628 Networking Fundamentals

628.1 Overview

This comprehensive guide to IoT networking fundamentals has been organized into focused chapters for easier learning. Each chapter covers a specific aspect of networking with hands-on examples, knowledge checks, and interactive tools.

628.2 Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

Understand Network Fundamentals: Explain core networking concepts for IoT
Master the OSI Model: Describe the 7-layer model and its IoT applications
Explain TCP/IP Stack: Understand protocols at each layer
Design Network Topologies: Choose appropriate topologies for IoT systems
Understand Addressing: Work with IP addresses, MAC addresses, and ports
Compare Protocols: Select appropriate protocols for different IoT scenarios
Implement Basic Networking: Configure and troubleshoot IoT networks

628.3 Chapter Guide

This module is divided into the following chapters:

628.3.1 Foundation Chapters

Chapter	Description	Difficulty
Networking Basics	Getting started with networking concepts, the postal analogy, and why IoT needs networking	Beginner
Protocol Layers	OSI model, IoT protocol mapping, and protocol selection decision trees	Intermediate
Address Collisions	The Birthday Problem, address space sizing, and bandwidth calculation	Intermediate

628.3.2 Technical Deep Dives

Chapter	Description	Difficulty
Radio Propagation	Overview and index for propagation topics	Intermediate
– Free Space Path Loss	FSPL formula, log-distance model, path loss exponents	Intermediate
– Material Attenuation	Building material losses, RSSI localization	Intermediate
– Link Budget	Link budget calculations, protocol comparisons	Intermediate
– Fresnel Zones	Fresnel clearance, antenna height, deployment	Intermediate
MAC Protocols	CSMA, TDMA, ALOHA, hidden terminals, NAT, TCP congestion, and QoS	Advanced

628.3.3 Practice and Assessment

Chapter	Description	Difficulty
Knowledge Checks	Videos and practice questions covering all topics	Intermediate
Hands-On Labs	ESP32 network simulators, performance measurement, packet protocols	Intermediate
Packet Journey Game	Interactive adventure game reinforcing routing and protocol concepts	Intermediate

628.4 Recommended Learning Path

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graph TD
    A["Networking Basics"] --> B["Protocol Layers"]
    B --> C["Address Collisions"]
    C --> D["Radio Propagation"]
    D --> E["Knowledge Checks"]
    E --> F["Hands-On Labs"]
    F --> G["Packet Journey Game"]

    D --> H["MAC Protocols<br/>(Advanced)"]
    H --> E

    style A fill:#16A085,stroke:#2C3E50,color:#fff
    style B fill:#16A085,stroke:#2C3E50,color:#fff
    style C fill:#16A085,stroke:#2C3E50,color:#fff
    style D fill:#16A085,stroke:#2C3E50,color:#fff
    style E fill:#E67E22,stroke:#2C3E50,color:#fff
    style F fill:#E67E22,stroke:#2C3E50,color:#fff
    style G fill:#E67E22,stroke:#2C3E50,color:#fff
    style H fill:#2C3E50,stroke:#16A085,color:#fff

Figure 628.1: Recommended learning path through the Networking Fundamentals module

{fig-alt=“Learning path diagram showing progression from Networking Basics through Protocol Layers, Address Collisions, Radio Propagation, to Knowledge Checks, Labs, and Game, with an optional advanced path through MAC Protocols”}

628.5 Quick Reference: Key Concepts

628.5.1 Protocol Comparison

Protocol	Range	Data Rate	Power	Best For
Wi-Fi	50-100m	1-1300 Mbps	High	Home devices with power
Bluetooth LE	10-50m	1-2 Mbps	Low	Wearables, proximity
Zigbee	10-100m	250 Kbps	Very Low	Home automation mesh
LoRaWAN	2-15 km	0.3-50 Kbps	Ultra Low	Wide area sensors
NB-IoT	1-10 km	200 Kbps	Low	Cellular IoT

628.5.2 Address Space Quick Guide

Address Type	Size	Safe Device Count	Use Case
16-bit	65,536	~220 devices	Zigbee PAN
32-bit	4.3 billion	~55,000 devices	IPv4 private
48-bit	281 trillion	~20 million	MAC addresses
128-bit	340 undecillion	Unlimited	IPv6, UUIDs

628.6 Prerequisites

Before starting this module, you should be familiar with:

Layered Network Models: Understanding the OSI and TCP/IP models provides the theoretical framework
Basic computer science concepts: Binary numbers, data representation, and basic programming