Internet of Things (IoT) devices use IP‐based connectivity and short‐range communication technologies
Band of Operation
The communication technologies are characterized by differences in band of operation, modulation techniques, data rates, and nominal range of operations. On band of operation, the IP-based connectivity allows communication on all bands. However the short range connectivity is limited on the band of operation depending on the standard of short range communication that is applied. The available standards of short range communication include Bluetooth, ZigBee, Z‐Wave, and Near‐Field Communication (NFC). These connectivity standards allow internet of things devices to communicate with each other, Machine‐to‐Machine (M2M), with the environment, or with people [1]. All are characterized by limited but varying band of operation.
Modulation Techniques
The modulation for IP-based connectivity is frequency shift keying while for the short-range connectivity the modulation includes both on-off keying (OOK) and amplitude shift keying (ASK) modulations with the goal of capitalizing on the resource constraints of the short-range connectivity [2]. The modulation is considered one of the instrumental elements in connectivity of the internet of things devices especially considering some devices are small, with limited memory, energy storage, and data rates.
Data Rates
Focusing on the data rates, internet of things devices using IP-based connectivity work on all data rates considering the speeds of sending and receiving data as well as the rise of cloud-based internet of things technologies. However, for the short-range connectivity many devices have limited data rates with 4-bit, 8-bit, and 16-bit data rates being common in sensors. The data rates are important since they are also linked to computing power of the devices, the energy demand, and the connectivity selection [2].
Nominal Range of Operation
The last main factor of differentiation is the nominal range of operation. The IP-based connectivity devices are not limited in distance or range of operation. However, each of the short range connectivity has limited connectivity range or the nominal range of operation [2]. These standards can only be used within localized areas.
Network Performance
The elements above about the communication technologies for IoT influence the network performance for the devices. The idea about IoT focuses on ubiquitous use of wireless communication technologies in the IoT networks [3]. This is the reason why wireless connectivity is considered a key driver of the IoT technologies.
While IoT prioritizes the use of wireless networks, the performance of the network is greatly influenced by the characteristics of the IoT devices. These characteristics entail limited storage space, limited computing power, and energy consumption challenges. Many of the IoT devices do not have inbuilt power sources and therefore require external sources of power in order to operate [3]. Since there technologies are traditionally dumb, they also lack adequate memory and their data rates are considerably lower than those of the mainstream IP-based devices that include smartphones, tables, laptops, desktops, and servers [3]. The implications of the features are that the network performances are greatly influenced by the three resource constraints that characterize the IoT devices.
Most devices are now manufactures are smart devices. This means that they are manufactured with the ability to connect online being put into consideration. Similarly, the IP-based connectivity is increasingly becoming the standard of connectivity for the devices. These are the main contributions of the wireless technologies on the IoT devices [6]. It is important to note that depending on the uses of the devices, the short-range wireless connectivity technologies are still important and much in use [3]. The near-field connectivity technologies, for instance, are still used with sensors in cars and other common technologies including bathrooms. These wireless technologies are helping in making IoT devices ubiquitous.
A major development in the IoT devices and which is linked to wireless technologies is the rise in cloud-based technologies that play a supporting and enhancing role for the IoT devices. Through wireless connections and in an environment of constrained storage space, the wireless technologies enable the devices to store data on the cloud [6]. Effectively, the data can be retrieved from anywhere on the globe. It is this connectivity that enables a person to answer the doorbell from anywhere in the world and know who has visited the homes and compounds [3]. Cloud-based IoT is considered to be the main revolution that shifts the trend in the adoption of the technologies especially considering its capabilities and how it helps in improving the use of traditionally dumb technologies.
Security and Privacy Issues in IoT
While wireless technologies have greatly influenced the development of IoT technologies, it also has major implications on security, confidentiality, and privacy. The very first challenge with the IoT devices is the attack on the wireless network. Vulnerability on one device may lead to attacks on all other devices [4]. Since the concept of IoT was coined in 1999 there has been many films demonstrating how risky the security threats to the networks can be. Quite literally, an attack on the network may mean that someone else controls your life including aspects of when the alarm clock goes on or off, when the lights go on, how hot the water will be in the shower and several other similar aspects of the connected life. The implications are that the very first aspect of life that is threatened by the IoT technologies is the physical security of individuals and properties.
There is the concern that the IoT devices connected with wireless technologies are characterized by varying strengths and defense mechanisms. For instance, attacking a 16-bit device is different from attacking a 128-bit device since the security features such devices vary greatly. That said, IoT literary provides a wide variety of gates for attacks [5]. These factors are increasingly affecting the acceptability of the IoT technologies leading to the consideration of how to raise the security assurance of the devices in order to attract ubiquitous adoption of IoT.
The last major security concern is surveillance by big brother technology. There is the concern that with IoT the government agencies will be able to conduct surveillance over all aspects of the life of an individual. An individual will be tracked when in the offices, when taking nature walks, and even when sleeping [4]. This is all possible because of the internet of things technology which plants sensor and trackers on all aspects of a person’s life. This will be possible without any need for the government installing any other devices in a person’s house or office. Instead, they just need to take control of the network on which the IoT devices are running. This findings is extremely scary and the very thought of it means that many people may not be adopting the technologies any soon. There would be the need for utmost assurance that the technologies are tamperproof before many people can adopt them. This brings the discussion to the aspects of how to secure the IoT devices and technologies.
Cryptography is the rule of the game in securing the IoT devices as well as the networks. Cryptography involves advanced encryption of the IoT devices making them impenetrable. The importance of cryptography is that it can be used to secure conventional devices including smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, servers and all other conventional IP-based connectivity devices using conventional cryptography. The lightweight devices that include 4-bit, 8-bit, 16-bit and all small-sized devices can be secured using lightweight cryptography which is still under a lot of research. Advances in cryptography are increasingly making it possible to secure all devices while appreciating the resource constraints. The problem is that cryptography is costly and there need mass adoption of IoT in order for cryptography to have acceptable levels of costs. The fact that there is continuing research focusing on this are makes it possible that the technology will eventually be able to fully secure the IoT devices and networks.
Proposed Computer Technology
There are various companies and entities that are working on communication technologies for IoT enabled devices in a home network. Google through the Nest project is one of the companies that is working on the technologies. Offering products such as thermostats, cameras, video doorbells, alarm systems, door locks, smoke and alarms systems, and accompanying applications, Nest is by far the greatest network technology for the smart home. The backing of Google in this project indicates that Nest technologies are well tested technologies. The fact that an individual can access a whole range of smart home technologies all under Nest makes Nest technologies a preferred alternative when considering smart technologies. This explains why this analysis recommends the adoption of Nest networks for the smart home technologies decision.
Conclusion
This research focused on networks and communication technologies for internet of things devices. Internet of things devices can connect using IP-based connectivity or using short range communication standards such as NFC. Wireless connectivity and cloud computing technologies are key supporting features for IoT technologies. The greatest challenge facing ubiquitous adoption of IoT devices and technologies are concerns about the security and safety of the devices. The analysis finds the rise of cryptography, both conventional cryptography and lightweight cryptography, as major developments in the securing of IoT technologies. Gooogle Nest is one of the projects using cryptography and wireless connection of IoT devices and thus a major industry leader towards ubiquitous adoption of IoT.
References
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[2] Mumtaz, S., Alsohaily, A., Pang, Z., Rayes, A., Tsang, K.F. and Rodriguez, J., 2017. Massive Internet of Things for industrial applications: Addressing wireless IIoT connectivity challenges and ecosystem fragmentation. IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine, 11(1), pp.28-33.
[3] Centenaro, M., Vangelista, L., Zanella, A. and Zorzi, M., 2016. Long-range communications in unlicensed bands: The rising stars in the IoT and smart city scenarios. IEEE Wireless Communications, 23(5), pp.60-67.
[4] Borgohain, T., Kumar, U. and Sanyal, S., 2015. Survey of security and privacy issues of internet of things. arXiv preprint arXiv:1501.02211.
[5] Chen, E.T., 2017. The Internet of Things: Opportunities, Issues, and Challenges. In The Internet of Things in the Modern Business Environment (pp. 167-187). IGI Global.
[6] Chen, Y. and Kunz, T., 2016, April. Performance Assessment of IoT protocols under a constrained wireless access network. In Selected Topics in Mobile & Wireless Networking (MoWNeT), 2016 International Conference on (pp. 1-7). IEEE.
