Implementation and Analysis of MAC Layer and Network Layer Protocols in 6LoWPAN Networks for Home Automation: A Comparative Study of Software and Hardware Approaches

This research paper addresses the problem of accurately evaluating energy consumption in ‘IPv6 Low Power Personal Area Networks” (6LoWPAN) used for home automation application, consisting of constrained devices with limited processing power, battery capacity, and memory. We implemented both MAC-layer protocols and the Network-layer protocol for the MRHOF-ETX objective function, comparing their performance using software and hardware approaches. Our 6LoWPAN network includes five nodes: one Border Gateway, one End Device, and three Routers. The End Device monitors parameters such as light intensity, temperature, and humidity, transmitting this data to the Border Gateway via the parent Router in the DODAG hierarchy. Our study reveals notable discrepancies between software simulations and hardware implementations. In the software approach, a single node consumed approximately 140 mW during communication, with an overall network consumption of 660 mW. The hardware approach, however, showed a single node consuming 110 mW and an overall network consumption of 520 mW, indicating a 22% reduction. These findings highlight the significant impact of MAC and Network-layer protocols on the power consumption of 6 LoWPAN networks. By exposing the gap between software simulations and real-world hardware results, our research emphasizes the need for hardware-based evaluations to develop accurate energy optimization strategies, providing valuable insights for the research community.