As routers choke with crowded connections, a Bengaluru-based start-up claims to have built a networking architecture that could change how IoT systems are deployed.
Cionlabs is working to address a growing challenge in the IoT ecosystem where many connectivity solutions are delivered as closed, non-customisable systems. According to the company, several IoT deployments rely on standardised modules that treat connectivity as a ‘black box,’ limiting flexibility for device makers and often struggling to handle real-world network conditions such as congestion and unstable connectivity.
“Most IoT solutions in the market today are like a single T-shirt meant to fit every size,” said Dr Sanjay Ahuja, Founder and CEO. “They provide a black box solution with very limited customisation. Our approach is different. We design the module architecture from the ground up so that it can be tailored for specific environments and customer requirements,” he noted.
One of the biggest challenges in large Internet of Things (IoT) deployments is scaling connectivity as the number of connected devices grows. In homes, factories, and commercial buildings, networks often struggle when dozens of devices attempt to connect through a single router, leading to slow configuration, dropped connections, and network congestion.
To address this, the company says it has developed a hybrid networking architecture that combines Wi-Fi communication with Bluetooth Low Energy mesh networking. According to the company, the approach allows significantly faster provisioning of connected devices while improving coverage across larger installations. Traditional setups can take thirty to forty seconds to configure a single device, but the hybrid model can configure more than one hundred devices within five to ten seconds while extending network range by roughly thirty per cent.
“Normally, every device has to connect to the router individually, which takes time and creates congestion in the network,” Ahuja explained. “In our hybrid model, the modules communicate with each other. That means we can configure more than one hundred devices in five to ten seconds and extend the network beyond the router’s direct range.”
The architecture combines the strengths of two wireless technologies. BLE mesh enables devices to relay signals through one another across a distributed network, while WiFi provides higher bandwidth for faster communication. Integrating the two allows devices to interact across the network rather than relying solely on a central router.
“We integrated BLE mesh with WiFi mesh so that every module can communicate with other modules in the network,” Ahuja said. “This removes the limitation on the number of devices that a router can support and improves the overall coverage of the network,” he highlighted further.
The hybrid networking architecture is embedded in the company’s IoT connectivity modules, enabling devices in a deployment to communicate locally even when internet connectivity is unavailable.
