Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology

31st July 2012. Vol. 41 No.2

© 2005 - 2012 JATIT & LLS. All rights reserved.

ISSN: 1992-8645 [Link] E-ISSN: 1817-3195

A STUDY ON PROTOCOL STACK IN 6LOWPAN MODEL

1
NURUL HALIMATUL ASMAK ISMAIL, 2ROSILAH HASSAN, 3KHADIJAH W. M. GHAZALI
1, 2, 3
Network & Communication Technology Lab, Software Technology and Management Unit,
Faculty of Information Science and Technology,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
E-mail: 1anas_albakhri@[Link] , 2rosilah@[Link] , 3khadijah@[Link]

ABSTRACT

Due to recent advances of heterogeneous network and the emergence of Internet of Things (IoT), wireless
personal area networks including wireless sensor networks are assumed to be part of the huge
heterogeneous network. This calls for a smooth integration between the higher network layer protocols
Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) and the lower media access control (MAC) layer protocol IEEE 802.15.4.
IEEE 802.15.4 is a standard that specifies the physical layer and MAC layer for Wireless Personal Area
Network (WPAN). This standard is suited for Low-Rate Wireless Personal Area Networks (LR-WPANs), a
constrained network of tiny, low power, low rate, small size memory with low computation and
communication capabilities. However, IPv6 is forming the backbone of the desired heterogeneous network.
Direct integration between IPv6 and IEEE 802.15.4 lower network layers is not possible. Hence, latest
technology development is the transmission of IPv6 packets over Low-power Wireless Personal Area
Networks (6LoWPAN). This has enforced some modification to the existing protocol stack and introduced
the 6LoWPAN protocol stack. The 6LoWPAN protocol stack involves 802.15.4 physical (PHY) and
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, 6LoWPAN adaptation layer, network layer, transport layer and
application layer with specific 6LoWPAN application. This review paper describes all layers in 6LoWPAN
protocol stack including its routing protocols, namely the Route-over and Mesh-under. These routing
schemes are applied in 6LoWPAN adaptation layer and network layer.
Keywords: 6lowpan, Protocol Stack, Adaptation Layer, MAC, PHY

1. INTRODUCTION Basically, 6LoWPAN protocol stack are

comprises of 802.15.4 physical (PHY) and medium
Sensor node is the emergence of new access control (MAC) layer, adaptation layer,
technologies is a small, low-power, low-cost and network layer, transport layer and application layer.
multifunctional devices. These tiny devices are Now days, many research on these layers have been
capable of sensing, computation (signal processing) made and analyze. 802.15.4 PHY and MAC are
and wireless communication capabilities. In some exactly similar to ZigBee protocol standard. In this
applications, these sensors can be mobile. Mobility paper, review of protocol stacks in 6LoWPAN is
issues have been discussed in [1]. Collaboration identified and some routing protocols are involved.
between the sensor nodes is capable of producing
There have been a few developments on routing
powerful wireless networking systems known as
protocols for 6LoWPAN and it can be categorized
Wireless Sensor Nodes. However, the use of
into two routing schemes: Route-over and Mesh-
Internet Protocol (IP) in these networks has
under. Some protocols for mesh-under are
embarked on the development of Internet Protocol
described as below. The 6LoWPAN Ad-Hoc On-
version 6 (IPv6) over Low power Wireless Personal
Demand Distance Vector Routing protocol (LOAD)
Area Networks (6LoWPAN). 6LoWPAN defines
has been proposed in [4]. LOAD is a simplifies
that layering of IPv6 over low-power, low
routing protocol based on Ad hoc On-Demand
bandwidth, low-cost and small network by IEEE
Distance Vector (AODV) for 6LoWPAN. This
802.15.4 standard. There are many main issues
routing protocol is a single path routing protocol. It
related to 6LoWPAN, including the IP connectivity,
enables multi-hop routing between IEEE 802.15.4
topologies, limited packet size, limited
devices to establish and maintain routing routes in
configuration and management, service and security
6LoWPAN.
discovery [2].
Besides that, Dynamic MANET On-demand for
6LoWPAN Routing (DYMO-low) [5] is another

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 Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology
31st July 2012. Vol. 41 No.2
© 2005 - 2012 JATIT & LLS. All rights reserved.

ISSN: 1992-8645 [Link] E-ISSN: 1817-3195

6LoWPAN routing protocol that based on Dynamic Expectation (ALE) working group would occur
MANET On-demand (DYMO). DYMO-low between 2005 and 2011 [12]. Since, IPv4 defines a
positioning is underneath of IP layering in creating 32 bit address is meant that, there are 2^32 (4 294
a mesh network topology of IEEE 802.15.4 devices. 967 296) unique address available. However, most
It use single wireless interface underneath and of the addresses are already occupied and the
unbeknownst to IP. The significant feature in Internet is simply running out of IPs. Then, IPv6 is
DYMO-low is it can support either 16-bit link layer developed based on experience of developing IPv4.
short address or IEEE 64-bit extended address It is designed to handle the growth rate of the
(EUI-64). Internet [13]. There are a few advantages of IPv6
over IPv4 that can be highlighted in table 1.
On the other hand, considering low power, low
memory, low bandwidth and small packet size of 2.2 IEEE 802.15.4
the 6LoWPAN devices, the on-demand multi-hop
IEEE 802.15.4 is a standard that specifies the
routing with routing table and EUI-64 identifier
physical (PHY) layer and media access control
may limit the scalability. Hierarchical Routing for
(MAC) layer for smallest devices in wireless
6LoWPAN (HiLow) is employed in 6LoWPAN
personal area network. The characters and its
because of the capability of the dynamic assignment
description of IEEE 802.15.4 standard are listed
of 16-bit short addresses [6]. Extensively, it reduces
below [11]:
the overhead of maintaining routing tables and
support larger scalability. • Low bandwidth specifies the difference data
rates of 250 kbps, 40 kbps, and 20 kbps for each
2. 6LoWPAN OVERVIEW defined physical layers 2.4 GHz, 915 MHz and
6LoWPAN is an abbreviation of IPv6 over Low 868 MHz.
Power Wireless Area Networks. The specification • Low power specifies that some or all devices
of 6LoWPAN involves the transmission of IPv6 are battery operated.
over IEEE 802.15.4 network. The original idea is • Low cost specifies that these devices
that the Internet Protocol can be applied to the tiny collaborating with sensors which adopt low
and lightweight devices [3]. Figure 1 shows processing capabilities and low memory usage.
6LoWPAN position in the network hierarchy. A • Distance covered from the range of 10 m to 100
wireless personal area network (WPAN) is types of m, typically it is in small room, small area of
wireless networking. It is a network for specific location.
interconnecting devices around specific workspace • Devices involved are the Full Function Device
where the connections are wireless. Network layer (FFD) and Reduced Function Device (RFD).
addressing scheme can be categorized into, the FFD will act as a coordinator and router. The
fourth and sixth revisions in the development of the coordinator will form networks and route
Internet Protocol (IP), IPv4 and IPv6 respectively. packets, the router will routes packet. RFD is
Since the futuristic IPv6 protocol was created to the end device which will act as a sensor and
supersede and replace IPv4, in conjunction with the used to be sleep mode.
revolution of heterogeneous network and internet of • Two types of modes involved by MAC layer are
things, 6LoWPAN came to life avoiding creation of beacon enabled and non-beacon modes [11].
unborn 4LoWPAN protocol.
With this, the IETF working group insinuating IPv6
The main difference between 6LoWPAN and over low rate, low power, low cost which adopt
OSI protocol stacks is the emergence of adaptation physical layer and MAC layer of IEEE 802.15.4
layer. This layer is assumed to perform standard. Figure 2 shows the architecture of a
fragmentation/reassembly, header compression and device in accordance with the IEEE 802.15.4
mesh addressing which will be addressed later in standard and has the characteristics of low power,
this paper. low memory usage and low cost. Transmission of
2.1 IPv4 and IPv6 data packets by a RFD or a low power processing
in sensor nodes to outside 6LowPAN will be
IPv6 known as Internet Protocol version 6 forwarded through FFD. The FFD will act as a
designed through an operation by transferring data router in 6LowPAN and forward the data to the
in small packets that are independently routed gateway of 6LowPAN. Gateway of 6LowPAN that
across networks as specified by international connects with IPv6 domain will forward data
communications protocol. The exhaustion of IPv4 packets to the receiver’s devices using IP address
address as predicted by the Address Lifetime [3].

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 Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology
31st July 2012. Vol. 41 No.2
© 2005 - 2012 JATIT & LLS. All rights reserved.

ISSN: 1992-8645 [Link] E-ISSN: 1817-3195

Figure 1. 6LoWPAN in networking

Figure 2. 6LoWPAN overview

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 Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology
31st July 2012. Vol. 41 No.2
© 2005 - 2012 JATIT & LLS. All rights reserved.

ISSN: 1992-8645 [Link] E-ISSN: 1817-3195

Table 1. Comparisons of IPv6 and IPv4 based on main features[14]

IPv4 IPv6 IPv6 Advantages

Address Space 232 address space 2128 address space More address space
Routing End station and End station Faster routing
(packet fragmentation) routers
Mobility Need agent & used No agent & Faster handover
MIPv4 used MIPv6
Quality of Services High latency & Low latency & Use Enhanced support
differentiated traffic classes & flow
services labels
Security Site-to-site secure End-to-end secure More secure
communications communications
Auto Configuration of Need configuration Plug-and-play Faster configuration
Hosts
Checksum in header Included No checksum Faster routing
Header includes options Required Moved to IPv6 Faster routing
extension headers
Fragmentation Routers & source Source node Faster routing
node
IP configuration Manually or DHCP Auto-configuration or Speed up connection
DHCP
IPSec support Optional Required Better security
Unicast, multicast and Use all Uses unicast, Less packet traffic
broadcast multicast and anycast
Address Resolution Use to resolve an Replaced by neighbor Less packet traffic
Protocol (ARP) IPv4 address Discovery

Figure 3a. and 3b. explain the differences of the management service interfacing to the physical
OSI Layer Model and the reference model of layer management entity (PLME) service access
6LoWPAN protocol stack. It adopts IEEE 802.15.4 point (SAP) known as the PLME-SAP [8].
standard PHY and MAC layers which are specified
The PHY data services ultimately provides
in [3]. 6LoWPAN Model consists of application
transmission and reception of data packets between
layer, presentation layer, session layer, transport
MAC and PHY across the physical radio channel,
layer, network layer, IEEE 802.15.4 MAC layer
as well as the PHY management service interface,
and IEEE 802.15.4 PHY layer. This paper will
which offers access to every layer management
address all layers in 6LoWPAN. However, the main
function and maintains a database of information on
idea is to emphasis the network layer and
related personal area networks. It is based on IEEE
adaptation as it is the main framework of
802.15.4 with data rate of 250 kbps and operates at
6LoWPAN.
frequency of 2400 – 2483.5 MHz. Figure 4 shows
3 6LOWPAN STACK LAYERS the PHY layer protocol data unit of IEEE 802.15.4
is compliant with a maximum payload of 127 bytes.
6LoWPAN stack layers consist of PHY layer,
The PHY is prefixed prefixed by a
MAC layer, adaptation layer, network layer,
Synchronization Header (SHR) fields encompasses
transport layer and application layer. Basically, it
the Preamble Sequence and Start of Frame
employs how the IEEE 802.15.4 devices to
Delimiter fields, and a PHY Header (PHR)
communicate with each other over a wireless
encompasses of Frame Length/Reserved. The SHR
channel.
condone the receiver to achieve symbol
3.1 6LoWPAN Physical Layer synchronization. As a result, the SHR, PHR, and
PHY payload form PHY packet.
The 6LoWPAN PHY layer provides two
services: the PHY data service and the PHY

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 Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology
31st July 2012. Vol. 41 No.2
© 2005 - 2012 JATIT & LLS. All rights reserved.

ISSN: 1992-8645 [Link] E-ISSN: 1817-3195

Figure 3a. OSI layer model

Figure 3b. Comparison of 6LoWPAN layer model and OSI layer model

Figure 4. IEEE 802.15.4 PHY Packet Structure

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31st July 2012. Vol. 41 No.2
© 2005 - 2012 JATIT & LLS. All rights reserved.

ISSN: 1992-8645 [Link] E-ISSN: 1817-3195

3.2 6LoWPAN Data Link Layer adaptation layer should handle these fragmentation
and reassembly process.
The 6LoWPAN Data Link Layer, which is the
MAC sub-layer, provides two services: the MAC • Header Compression
data service and the MAC management service
interfacing to the MAC sub-layer management IEEE 802.15.4 defines four types of frames:
entity (MLME) service access point (SAP) beacon frames, MAC command frames,
(MLMESAP). The MAC data service is to let the acknowledgement frames, and data frames [7].
transmission and receiving of MAC protocol data Figure 7 shows IPv6 packets must be carried on
units (MPDU) across the PHY data service. In data frames. After the packet is fragmented and
IEEE 802.15.4 standard defined 4 frame structures transmitted over IEEE 802.15.4 frames, each
for MAC layer: data frame, beacon frame, fragment carries a part of the original IPv6 packets.
acknowledgement frame and MAC command The IEEE 802.15.4 frame which has a maximum
frame. packet size of 128 bytes; instead IPv6 header size is
40 bytes, User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and
Basically, MAC data frame is used for data Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) header
transferring, MAC beacon frame is generated by sizes are both 4 bytes, fragmentation header add
coordinator for synchronization, MAC command another 5 bytes overhead. Without compression,
frame is used by MAC management entity and 802.15.4 is not possible to transmit any payload
MAC acknowledgement frame will acknowledge effectively.
successful reception of the frame. Figure 5 explain
the general MAC frame format. • Routing

Figure 5 shows MAC Header (MHR) has frame There are a number of existing routing protocols
control, sequence number and address information in 6LoWPAN like: 6LoWPAN Ad-hoc On-Demand
fields. The addressing field contains source and Distance Vector (LOAD), Multipath based
destination of PAN and its address. The 6LoWPAN Ad-hoc On-Demand Distance Vector
information of IPv6 is allocated in the payload (MLOAD), Dynamic MANET On-Demand for
which is the MAC service data unit (MSDU). Then, 6LoWPAN Routing (DYMO-Low), Hierarchical
the MFR has Frame Check Sequence (FCS). The Routing (Hi-Low), Extended Hi-Low and Sink Ad-
MHR, MSDU and MFR form the general MAC hoc On-Demand Distance Vector Routing (S-
frame format. AODV).

3.3 6LoWPAN Adaptation Layer 3.4 6LoWPAN Network Layer

The 6LoWPAN format delineate on IPv6 The 6LoWPAN network layer provides the
communication is carried in 802.15.4 frames and internetworking capability to sensor nodes. The
specifies the adaptation layer’s key elements. main considerations of this layer are addressing,
6LoWPAN has three primary elements: mapping and routing protocols. As described
earlier, mesh-under routing decision occurs in
• Fragmentation and Reassembly 6LoWPAN adaptation layer. On the other hand,
route-over routing decision occurs in 6LoWPAN
IPv6 packet size over IEEE 802.15.4 is 1280
network layer.
bytes [7]. However, the packet size is larger than
IEEE 802.15.4 frame. In this condition, IPv6 packet Figure 8 shows routing decision layer for both
size unable to be encapsulated in one IEEE mesh-under and route-over routing protocols. The
802.15.4 frame. 802.15.4 protocol data units have main differences of routing issues in route-over and
variety of sizes. It depends on the overhead mesh-under schemes are in packet/fragment
occurred [8]. Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) forwarding process rather than route establishment
for IEEE 802.15.4 is 127 bytes. This frame has 25 phase. In route-over scheme, each link layer hop is
bytes, header, footer and addressing, overheads. In an IP hop and each node acts as IP router. The
addition, security header imposed by Link Layer packet is forwarded hop by hop from source to
adds 21 bytes overhead when AES-CCM-128 is destination between these links. The packet’s
used. As a result, the remaining for payload is 81 payload is encapsulated in IP header.
bytes as shown in figure 6a and 6b.
Later, IP packet is fragmented and the fragments
Due to this matter, one IPv6 that need to be are sent to the next hop based on routing table
transmitted over IEEE 802.15.4 frame has to be information. If the adaptation layer in the next hop
divided to more than 16 fragments. Hence, received all the fragments successfully, then it

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 Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology
31st July 2012. Vol. 41 No.2
© 2005 - 2012 JATIT & LLS. All rights reserved.

ISSN: 1992-8645 [Link] E-ISSN: 1817-3195

Figure [Link] MAC frame format

Figure 6a. IEEE 802.15.4 frame format

Figure 6b. IEEE 802.15.4 frame format

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 Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology
31st July 2012. Vol. 41 No.2
© 2005 - 2012 JATIT & LLS. All rights reserved.

ISSN: 1992-8645 [Link] E-ISSN: 1817-3195

Figure 7. IEEE 802.15.4 frame format

Figure 8. Routing decision layer

creates an IP packet from fragments and sends it up Protocol (UDP) and Transmission Control Protocol
to the network layer. After that, the network layer (TCP). At the source side, either TCP or UDP
sends the packet to the upper layer (transport layer), connections is established based on the application.
if the packet is destined for it. Otherwise, it Hence, either TCP or UDP processes is created.
forwards the packet to the next hop according to the The data from application layer is organized in
routing table information. However, if there are either UDP or TCP segments and attached to
some fragments missing, all fragments are created process (TCP or UDP processes). At the
retransmitted to one hop distance. destination side, after the UDP or TCP segments is
received from the network layer, the transport layer
3.5 6LoWPAN Transport Layer
processes the segment probably based on the
Similar to the transport layer in OSI model, protocol used and send it up to the application
6LoWPAN transport layer is responsible for layer. However, the most common protocol applied
process-to-process delivery. It delivers data with 6LoWPAN is the UDP [10]. In aspect of
segment to the appropriate application process on performance, efficiency and complexity, TCP is not
the host computers. In this layer, there are two preferably used with 6LoWPAN.
types of transport protocols; User Datagram

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 Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology
31st July 2012. Vol. 41 No.2
© 2005 - 2012 JATIT & LLS. All rights reserved.

ISSN: 1992-8645 [Link] E-ISSN: 1817-3195

3.6 6LoWPAN Application Layer [3] C.S. Kushalnagar, N.G. Montenegro, “IPv6
over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area
The 6LoWPAN application layer uses a socket
Networks (6LoWPANs): Overview,
interface for a specific application. From figure 9
Assumptions, Problem Statement, and Goals,”
below, each 6LoWPAN application opens a socket
2007, pp. 1-13.
which is then used to receive or send packets. Each
socket is associated with a protocol, TCP or UDP, [4] Kim, K.; Daniel Park, S.; Montenegro, G.; Yoo,
and source and/or destination ports [9]. S.; Kushalnagar, N. 6LoWPAN Ad Hoc On-
Demand Distance Vector Routing (LOAD),
draft-daniel-6lowpan-load-adhoc-routing-03,
2007.
[5] Kim, K.; Park, S.; Chakeres, I.; Perkins, C.
Dynamic MANET On-demand for 6LoWPAN
(DYMO-low) Routing, draft- montenegro-
6lowpan-dymo-low-routing-03, 2007.
[6] Kim, K.; Yoo, S.; Park, J.; Daniel Park, S.; Lee,
J. Hierarchical Routing over 6LoWPAN
(HiLow)”, draft-deniel-6lowpan- hilow-
[Link], 2005.
[7] A.H. Chowdhury, M. Ikram, H.-S. Cha, H.
Figure 9. 6LoWPAN application uses a socket Redwan, S.M.S. Shams, K.-H. Kim, and S.-W.
interface for a specific application Yoo, “Route-over vs mesh-under routing in
6LoWPAN,” Proceedings of the 2009
International Conference on Wireless
4 CONCLUSIONS Communications and Mobile Computing
Connecting the World Wirelessly - IWCMC
This paper describes the emergence of ’09, 2009, p. 1208.
6LoWPAN due to heterogeneous network. We have [8] C.S. Kushalnagar, N.G. Montenegro,
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MAC layer protocol of IEEE 802.15.4. Hence, it [9] 802.15.4-2003, IEEE standard, Wireless
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31st July 2012. Vol. 41 No.2
© 2005 - 2012 JATIT & LLS. All rights reserved.

ISSN: 1992-8645 [Link] E-ISSN: 1817-3195

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