150Mbps, a rich interface, and a powerful processor, it provides a complete solution for high-throughput integrated wireless LAN devices. It is widely used in scenarios such as WiFi video transmission, general-purpose smart home modules, cloud service applications, and IoT gateways.