Platform / Protocols
Protocol selection guide
Bluetooth Mesh, Thread, LoRaWAN, Zigbee 3.0 — each optimised for different facility use cases. Technical comparison with RSSI/LQI metrics.
Comparison Matrix
Protocol comparison matrix
Select the right protocol stack for your facility deployment context. Meshkindle gateways support all four concurrently.
| Protocol | Frequency | Typical range | Max nodes | Latency | Power profile | Best use case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth Mesh 5.x | 2.4 GHz | 10–30 m/hop | 32,767 | ~50–150 ms | Low–medium | DALI-2 lighting, low-power assets, occupancy |
| Thread (802.15.4) | 2.4 GHz | 15–40 m/hop | Unlimited (routing) | ~10–80 ms | Very low (sleepy) | HVAC sensors, CO2 monitoring, time-critical control |
| LoRaWAN | Sub-GHz (868/915 MHz) | 100–500 m LOS | Thousands/gateway | 1–5 s | Ultra-low (LPWAN) | Parking, outdoor sensors, 5+ year battery |
| Zigbee 3.0 | 2.4 GHz | 10–30 m/hop | 65,000 | ~30–100 ms | Low | Asset tracking, environmental monitoring |
Bluetooth Mesh 5.x
Lighting & Low-PowerBluetooth Mesh uses a managed flood network topology. Every relay node re-broadcasts messages with TTL decrement. This makes it resilient to node failures — the network self-heals without a routing table update. Ideal for DALI-2 lighting deployments where 100–1,200 nodes need to respond to zone commands within 150 ms.
MK-NODE-BT nodes operate as relay + proxy nodes by default. RSSI thresholds for relay decisions are configurable via MeshOS to prevent flooding on dense deployments.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Channel plan | 2.4 GHz ISM, 37 data channels |
| Modulation | GFSK (BT 5.x) |
| Max payload | 229 bytes (unsegmented) |
| Security | AES-CCM 128-bit, per-network + per-application keys |
| Provisioning | BT SIG Mesh Provisioning spec (PB-ADV / PB-GATT) |
Thread (802.15.4)
HVAC & Low-Latency ControlThread creates a self-healing IPv6 mesh. Border Routers (running on MK-GW-1000) bridge the Thread mesh to your IP network via 6LoWPAN. Every device gets a routable IPv6 address — no NAT, no proxy, no address translation between sensors and BMS.
This makes Thread the preferred protocol for HVAC zone control where the BACnet/IP adapter on the gateway needs to poll individual sensors at 30-second intervals. Thread's deterministic routing table ensures latency under 80 ms end-to-end in typical commercial building layouts.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Addressing | IPv6 (6LoWPAN compression) |
| Routing protocol | Distance-vector, reactive |
| Security | AES-CCM, TLS 1.3 for uplink |
| Topology | Mesh with Border Router(s) |
| Matter compatibility | Yes (Matter over Thread) |
LoRaWAN
Long-Range & OutdoorLoRaWAN is a star-of-stars topology optimized for ultra-low-power devices transmitting small payloads at infrequent intervals. Ideal for parking sensors, perimeter water leak detectors, outdoor environmental monitors, and any application requiring 3–10 year battery life without PoE access.
The MK-GW-1000 includes an optional LoRaWAN concentrator module. The built-in LoRaWAN Network Server supports up to 2,000 end devices per gateway. Data is forwarded via MQTT bridge to MeshOS alongside BT Mesh and Thread sensor data.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 868 MHz (EU) / 915 MHz (US) |
| Spreading factors | SF7–SF12 (adaptive) |
| Max payload | 51–242 bytes (SF-dependent) |
| Security | AES-128 end-to-end |
| Activation | OTAA (recommended) or ABP |
Zigbee 3.0
Asset Tracking & EnvironmentalZigbee 3.0 uses the same 802.15.4 PHY as Thread but a different network layer. It remains widely supported in hospital asset tracking and environmental monitoring devices. MK-GW-1000 includes a Zigbee 3.0 co-radio allowing deployment of existing Zigbee sensor fleets alongside BT Mesh nodes.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Addressing | Short 16-bit + IEEE 64-bit EUI |
| Security | AES-128, network + link keys |
| Topology | Coordinator + Router + End device |
| Max cluster size | ~65,000 devices (theoretical) |
Coexistence
Multi-protocol coexistence in the same facility
All four protocols share 2.4 GHz spectrum. The MK-GW-1000 manages interference through time-division coexistence arbitration built into the co-radio chipset.
Time-division arbitration
The co-radio chipset schedules BT Mesh, Thread, and Zigbee transmissions with microsecond-level time slots, preventing collisions without external coordination.
LoRaWAN separation
LoRaWAN operates on sub-GHz bands (868/915 MHz) and is naturally isolated from 2.4 GHz protocols. No coexistence management required.
RSSI-guided channel selection
MeshOS monitors per-channel RSSI during low-traffic periods and adjusts preferred channel assignments for BT Mesh and Thread to minimize Wi-Fi interference.