Keil Studio Cloud
Mistake on this page?
Report an issue in GitHub or email us
Docs › API references and tutorials › Connectivity › Connectivity options and config › 6LoWPAN Mesh

6LoWPAN Mesh

This page describes build-time configurable parameters for 6LoWPAN-based mesh networks (6LoWPAN-ND and Wi-SUN). An Mbed OS library called Nanostack, which has a separate configuration, implements the 6LoWPAN mesh protocols.

This guide is divided in sections, and generic Nanostack configurations are explained first, followed by those for 6LoWPAN-ND and Wi-SUN.

For understanding the technologies and APIs, please refer to following sections before this one:

Providing the configuration

The application needs to create an mbed_app.json configuration file if you want to use other than default settings. Values are either prefixed with nanostack.*, nsapi.* or mbed-mesh-api.*, depending on which internal module they configure.

An example of the configuration file:

{
    "target_overrides": {
        "*": {
            "nanostack.configuration": "lowpan_router",
            "nsapi.default-mesh-type": "LOWPAN",
            "mbed-mesh-api.6lowpan-nd-device-type": "NET_6LOWPAN_ROUTER",
            "mbed-mesh-api.6lowpan-nd-channel": 12,
        }
    }

Note: The configuration files for 6LoWPAN and Wi-SUN are provided for development or testing purposes. When setting up the production configuration, the user needs to have a good understanding of the whole system.

Nanostack build time configuration

To minimize the size of the produced 6LoWPAN network stack, Nanostack defines a set of build options that are used to compile only needed functionality.

Build options for different mesh types

If you want to optimize the flash use, you need to configure Nanostack. The configuration to choose depends mostly on the preferred use case. The following table includes the Nanostack binary size when compiled with different build options in nanostack.configuration:

Option name (nanostack.configuration) Features supported Estimated binary size of Nanostack
ethernet_host Only Ethernet host support, no mesh networking. 80 kB
lowpan_border_router 6LoWPAN-ND border router support. 183 kB
lowpan_router 6LoWPAN-ND routing host mode. 165 kB
lowpan_host 6LoWPAN-ND non routing host mode. 114 kB
nanostack_full Everything. This is only for testing purposes. 415 kB
ws_border_router Wi-SUN border router support. 261 kB
ws_router Wi-SUN router. 228 kB

Note: The binary sizes have been estimated using Arm Compiler 6.11. They differ based on the toolchains and repository status. The final size can only be estimated when linking the final application. The indicated size only gives you a guideline of what kind of changes to expect between different options.

You can select the correct nanostack.configuration build option based on the mesh network protocol (Wi-SUN and 6LoWPAN-ND) and device role (border router, router or host) you use.

In the application, choose from the following interface classes:

  • For 6LoWPAN-ND based network, use LoWPANNDInterface interface class.
  • For Wi-SUN FAN based network, use WisunInterface interface class.

Then you may optionally choose to select the nonrouting mode for those networks. The following tables show the values to use in the mbed_app.json file for your devices in different networks (nsapi.default-mesh-type):

nsapi.default-mesh-type: LOWPAN

Device role nanostack.configuration value mbed-mesh-api.6lowpan-nd-device-type
Mesh router (default) lowpan_router NET_6LOWPAN_ROUTER
Nonrouting device lowpan_host NET_6LOWPAN_HOST

nsapi.default-mesh-type: WISUN

Device role nanostack.configuration value
Mesh router (default) ws_router
Nonrouting device -

Nanostack's configuration

This configuration allows you to configure Nanostack features common to all mesh protocols:

Configuration parameters
------------------------
Name: nanostack-eventloop.exclude_highres_timer
    Description: Exclude high resolution timer from build
    Defined by: library:nanostack-eventloop
    No value set
Name: nanostack-eventloop.use_platform_tick_timer
    Description: Use platform provided low resolution tick timer for eventloop
    Defined by: library:nanostack-eventloop
    No value set

Configuration parameters
------------------------
Name: nanostack-eventloop.exclude_highres_timer
    Description: Exclude high resolution timer from build
    Defined by: library:nanostack-eventloop
    No value set
Name: nanostack-eventloop.use_platform_tick_timer
    Description: Use platform provided low resolution tick timer for eventloop
    Defined by: library:nanostack-eventloop
    No value set
Name: nanostack-hal.critical-section-usable-from-interrupt
    Description: Make critical section API usable from interrupt context. Else a mutex is used as locking primitive. Consult arm_hal_interrupt.c for possible side effects on interrupt latency.
    Defined by: library:nanostack-hal
    No value set
Name: nanostack-hal.event-loop-dispatch-from-application
    Description: Application is responsible of message dispatch loop. Else launch a separate thread for event-loop.
    Defined by: library:nanostack-hal
    No value set
Name: nanostack-hal.event-loop-use-mbed-events
    Description: Use Mbed OS global event queue for Nanostack event loop, rather than our own thread.
    Defined by: library:nanostack-hal
    No value set
Name: nanostack-hal.event_loop_thread_stack_size
    Description: Define event-loop thread stack size. [bytes]
    Defined by: library:nanostack-hal
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_NANOSTACK_HAL_EVENT_LOOP_THREAD_STACK_SIZE
    Value: 6144 (set by library:nanostack-hal)
Name: nanostack.configuration
    Description: Build time configuration. Refer to Handbook for valid values. Default: full stack
    Defined by: library:nanostack
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_NANOSTACK_CONFIGURATION
    Value: nanostack_full (set by library:nanostack)

Configuration parameters
------------------------
Name: nanostack-hal.critical-section-usable-from-interrupt
    Description: Make critical section API usable from interrupt context. Else a mutex is used as locking primitive. Consult arm_hal_interrupt.c for possible side effects on interrupt latency.
    Defined by: library:nanostack-hal
    No value set
Name: nanostack-hal.event-loop-dispatch-from-application
    Description: Application is responsible of message dispatch loop. Else launch a separate thread for event-loop.
    Defined by: library:nanostack-hal
    No value set
Name: nanostack-hal.event-loop-use-mbed-events
    Description: Use Mbed OS global event queue for Nanostack event loop, rather than our own thread.
    Defined by: library:nanostack-hal
    No value set
Name: nanostack-hal.event_loop_thread_stack_size
    Description: Define event-loop thread stack size. [bytes]
    Defined by: library:nanostack-hal
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_NANOSTACK_HAL_EVENT_LOOP_THREAD_STACK_SIZE
    Value: 6144 (set by library:nanostack-hal)

Generic Mbed mesh API configuration values

This configuration allows you to adjust Nanostack's heap usage:

Configuration parameters
------------------------
Name: mbed-mesh-api.heap-size
    Description: Nanostack's heap size [bytes: 0-4294967295]
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_HEAP_SIZE
    Value: 32500 (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.heap-stat-info
    Description: Pointer to heap statistics `mem_stat_t` storage.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_HEAP_STAT_INFO
    Value: NULL (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.heap-stat-info-definition
    Description: Definition of heap statistics `mem_stat_t` storage.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    No value set
Name: mbed-mesh-api.use-malloc-for-heap
    Description: Use `malloc()` for reserving the Nanostack's internal heap.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    No value set

The following parameters are only valid for the 6LoWPAN-ND mesh network. These are in use when the application uses the LoWPANNDInterface class:

Configuration parameters
------------------------
Name: mbed-mesh-api.6lowpan-nd-channel
    Description: RF channel to use when `channel_mask` is not defined. [0-26].
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    No value set
Name: mbed-mesh-api.6lowpan-nd-channel-mask
    Description: Channel mask, bit-mask of channels to use. [0-0x07fff800]
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_6LOWPAN_ND_CHANNEL_MASK
    Value: 0x7fff800 (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.6lowpan-nd-channel-page
    Description: 0 for 2.4 GHz and 2 for sub-GHz radios.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    No value set
Name: mbed-mesh-api.6lowpan-nd-device-type
    Description: Device mode (NET_6LOWPAN_ROUTER or NET_6LOWPAN_HOST). Router is routing packets from other device, creating a mesh network.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_6LOWPAN_ND_DEVICE_TYPE
    Value: NET_6LOWPAN_ROUTER (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.6lowpan-nd-panid-filter
    Description: Beacon PAN ID filter, 0xffff means no filtering. [0-0xffff]
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_6LOWPAN_ND_PANID_FILTER
    Value: 0xffff (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.6lowpan-nd-psk-key
    Description: Pre-shared network key. Byte array of 16 bytes. In form of: {0x00, 0x11, ... 0xff}
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_6LOWPAN_ND_PSK_KEY
    Value: {0xa0, 0xa1, 0xa2, 0xa3, 0xa4, 0xa5, 0xa6, 0xa7, 0xa8, 0xa9, 0xaa, 0xab, 0xac, 0xad, 0xae, 0xaf} (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.6lowpan-nd-psk-key-id
    Description: PSK key ID when PSK is enabled.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_6LOWPAN_ND_PSK_KEY_ID
    Value: 1 (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.6lowpan-nd-sec-level
    Description: Network security level (1-7). Use default `5`.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_6LOWPAN_ND_SEC_LEVEL
    Value: 5 (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.6lowpan-nd-security-mode
    Description: NONE or PSK to use either no security, or pre-shared network key.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_6LOWPAN_ND_SECURITY_MODE
    Value: NONE (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)

The following parameters are only valid for the Wi-SUN FAN mesh network. These are in use when the application uses the WisunInterface class:

Configuration parameters
------------------------
Name: mbed-mesh-api.wisun-bc-channel-function
    Description: Broadcast channel function as specified in the Wi-SUN FAN specification. Wi-SUN stack will select channel function if value 255 is used.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_WISUN_BC_CHANNEL_FUNCTION
    Value: 255 (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.wisun-bc-dwell-interval
    Description: Broadcast dwell interval. Range: 15-255 milliseconds. Wi-SUN stack default value will be used when set to 0.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    No value set
Name: mbed-mesh-api.wisun-bc-fixed-channel
    Description: Default 16-bit fixed channel for multicast. Used when channel hopping is not desired.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_WISUN_BC_FIXED_CHANNEL
    Value: 65535 (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.wisun-bc-interval
    Description: 32-bit broadcast interval. Duration between broadcast dwell intervals. Wi-SUN stack default value will be used when set to 0.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    No value set
Name: mbed-mesh-api.wisun-device-type
    Description: Supported device operating modes: MESH_DEVICE_TYPE_WISUN_ROUTER, MESH_DEVICE_TYPE_WISUN_BORDER_ROUTER
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_WISUN_DEVICE_TYPE
    Value: MESH_DEVICE_TYPE_WISUN_ROUTER (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.wisun-network-name
    Description: Network name for a wisun network. Maximum network name length can be 32 ASCII characters excluding terminating 0
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_WISUN_NETWORK_NAME
    Value: "Wi-SUN Network" (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.wisun-operating-class
    Description: Operating class for the regulatory-domain as specified in the Wi-SUN PHY Specification. Wi-SUN stack uses operating-class suitable for EU-region if value 255 is used.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_WISUN_OPERATING_CLASS
    Value: 255 (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.wisun-operating-mode
    Description: Operating mode as specified in the Wi-SUN PHY Specification. Wi-SUN stack uses operating-mode suitable for EU-region if value 255 is used.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_WISUN_OPERATING_MODE
    Value: 255 (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.wisun-regulatory-domain
    Description: Regulator domain value as specified in the Wi-SUN PHY Specification. Default value 3 is for EU region.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_WISUN_REGULATORY_DOMAIN
    Value: 3 (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.wisun-uc-channel-function
    Description: Unicast channel function as specified in the Wi-SUN FAN specification. Wi-SUN stack will select channel function if value 255 is used.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_WISUN_UC_CHANNEL_FUNCTION
    Value: 255 (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.wisun-uc-dwell-interval
    Description: Unicast dwell interval. Range: 15-255 milliseconds.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_WISUN_UC_DWELL_INTERVAL
    Value: 255 (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Name: mbed-mesh-api.wisun-uc-fixed-channel
    Description: Default 16-bit fixed channel for unicast. Used when channel hopping is not desired.
    Defined by: library:mbed-mesh-api
    Macro name: MBED_CONF_MBED_MESH_API_WISUN_UC_FIXED_CHANNEL
    Value: 65535 (set by library:mbed-mesh-api)
Previous Next
Important Information for this Arm website

This site uses cookies to store information on your computer. By continuing to use our site, you consent to our cookies. If you are not happy with the use of these cookies, please review our Cookie Policy to learn how they can be disabled. By disabling cookies, some features of the site will not work.