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Implementation of 5G IoT Based Smart Buildings using VLAN Configuration

via Cisco Packet Tracer

Article · July 2020

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 International Journal of Electronics Communication and Computer Engineering
Volume 11, Issue 4, ISSN (Online): 2249–071X

Implementation of 5G IoT Based Smart Buildings

using VLAN Configuration via Cisco Packet Tracer
Faris A. Almalki
Department of Computer Engineering College of Computers and Information Technology, Taif University,
Kingdome of Saudi Arabia.

Date of publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 05/09/2020

Abstract – This paper aims to present an implementation of 5G IoT smart buildings using virtual network in Cisco
Packet Tracer visual simulation tool. The rational of smart buildings is not only to improve wireless connectivity, but
also to enhance life quality and safety in various aspects of people’s life. The 5G IoT architecture considers security,
fire safety, energy management, wide range of smart devices include RFID, lightening, watering plants for any smart
buildings. The simulation of VLAN aims to simulate smart devices that can response independently or be controlled
by end-users remotely to drive efficiency and effectiveness. Simulation results using Cisco Packet Tracer show that
enabling 5G IoT to buildings is a promising and cost-effective approach that pursue the aim of this article in timely
and efficient manners.

Keywords – Internet of Things, Wireless Communication, Smart City, Safety and Security, VLAN, 5G.

I. INTRODUCTION

Smart buildings can be defined as “Buildings that use technology and processes to become more efficient
operationally, protect the health and safety of occupants, improve employee productivity and reduce its impact on
the environment” [1]. Safety and health are vital as they aim to protect people in buildings (e.g. homes, factories,
schools, hospitals) from possible accidents that may cause injuries, death or damage to property. Most serious
accidents that occur due to the lack of effective tools to monitor, detect and act in order to save lives and
properties. Besides the lack of implementation of guidelines and policies of safety from authorities. Therefore, the
appearance of Internet of Things (IoT) delivers an effective tool for strengthening safety and security supervision
for buildings. The smartness and autonomous functioning of IoT are the main drives for supporting surveillance
safety and security purposes, as well as comfort, improving energy efficiency, and reducing costs. Smart
buildings embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), which has introduced wide range of advanced
technologies in comparison to the third industrial revolution. Examples of these technologies are: Artificial
Intelligence (AI), Robotics, IoT, Self-driving Vehicles, 3D Printing, Nanotechnology, Drones, Biotechnology,
Radio frequency identification (RFID), Quantum Computing, Cloud Computing, and Blockchain. In an easy
statement: the third industrial revolution represents simple digitization, while the fourth represents creative
digitization based on a mixture of symbiotic interactive technology breakthroughs through innovative algorithms
[2, 3].

Papers that reported in the literature are mainly focused only on some aspects of smart implementations (e.g.
home, company, college); Let alone considering 5G IoT simulation. Thus, the motivation of this paper is to
provide an intensive 5G implementation of IoT to smart building using Cisco Packet Tracer tool from various
smart perspectives. Fig.1 shows some of the IoT capabilities that can be implemented in smart buildings. The rest
of this paper is organized as follows: Section II presents related study; while III shows the proposed model of IoT
smart buildings. Section IV describes the implementation and results. Section V concludes.

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Fig. 1. IoT capabilities for Smart Buildings.

II. RELATED WORK

A common trace is that smart integration between devices, where IoT contribute effectively in linking trillions
of objects and sensors to serve wide range of applications. IoT is widely considered as one of the main boosters of
the 4IR, as it has significantly contributed to make people’s life smarter [4, 5]. Researchers around the world are
striving in adopting IoT technology in various applications. In [6, 7], highlight the smart city concept, which is
becoming an increasingly significant in the current digital era. Smart city could include smart home, smart
drones, smart energy grid, smart transportation system, smart schools, smart healthcare, and many more. Any
smart platform could be benefited from scalability, integration and interoperation of different IoT services and
networks that are run on different hardware to enhance global connectivity. In [5], paper has, also, addressed four
aspects of the IoT smartness and its wide applications. These aspects are: Data, Connectivity, Devices, and
Services.

Authors in [8, 9], have focused on the implementation of IoT for smart homes. The paper emphasis the
applicability of IoT that enabled smart home environment for various things (e.g. lighting, home appliances,
computers, security camera, alarms). Researchers in [10, 11] pointed out how IoT can play a vital role in safety
and health applications. The processing time, size, cost, and rapid deployment are main advantages of
implementing IoT in health sector. Education and learning are from those applications that get benefited from IoT
and smart connectivity [12].

Authors in [13] investigate the implementation of IoT for smart campus. Results shows that many applications
used IoT efficiently that help in education process, such as: flipped classroom, entrance system, student’s
feedback, IoT orangery and IoT heating system. Reliability is a vital element with any space-based system when
it comes to provides wireless communication services. One of these systems is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
(UAVs) either drones or aerial platforms. Using advanced UAVs have the advantage of not only cost-effective
solution with Line of Sight (LoS) connectivity and low latency and wide footprint cover; but also, IoT
empowerment [14-17]. Researchers in [18] discussed implementation of smart factory in the context of 4IR and
IoT. Integrated systems between IoT and AI show great potential in enhancing not only productivity of industrial
manufacturing, but also safety and security of individuals in such an environment.

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III. PROPOSED MODEL OF IOT SMART BUILDINGS

Papers that reported in the literature are mainly focused only on some aspects of smart implementations (e.g.
home, company, college); Let alone considering 5G IoT simulation [19-25]. Therefore, this paper aims to present
a 5G implementation of IoT a smart building using Cisco Packet Tracer tool from various IoT smart perspectives.
The visual simulation tool is used to create computer Virtual networks via Virtual Local area network (VLAN),
as per Fig. 2. Fig. 2 (a) shows group of computers and smart devices that share a communications line wire or
wireless link to a server within the same geographical area of a building. Whereas, Fig. 2 (b) shows the heart of
this simulation, where this network topology includes: IoT devices, servers connected to the VLAN, routers
equipped with Ethernet ports, switches, and cable modem, besides Internet Service Provider (ISP) provider, and
5G mobile network for remote access.

Fig. 2. (a) IoT Architecture for Smart Building using Packet Tracer, (b) Smart- Building network topology.

The proposed model focuses on providing an entirely working network layers operating different Cisco
components. The network layers were constructed using a mixture of router, wireless router, switches, backbone
connection, internet connection clouds, 5G antennas and IoT devices via pre-defined tools and functions in
Cisco Packet Tracer. There are four main steps of the proposed scenario, as Fig 3 shows. In this selected
configuration, a vital performance indictor has been considered called “Routing Information Protocol (RIP)”.
Where, RIP is a dynamic routing protocol which uses hop count as a routing metric to find the best path between
the source and the destination network. The RIP, also, could give more performance details such as: ping test,
environmental variables.

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Fig. 3. Four main steps of the proposed scenario.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION AND RESULTS

This article seeks to provide a proof of concept virtual prototype network for 5G IoT network that can
monitor and display in real time possible. This subsection presents implementation of the proposed 5G IoT
smart buildings using Cisco Packet Tracer. A new released cisco packet tracer has been used, which include
different smart objects used for smart buildings such as siren, smart window, smart light, fire sprinkler and
different smart IoT devices and sensors are involved. Thus, to control these devices a Multi-Chip Unit
microcontroller (MCU-PT) is considered and linked to home Gateway for sake of registering and controlling
smart objects, respectively, as Fig. 4 (a) and (b) show. The virtual model of smart building system is designed,
where home gateway connects multiple wireless devices wirelessly and provides automatic addressing to
devices connected to the gateway. Then, a control unit which could be a smartphone is used as an interface
medium for controlling and monitoring the performance of smart objects.

(a) (b)

Fig. 4. Registered IoT devices and sensors to the home Gateway.

The proposed 5G IoT architecture for smart building integrates different types of smart sensors and devices
(e.g. CCTV cameras, Internet modems, humidity monitor, humidifier, smoked detector, light, siren, fire
sprinkler, windows, water level monitor with lawn sprinkle, water drain, AC, fan, Thermostat, RFID, and solar
panels as Fig. 4 shows most of these smart devices. Fig. 5 shows smart building gateway obtain IP address from
ISP server in Cisco Packet Tracer. While, Fig. 6 demonstrates IoT server device conditions smartphone
interface.

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Fig. 5. Smart building gateway obtain IP address from ISP server.

Fig. 6. IoT server device conditions smartphone interface.

Fig. 7 (a) and (b) and Fig. 8 highlight the performance of the RIP, which takes care of routing to know where
and how the data is going to be sent. RIP protocol automatically routes the traffic via using a tracert command.
Where, by default RIP uses the route that has low hops counts between source and destination. Fig. 9 shows the
ping the ISP IP Address from Host for testing. It shows a success pinging with maximum value of 7ms. Fig. 10
demonstrates microcontroller MCU-PT, where it used to fully control the IoT device functions via programming
environment with different language like JavaScript here.

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(a) (b)

Fig. 7. Example RIP setup of a router.

Fig. 8. Routing table after applying the RIP protocol of the smart building.

Fig. 9. Example RIP setup of a router.

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Fig. 10. Microcontroller MUC programming environment.

Fig. 11 to Fig. 21 show smart applications in various types of scenarios, where 5G IoT implemented using
Cisco Packet Tracer. Fig. 11 shows the flowchart of fire alarm system simulation process. Fig. 12 illustrates the
implementation of fire scenario, which is importance for safety and security of individuals as well as properties.
When a fire is detected, alarming system includes siren, alarm sound and red light are working automatically to
warn people via visual and audio appliances. In case of smoke level is more than specific threshold, then fire
sprinkler and window will be opened. All these functions are programmed and controlled via Microcontroller
MCU.

Fig. 11. Flowchart of fire alarm system simulation process.

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Fig. 12. Implementation of fire alarm system using Packet Tracer.

Fig. 13 shows a solar-powered system that used to provide buildings with is eco-friendly source of energy. The
figure presents solar panels, and some IoT devices (e.g. AC, coffee machine and the light system) that can benefit
from such a smart system. Another smart application is presented in Fig. 14, which shows implementation of
RFID. The RFID is used here as a smart card system that manage the access for authorized people to a building’s
facilities. The figure shows RFID card connection, where in order to open any door, an authorized card must be
swiped to the card reader. If the card is unauthorized the door will remain locked.

Fig. 13. Solar panel system connection.

Fig. 14. RFID system for smart access.

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Fig. 15 illustrates the implementation of watering plants and grass using the lawn sprinkler. From Fig. 16, it
can be seen that sprinkler works or not based on the water level threshold. Moreover, Fig. 17 shows that to make
the lawn sprinkler automation more realistic and efficient, the environmental variable of a garden is changing
during raining. Thus, in case of rainfalls level increased in the garden, water sensor can detect a higher amount of
water and not starting the sprinklers.

Fig. 15. Watering plants using the lawn sprinkler Packet Tracer.

Fig. 16. Water sprinkler function based on the water level threshold.

Fig. 17. Environmental variables for Smart water sensor.

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Fig. 18 shows a comprehensive configuration of smart building simulation that has been set up in the IoT home
gateway network on the Cisco packet tracer. There are some smart electronic devices that can be controlled and
monitored according to system testing, configuration and condition settings on electronic devices specified in the
smartphone system, making it easier in designing and implementing in building the smart building network.
Figures 19-21 demonstrate the environmental variables, and behaviour of IoT devices during sunlight. Clearly,
during daytime solar panels taking advantage from sun and store power. Lights, AC, and other sensors respond to
this positively for sake of efficiency and comfort; Besides improving energy efficiency, reducing energy use
costs.

Fig. 18. Comprehensive configuration of smart building simulation using packet tracer.

Fig. 19. Environmental variables for smart building during sunlight.

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Fig. 20. Behavior of IoT devices during daytime.

Fig. 21. Behavior of IoT devices during daytime.

V. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK

In the era of digital societies, one need is to create smart buildings that can bring comfort, efficiency, safety and
security. With this design, simulation, and implementation of 5G IoT smart buildings that considered in this paper
using virtual network in Cisco Packet Tracer tool. The 5G IoT architecture considers security, fire safety, energy
management, smart devices include RFID, lightening, watering plants for smart buildings. The VLAN simulation
results show that enabling 5G IoT to buildings prove that there is a great potential to apply this model in real life
in various domains for sake of security, comfort, improving energy efficiency, and reducing costs.

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AUTHOR’S PROFILE
Dr Faris A. Almalki, He is an assistant professor in wireless communications and satellites at Taif University, a
research fellow in the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering at Brunel University London. He holds a
BSc in Computer Engineering from Taif University, an MSc in Broadband and Mobile Communication Networks from
Kent University and a PhD in Wireless Communication Networks from Brunel University London. He is a Member of
the IEEE Communication Society. His research interests include Low- and High-Altitude Platforms and drones along
with their applications in Ad hoc wireless networks.

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