In the Internet, the gateway is a kind of intermediate device connecting the Intranet and other networks on the Internet, also known as the "router", and in the architecture of the Internet of Things, an intermediate device is needed between two different networks at the perception layer and the network layer, that is, the "Internet of Things gateway".

The Internet of Things gateway is a product born for the difficult conversion between different protocols, which is responsible for the protocol conversion of different devices in the intelligent hardware system such as smart home, smart grid, industrial control, etc., and enters the Internet through Ethernet, mobile network or WiFi to achieve remote communication and monitoring.

Compared with the Internet era, the communication protocol of the Internet of things is more diverse, and the fragmentation of things is very serious, which highlights the importance of the gateway - the Internet of Things gateway can integrate the information collected by different things, and transmit it to the next level, so that the information can be transmitted between the various parts. The iot gateway can realize the protocol conversion between perception network and communication network, as well as between different types of perception network. Both wide area and local area interconnection can be realized.

Such as TV, washing machine, air conditioner, refrigerator and other household appliances; Access control, smoke detector, camera and other security equipment; Lamps, chandeliers, electric curtains and other lighting equipment, through the integration of specific communication modules, respectively constitute their own AD hoc network subsystem. In the home Internet of Things gateway device, several sets of common AD hoc communication protocols are integrated, and can communicate with devices or subsystems using different protocols at the same time. Users only need to operate the gateway. You can control all the smart devices in your home that are connected to the gateway.

The gateway plays a very important core role in the system. What are the forms of the gateway?

* Wireless to wireless: WiFi to 433MHz, infrared, ZigBee (family common), Bluetooth, RFID/NFC;
* GPRS (2G, 3G, 4G) to 433MHz, infrared, ZigBee (industrial common), Bluetooth, RFID/NFC;
* Wireless to wired: WiFi to RS485, RS232, CAN (mostly industrial);
* Wired to wireless: Ethernet to 433MHz, infrared, ZigBee (family common);
* Wired to wired: Ethernet to RS485, RS232, CAN (mostly industrial);