Authors: Haritha Bhuvaneswari Illa
Abstract: Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) networks form the backbone of smart manufacturing and digital transformation under Industry 4.0. Efficient and reliable communication between sensors, controllers, and cloud systems is essential to ensure high productivity, safety, and automation efficiency. This paper presents a comparative study of wired and wireless communication protocols used in IIoT environments. It evaluates popular wired protocols such as Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus, and EtherCAT alongside wireless alternatives like Wi-Fi, ZigBee, LoRaWAN, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and 5G. Each protocol is analyzed in terms of latency, bandwidth, reliability, scalability, security, and energy efficiency. The research employs both analytical comparison from literature and simulation-based performance evaluation using MATLAB and NS-3 environments. Results reveal that wired protocols offer superior deterministic performance and reliability suitable for real-time control applications, whereas wireless technologies provide flexibility and scalability for monitoring and mobility-driven scenarios. The study highlights that hybrid architectures integrating wired backbones with wireless edge nodes can balance performance and deployment costs. This comparative analysis aims to guide industries in selecting suitable communication frameworks aligned with their operational requirements.
DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17528800
