Wirepas Mesh 2.4GHz Firmware v5.4 and Silicon Labs EFR32MG24: A Powerful Combination for IoT Applications

Wirepas and SILICON LABS have taken their partnership to the next level with the release of Wirepas Mesh 2.4 GHz Firmware v5.4, which supports the EFR32MG24 (MG24) family of wireless SoCs. This enables developers to create Wirepas Mesh nodes that can handle both the Wirepas Mesh stack and the application code on a single chip, while offering low power consumption, high performance, and robust security.

Why are MG24 wireless SoCs beneficial for Wirepas Mesh devices?

The MG24 is a multi-core, single chip solution with a Cortex M33 application core and dedicated Cortex M0+ cores for the radio and security subsystems. The multi-core architecture combined with up to 1.5MB of available flash makes the MG24 a great fit for almost any application. The MG24 also offers better low power performance than other supported devices, extending the battery life for Wirepas Mesh devices and enabling new use cases for the Wirepas ecosystem.

The MG24 also integrates the Silicon Labs Secure Vault™, which provides an advanced crypto accelerator, as well as features like DPA countermeasures, anti-tamper, and secure key management. These features protect the data and the device from both local and remote attacks. Secure VaultTM complements the protocol security of the Wirepas stack, making the combination one of the most secure solutions on the market.

What are the benefits of Wirepas Mesh 2.4 GHz Firmware v5.4?

Wirepas Mesh 2.4 GHz Firmware v5.4 is the latest version of the Wirepas Mesh stack, which is a decentralized, scalable, and reliable mesh network protocol for IoT applications. Wirepas Mesh 2.4 GHz Firmware v5.4 delivers several benefits to MG24, such as:

• Very large scalability: Support up to 4 billion nodes per network, and multiple networks can coexist in the same area without interference.

• Superior reliability: Handle dynamic network conditions, such as node mobility, node failure, and environmental changes, and automatically optimize the network performance and routing.

• Ease of use: Built-in provisioning, over-the-air updates (OTAP), security, and network diagnostics.

What are the use cases for Wirepas Mesh and MG24 wireless SoCs?

With the MG24, developers can leverage the benefits of Wirepas Mesh 2.4 GHz Firmware v5.4, while enjoying the advantages of the Silicon Labs EFR platform. The MG24 is the ideal choice for developers who want to create Wirepas Mesh nodes that can meet the demands of today’s and tomorrow’s applications. Some of the use cases that have been seen for the combination of Wirepas Mesh and MG24 are:

• Smart building: Wirepas Mesh and MG24 can be used for security, emergency lighting, and personnel detection applications in commercial buildings. The ease of installing a range of sensors anywhere in the building and having them seamlessly connect to the network is unparalleled. To learn more about applications like this, please check out the case study of how INGY enhanced smart lighting control with Wirepas and Silicon Labs.

• Warehouse inventory and asset tracking: Wirepas Mesh and Silicon Labs can also be used for warehouse inventory and asset tracking applications. Using a combination of MG22 and MG24 devices, developers have an ideal combination for ultra-low power devices needed for tracking and fully featured devices based on MG24 for the automation piece. This platform approach allows developers to focus on their end application rather than learning a new toolset for each device type. The common security architecture between MG22 and MG24 also allows them to maintain a common security scheme across devices rather than having to modify that scheme based on the underlying chipset.

How to get started creating Wirepas Mesh nodes?

If you are interested in creating Wirepas Mesh nodes with the MG24, you can get started by following these steps:

• Get the EFR32MG24 Wireless Starter Kit from Silicon Labs, which includes two MG24 radio boards, two main boards, and a debug adapter.

• Get the Wirepas Mesh License from Wirepas, which includes the Wirepas Mesh stack, the Wirepas Network Tool, and the Wirepas Mesh SDK.

• Follow the Getting Started Guide from Wirepas, which will guide you through the installation, configuration, and testing of the Wirepas Mesh stack on the MG24 devices.

We hope you enjoy the powerful combination of Wirepas Mesh 2.4 GHz Firmware v5.4 and Silicon Labs EFR32MG24, and we look forward to seeing what you create with it.