Network Routing

12Routing in 6LoWPAN

• 12.1 Introduction
  • 12.1.1 IP for Smart Objects
  • 12.1.2 6LoWPAN
  • 12.1.3 ZigBee
  • 12.1.4 ZigBee vs 6LoWPAN
• 12.2 6 LoWPAN Fundamentals
  • 12.2.1 Architecture
  • 12.2.2 Header Format and Compression
  • 12.2.3 Network Topology
  • 12.2.4 Neighbor Discovery
  • 12.2.5 Routing
• 12.3 Interoperability of 6LoWPAN
• 12.4 Applications
• 12.5 Security Considerations and Research Areas
• References
• Abbreviations/Terminologies
• Questions
• Exercises

12.1 Introduction

IPv6 over Low‐Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPAN) is a protocol defining flow of Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) packets over a resource‐constrained, low‐power, and short‐range wireless network. Low‐power wireless personal area networks are based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. IEEE 802.15.4‐compliant devices have short communication range and limited bandwidth, memory, processing power, and energy requirements. Based on these restrictions, it is generally assumed that 6LoWPAN transmits a small amount of data, but the protocol has no restriction on the amount of data that it can transmit [1]. These networks are also referred to as low‐power and lossy networks (LLNs), as the nodes are highly constrained and the characteristics of the network, radio links, and nodes lead to unstable connectivity [2]. 6LoWPAN aims at extreme network scalability and providing IP‐based connectivity even to the smallest of sensors and actuators that have a requirement to communicate among each other or with the external world over the Internet.

12.1.1 IP for Smart Objects ...