Interconnection between 802.15.4 Devices and IPv6: Implications and Existing Approaches

The increasing role of home automation in routine life and the rising demand for sensor networks enhanced wireless personal area networks (WPANs) development, pervasiveness of wireless & wired network, and research. Soon arose the need of implementing the Internet Protocol in these devices in order to WPAN standards, raising the way for questions on how to provide seamless communication between wired and wireless technologies. After a quick overview of the Low-rate WPAN standard (IEEE 802.15.4) and the Zigbee stack, this paper focuses on understanding the implications when interconnecting low powered IEEE 802.15.4 devices and a wired IPv6 domain. Subsequently the focus will be on existing approaches to connect LoWPAN devices to the internet and on how these approaches try to solve these challenges, concluding with a critical analysis of interoperability problems.