Can I create mesh with the IoT SDK?

[Richard]

With reference to the IoT SDK for nrf51, I see the APIs and examples of either server or client.

In order to create mesh or peer-to-peer, which API should I use? Or do I have to use the timeslot API?

Thank you.

[Richard]

If it's using IP, technically the neighbouring nodes should be able to route around in a mesh network, right?

[Richard]

Probably this is the answer, which means NRF51, being 6LoWPAN over BLE, will not support packet forwarding to route from one node to the other node:

6LoWPAN router (6LR)

An intermediate router in the 6LoWPAN network that can send and receive Router Advertisement (RA) messages and Router Solicitation (RS) message and forward and route IPv6 packets. This router does not participate in an IP network outside of the 6LoWPAN network. Therefore, it has limited routing capability.

Bluetooth low energy supports a star topology, therefore this role is not used here. There could be BLE devices that serve as master and slave at the same time, but how these devices should route or behave has not been defined in the current IETF draft and is therefore not part of the standard.

[Hung Bui]

@Richard: you are correct, the current implementation on IoT SDK is simply send the packet to the headless router and from the router it is forwarded to the destination IPv6 address node and vice versa.

The topology of the connection from local end nodes to the router is star.

No mesh implemented here. You can use the timeslot API to create mesh. Or have a look here. It's broadcast mesh though.

[David Edwin]

The current IoT SDK cannot be used with the ble-bcast-mesh as the IoT SDK as of date (22 June 2015) is not based on a production SoftDevice, once the IoT SDK can be used on a production soft device it would be possible to run IoT SDK and the bcast mesh. The nRF51-ble-bcast-mesh however is based on production softdevice and can run on all Softdevices that have the TimeSlot API (S110/S120/S130).