Connecting IOT devices over long ranges

Question

Hello All:

Can anyone recommend an idea for connecting IOT devices over ranges further than Bluetooth supports? I am working on a little prototype where I not only need to communicate from the IOT device to the mobile device, but the IOT device also needs to be connected to some kind of network so it can be queried, and the IOT devices might be 100s of yards apart. The particular IOT deice I am working with only has Bluetooth capability, so I imagine I need to build some kind of a network of devices that has both Bluetooth and longer range communications, so the IOT devices in range can talk to the "hub" device, and then the hub devices can talk to each other.

Thanks for any and all input.

John.

Answer 1

Dear friend,

After reading your scenario, I think ZigBee is a kind of suitable technology for you. It is a kind of  low-power, low data rate, and close proximity wireless ad hoc network. Generally speaking, you can buy ZigBee module and it uses UART communication with peripheral equipment.

Furthermore, for Windows 10 IoT devices, you can use on-board SerialPort or USB-Serial module to communicate with ZigBee device. If you use USB-Serial module, please choose CP2102 based module, can you can find more detail information here: Hardware compatibility list.

And you can refer to this project on hackster for UWP application with UART communication between Windows and ZigBee. 

Good Luck!

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Keep Fighting

Answer 2

Hello John,

I agree with Jiong Shi's suggestion. Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) (what’s the difference?) are wireless technologies used to transfer data over short distances. ZigBee is an open global standard, and it is designed specifically to be used in M2M networks. The technology is inexpensive to run and doesn’t require a lot of power, making it an ideal solution for many industrial applications. The ZigBee protocol offers 128-bit AES encryption, so it can guarantee the security of data communication. The technology is also used in Mesh networks, which allow nodes to be connected together through multiple pathways.

Best Regards,

Michael

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Answer 3

Thanks for your response. The devices I am working with have Bluetooth only so I cannot use a serial port or USB, can you recommend a hardware component that has Bluetooth and another form of longer range communications capabilities?

Answer 4

Bluetooth to WiFi or Bluetooth to Ethernet.

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Dan DeMerchant

Answer 5

Probably Bluetooth to WiFi, but I have not been able to find any such devices? I have also read a bit about LoRa, any thoughts on that?

Answer 6

Can you describe your application in more detail?  Skip Bluetooth and just use WiFi.

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Dan DeMerchant

Answer 7

Thanks for your input. I cannot skip Bluetooth, the IOT devices I am using have Bluetooth only. I cannot add much more than the original post, that really describes the situation.

Answer 8

If your original post described the situation perfectly I wouldn't have asked for more detail.  Generically, get an IOT device and write some code against it to implement a Bluetooth to WiFi bridge.  If you are going hundreds of yards, you might also consider Bluetooth bridge to a short-haul serial data modem.

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Dan DeMerchant