This week, HI-LINK, a supplier to the LCSC, shared with us the basics of Bluetooth mesh networking and the Bluetooth gateway. What is Bluetooth mesh networking? What are its application areas? And what are the differences between Bluetooth mesh networking and Bluetooth gateway?
What Is Bluetooth Mesh Networking?
Bluetooth mesh networking is a wireless communication network based on Bluetooth technology, which can realize the interconnection between multiple Bluetooth devices. This networking method offers significant advantages of low power consumption, low cost, and easy deployment. It is an ideal solution for a variety of applications, including smart homes and smart industries.
The core of Bluetooth mesh networking is the Bluetooth protocol stack. In the Bluetooth protocol stack, we divide devices into different roles, such as central devices, peripheral devices, and intermediate devices. Central devices can communicate with multiple peripheral devices, while peripheral devices can only communicate with one central device. Through this hierarchical structure, we can realize networking methods such as multi-hop communication and broadcast communication.
In Bluetooth mesh networking, devices can communicate through two methods: broadcasting and connection. Broadcasting is a one-to-many communication method. The central device sends a broadcast signal that all connected peripheral devices can receive. Connection, on the other hand, is a one-to-one communication method. After establishing a connection between the central device and the peripheral device, they can send and receive data from each other.
Application of Bluetooth Mesh Networking
In practical applications, we can configure Bluetooth mesh networking to meet various needs.
For instance, in smart homes, we use Bluetooth mesh networking to interconnect lighting, air conditioning, curtains, and other equipment, enabling centralized control and intelligent management. In smart industries, we utilize Bluetooth module mesh networking to connect sensors, actuators, controllers, and other equipment, achieving automation and intelligence in the production process.
Differences Between Bluetooth Mesh Networking and Bluetooth Gateway
Network structure: Bluetooth mesh networking is a self-organizing network consisting of multiple nodes, each of which can communicate with surrounding nodes and transmit data through multi-hop transmission. The Bluetooth gateway is a central node that connects networks with different protocols, such as connecting a Bluetooth mesh network to a Wi-Fi network.
Communication mode: Bluetooth mesh networking supports three communication modes: broadcast, unicast, and multicast. It realizes data transmission through multi-hop transmission. Bluetooth gateways generally use unicast or multicast to communicate.
Application scenarios: Bluetooth mesh networking is suitable for applications where data needs to be transmitted over a large area, such as in smart homes and the Internet of Things. Bluetooth gateways are ideal for scenarios that involve communication between different protocol networks, such as bridging a Bluetooth mesh network to a Wi-Fi network or integrating a Bluetooth network with a Zigbee network.
Device type: Bluetooth mesh networking devices are generally smart devices, such as smart lights, smart sockets, smart door locks, etc. Bluetooth gateway devices are generally gateway devices, such as Bluetooth mesh gateways, Wi-Fi gateways, etc.
Communication distance: The communication distance of Bluetooth mesh networking is short, generally between 10 and 30 meters. The Bluetooth gateway can extend the communication distance by connecting different networks.
In summary, there are obvious differences between Bluetooth mesh networking and Bluetooth gateways. They differ in terms of network structure, communication mode, application scenarios, device types, and communication distances.
LCSC is an authorized distributor for HI-LINK. LCSC gathers over 560,000 in-stock SKUs from more than 2,600 manufacturers. View and select HI-LINK’s Bluetooth modules and other products on LCSC.
