RFBluetooth Mesh vs. WiFi Mesh: Key Differences
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This article compares Bluetooth Mesh (BLE Mesh) and WiFi Mesh technologies, highlighting their differences across various parameters.
Introduction
Wireless systems employ different topologies, including one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many, depending on the communication needs between nodes or devices.
In a mesh topology, data can be exchanged with any neighbor. If the receiver node is out of range, the data is relayed or routed until it reaches its destination.
Both BLE Mesh and WiFi Mesh use different relaying/routing techniques. Mesh networks offer numerous benefits, including self-healing, rapid deployment, resilience, greater range, higher bandwidth, and low power consumption.
Bluetooth Mesh specifications were developed on top of existing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) versions and launched in 2017. These specifications are developed and maintained by the Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group). WLAN specifications are developed and maintained by IEEE under the 802.11 series. WiFi Mesh specifications are defined in the IEEE 802.11s WLAN standard. Compared to traditional WLAN, WiFi Mesh supports a greater number of Access Points (APs).
802.11s is an amendment to the existing IEEE 802.11 WLAN standard, incorporating mesh networking services and protocols at Layer-2 (MAC layer).
Difference Between BLE Mesh and WiFi Mesh
The following table outlines the key differences between Bluetooth Mesh and WiFi Mesh technologies:
| Parameters | Bluetooth Mesh | WiFi Mesh |
|---|---|---|
| Specification | Published by Bluetooth SIG | Published by IEEE under 802.11s standard |
| Frequency | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz |
| Data Rate | 1 Mbps | 150 Mbps |
| Bandwidth | Narrower | Wider |
| Coverage range | 10 to 100 meters | 10 to 50 meters, depending on the range of the Access Point (AP) or router |
| Deployment | Easy Setup | Auto |
| Node/Device types | Relay node, Low Power Node (LPN), Friend node, Proxy node | Mesh point, Mesh AP, Mesh Portal, Station (STA) |
| Delay/latency | Low | Moderate |
| Power consumption | Low due to LPN node used in the network | Higher than BLE mesh |
| Number of nodes | 32767 | 255 |
| Routing algorithm | Uses managed flooding technique, which is not very efficient as every message traverses the entire network. | Peer-to-peer, WiFi mesh uses routing algorithms which are Internet Protocol (IP) based and more efficient. 802.11s supports HWMP (Hybrid Wireless Mesh Protocol) and RA-OLSR. |
| Cost | Low | High |
| Applications | Industrial IoT use cases such as lighting, automotive, etc. Not suitable for audio and video transmission. | Wireless LAN, internet, data, audio, video, etc. IoT applications include home automation, smart HVAC control, smart buildings, etc. |
