Frequently Asked m2m / IoT Questions

SIM or Subscriber Identity Module is a removable smart card that stores the service subscriber key, often abbreviated as IMSI. The service subscriber key and authentication codes are used to identify a subscriber’s mobile telephony device (computer) and mobile phones.

APN is a common name for an access point on HSDPA/HSUPA/GPRS/3G/4G/.

There are three types of access points:

1). Internet network where a mobile device can connect.

2). The settings used to make that connection.

3). A specific configuration in a group of settings on a mobile phone.

All network providers have a Public APN. After a SIM card is enabled for data from GPRS/3G/4G or any other mobile telecommunication technology, the Public APN is added by default. The Public APN has no limitations on users and is open to use by everyone.

With a Private APN a customer has direct access to their LAN and can specify specific parameters like the private address space allocated to the devices & RADIUS server attributes used for user authentication. This APN also allows users to access the internet.

Security is one of the key benefits to a Private APN. By staying completely on a GPRS/3G, you’re exposure to external threats, such as viruses and spammers, is almost eliminated.

Another benefit of a Private APN is the lower complexity of the communication path, which also reduces chance of system failure.

Think of it as an address for your internet connected devices. An IP address is a unique identification number assigned to every machine that interfaces with the internet. An example of an IP address looks like: 212.47.31.315

The decimals used to express IP addresses are used primarily to aid in recall of the numbers. Think of it as an international telephone number. First you have the country code, then you have the area code, and finally a regional prefix. With an IP address, data can be sent to any machine.

A public IP address is an IP address visible to anyone. Since these IP addresses are public, other people can find and access devices, like a Web server.

An IP number that lies within the IP address ranges designated for private use by the Internet standards groups. The ranges reserved for Private IP addresses are:

10.0.0.0 through 10.255.255.255

169.254.0.0 through 169.254.255.255 (APIPA only)

172.16.0.0 through 172.31.255.255

192.168.0.0 through 192.168.255.255

Private IP addresses are normally used on local networks such as schools, home and business LAN’s including many hotels and airports. Devices that have private IP address are unable to directly access the internet. Similarly, computers beyond the local network are unable to connect to a device with a Private IP address. The alternative lets these devices access the internet through a brokered router or similar device that is capable of supporting NAT or Network Address Translation. This acronym conceals the Private IP numbers, but allows selective exchange of messages between devices, adding another layer of security to the local network.

Sometimes referred to as a static IP address, a fixed IP address is an address assigned to a computer by an Internet service provider (ISP) and is its permanent address on the Internet.

IP addresses are used by computers to locate and communicate with each other while on the internet. This process is similar to how we use our telephones to communicate and locate businesses and friends. Like a phone number, an IP address will be the same no matter the frequency it connects/disconnects from a network.