Monnit Wireless Sensor Blog | Monnit Wireless Sensor Blog

23 Jun

ALTA IoT Kits >> 1000 Feet of Wireless Range in Every Box

Wireless IoT Sensors Kit - Monnit ALTA

Many businesses are intimidated by the perceived complexities of the “Internet of Things” / IoT. Integrators of ALTA wireless sensors learn quickly that many of the barriers that have hindered IoT integration in the past have been overcome by the long range capabilities of the ALTA Wireless IoT Sensors Platform. RF performance is all about “link budget”. Link budget is measured decibels and factors all the gains and losses between wireless system transmitters and receivers. The formula includes variables such as power output, receiver sensitivity, antenna gain, interference (both radio and physical) and cables. Monnit has fine-tuned its radio technology to yield phenomenal range from minimal power output and consequently draw minimal power from batteries. Rock solid and groundbreaking science is embedded in each sensor.

Figure 1 – The long range capacity of ALTA Sensors >> 1000’+ through 12+ walls or ceilings
(TX = Transmitter, RX = Receiver)
ALTA 1000 feet wireless range - through walls and ceilings

When building a wireless sensor system – ultra long wireless range might be the standout feature of the ALTA Wireless IoT Platform – then long battery-life and bank-grade security round off the trifecta. When factoring these three features – Monnit’s ALTA Wireless IoT Platform has no peers – not even close. No where else in the world exists a wireless sensor that yields 1000`+ wireless range, 10-year battery life and 256 EDCH / 128 AES security. There are other features of course (On-board Data Memory, Over-the-Air Updates, FCC/CE Certifications, No Monthly Fees, etc.); but range, battery life and security are the signatures that set ALTA apart from any other solution.

Figure 2 – The IoT Performance Trifecta
1000’+ Wireless Range, 10+ Year Battery Life, Bank-grade Security (ECDH-256 encryption is used during initial linking of devices and the more battery-friendly AES-128 encryption is used to encrypt all subsequent data packets)

A Million Applications… And We’re Just Getting Started
Here are 10 select kits that are listed to help get your mind around the possibilities of wireless IoT – these sensor kits typically can be setup-and-saving in less than 15 minutes.

Click image to learn more about the ALTA Wireless IoT Kits.

20 Jun

Monnit Announces Distribution Agreement with Arrow Electronics

Collaboration Enables both Organizations to Meet the Growing Demand for IoT Solutions

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – June 20, 2017 – Monnit Corporation (www.monnit.com) today announced it has signed a distribution agreement with Arrow Electronics to bring Monnit’s new ALTA™ wireless sensing solution to market and help meet the growing demand for high-performing, comprehensive Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. Monnit’s solutions enable enterprise and small- and medium-size customers to connect, monitor and control a myriad of functions within their businesses, leading to operational efficiencies, reduced risk and increased profitability.

“Monnit’s ALTA platform offers secure and reliable capabilities at an affordable price. Our collaboration with Monnit will bring profitable new IoT opportunities to Arrow’s customers,” said Aiden Mitchell, vice president of global IoT solutions at Arrow.

In addition to offering four times the wireless range (1,000+ feet, non-line-of-site) and much stronger battery life than traditional sensors (10 years on two AA batteries), ALTA products use Monnit’s new Encrypt-RF™ bank level security. The sensors will be available through application specific monitoring kits with either cellular or Ethernet connectivity, including; Commercial Refrigeration, Remote Real Estate, HVAC, Pharmacy/Lab, IT Server Room, Corporate Property, Agriculture, Mobile Refrigeration, Industrial Manufacturing and Small Business, with more coming soon.

“Arrow’s focus on OEMs dovetails nicely with Monnit’s efforts to bring customized solutions to market for OEMs,” said Brad Walters, CEO, Monnit. “Monnit can engage with Arrow’s technical teams in order to understand their customers’ needs, and to provide off-the-shelf and/or highly customized solutions in a private-label format.”

Through Monnit’s IoTvantage™ partner program (www.monnit.com/partner), business partners can private label the solution to sell as their own. Custom kitting, product development and customized software features are also available to help tailor the solution for their customer’s specific needs.

About Monnit Corp.

Monnit is a leader in the design and manufacturing of turnkey, self-installed, low-cost wireless sensor solutions targeted at the industrial and commercial markets. Monnit’s sensing solutions are easily installed and used by anyone wanting to remotely monitor information and activities around a variety of variables (i.e. temperature, motion, humidity, vibration, etc.) and receive alerts based on user-defined conditions. Monnit products are fully tested, FCC, CE and IC compliant for use anywhere in the world. For more information, visit www.monnit.com.

Monnit Contact:
Matt Moulton
(801) 561-5555
press@monnit.com

20 Jun

IoT Sensors Map

Click on the graphic above to view the entire IoT Sensors Map (PDF).
ALTA Advanced and Monnit Standard products are listed in the categories in which they are applied in IoT (“Internet of Things”). Each sensor entry links to its respective product page (all links point to web pages that show AA battery powered products – additional power, wireless performance, enclosure and accessory options are available for each sensor type).

15 Jun

TESSCO Technologies Named by Monnit as New Distribution Partner

Value-Added Distributor and Solutions Provider to Market Monnit’s New ALTA Wireless Sensor Solutions – with 10 New Application Kits

HUNT VALLEY, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun. 15, 2017– TESSCO Technologies (NASDAQ: TESS), a value-added distributor and solutions provider for the wireless industry, today announced a partnership with Monnit Corporation as part of Monnit’s new IoTvantage™ – Premiere IoT Partner Program. TESSCO will sell Monnit’s wireless sensors to value-added reseller, system integrator partners and enterprise customers in North America. TESSCO will focus primarily on distributing Monnit’s ALTA wireless sensors, the only wireless sensor platform available today that offers 1,000+ feet wireless range (non-line-of-sight), 10+ year battery life and integrated bank-level security. The sensors are available via 10 market specific application kits (with either cellular or Ethernet connectivity); Commercial Refrigeration, Remote Real Estate, HVAC, Pharmacy/Lab, IT Server Room, Corporate Property, Agriculture, Mobile Refrigeration, Industrial Manufacturing and Small Business.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here:http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170615006226/en/

“While the Internet of Things as a concept is growing rapidly, enterprises need robust and secure solutions to connect, monitor and control their businesses,” said Bill Moten, Vice President, IoT Solutions for TESSCO. “Monnit’s IoT offering is one of the most comprehensive end-to-end solutions on the market. The multitude of sensors, gateway options, user interfaces and encryption makes it both secure and flexible to meet our customer’s needs. Their pre-packaged kits make it easy and quick to get up and running.”

In addition to offering four times the range and much stronger battery life than traditional sensor platforms, ALTA products use Monnit’s new Encrypt-RF™ bank level security, featuring a 256-bit exchange to establish a global unique key, and AES-128 CTR for all data messages.

“With decades in the wireless space, TESSCO understands the stringent requirements enterprises demand from today’s technologies to help their businesses succeed,” said Brad Walters, CEO, Monnit Corporation. “We expect the IoT to penetrate – and benefit – every single part of the business, and we look forward to working closely with TESSCO to meet these demanding requirements while offering secure, real-time, and actionable information.”

About TESSCO Technologies

TESSCO Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: TESS) is a value-added technology distributor, manufacturer, and solutions provider. TESSCO was founded more than 30 years ago with a commitment to deliver industry-leading products, knowledge, solutions, and customer service and supports customers in the public and private sector. TESSCO supplies more than 50,000 products from 400 of the industry’s top manufacturers in mobile communications, Wi-Fi, Internet of Things, wireless backhaul, and more. TESSCO is a single source for outstanding customer experience, expert knowledge, and complete end-to-end solutions for the wireless industry.

About Monnit Corp.

Monnit leads the Internet of Things by empowering businesses with easy-to-use, low-cost remote monitoring solutions. Monnit solutions can be used to: remotely monitor a variety of “Things” (i.e. temperature, motion, humidity, vibration, etc.); alerting you via text, email, and/or phone call when something goes wrong. For more information, visit www.monnit.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170615006226/en/

Source: TESSCO Technologies

TESSCO PR Contact:
Morgan Haddaway, 410-773-3694
HaddawayM@tessco.com
or
Monnit PR Contact:
Matt Moulton, 801-561-5555
press@monnit.com

13 Jun

Monnit Launches IoTvantage™ – The Premier Internet of Things (IoT) Partner Program

Extensive Program For All Enterprise Channel Partners to Capitalize
on the Internet of Things

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – June 13, 2017 – Monnit Corporation (www.monnit.com) today announced its Premiere IoT Partner Program – IoTvantage™. The program provides business partners (Distributors, Value Added Resellers, System Integrators, Independent Software Vendors, Managed Service Providers and OEMs) a fast track for connecting their customers to industry-leading IoT solutions.

“Global business is rapidly changing as more customers are investing in IoT solutions that employ remote monitoring to protect their bottom line,” said Brad Walters, CEO, Monnit Corporation. “As the global leader in reliable, cost-effective IoT solutions, we are excited to offer the IoTvantage program as the ideal solution for channel players that want to capitalize on the growing demand for Internet of Things solutions. On the heels of the release of our award winning ALTA enterprise IoT solution, we now have streamlined the on-boarding process for new partners and provide them with all the necessary tools and incentives to succeed in IoT.”

Market-ready kits are a key component of the new IoTvantage program. These kits allow distributors and resellers to stock or drop-ship “off-the-shelf”, application specific kits that require less than 5 minutes setup time. Each kit is available with either cellular or Ethernet connectivity and wireless sensors specifically designed for the application. The following kits are available today:

Commercial Refrigeration
Remote Real Estate
HVAC
Pharmacies and Labs
IT Server Rooms
Corporate Properties
Agriculture
Mobile Refrigeration
Industrial Manufacturing
Small Business

The kits feature Monnit’s ALTA enterprise wireless sensors, the only wireless sensor platform available today that offers 1,000+ foot wireless range (non-line-of-sight), 10+ year battery life and bank-level security (Monnit’s new Encrypt-RF™ integrated security). Monnit’s IoT solutions are comprehensive and feature all of the hardware and software needed without requiring any additional subscriptions or monthly fees.

Also key to Monnit’s IoTvantage program is the ability for partners to private label and sell the solution as their own. Custom kitting, product development and customized software features are available to help partners tailor the solution for their customer’s specific needs.

For more information on the new IoTvantage Business Partner Program, call (801) 561-5555 or visit www.monnit.com/partner.

About Monnit Corp.
Monnit is a leader in the design and manufacturing of turnkey, self-installing, low cost wireless sensor solutions targeted at commercial and industrial markets. Monnit’s sensing solutions are easily installed and used by anyone wanting to remotely monitor information and activities around a variety of variables (i.e. temperature, motion, humidity, vibration, etc.) and receive alerts based on user defined conditions. Monnit products are fully tested, FCC, CE and IC compliant for use anywhere in the world. For more information, visit www.monnit.com.

Monnit Contact:
Matt Moulton
(801) 561-5555
press@monnit.com

06 Jun

Monnit Releases Six New ALTA Enterprise-Grade Wireless Sensors

Salt Lake City, Utah – June 06, 2017 – Monnit Corporation (www.monnit.com) today announced the release of six new ALTA wireless sensors. ALTA is the leading enterprise-grade Internet of Things (IoT) solution specifically designed to meet bigger, higher-demand requirements. ALTA offers four times the wireless range (1,000+ feet, non-line-of-site) and much stronger battery life than traditional sensors (10+ years on two AA batteries). ALTA products also use Monnit’s new Encrypt-RF™ bank level security, featuring 256-bit exchange and AES-128 CTR for all data messages.

The six new wireless sensors include:

ALTA Wireless Infrared Motion Sensors use infrared sensing technology to accurately detect movements made by people or larger animals within 16.4 ft (5 m) range.
ALTA Wireless Voltage Detection Sensors – 500 VAC notify of the presence or absence of electricity up to 500 volts AC.
ALTA Wireless Accelerometer – Tilt Sensors display measurements for pitch and roll (0 to 180° -> -180° to 0°).
ALTA Wireless Accelerometer – Impact Detect Sensors alert when g-forces are exceeded by a user defined threshold – up to 8 g-force.
ALTA Wireless Accelerometer – G-Force Snapshot Sensors activate at a set time interval (defined by user) and measures g-force along X, Y and Z axes.
ALTA Wireless Accelerometer – Vibration Meters measure g-force on 3 axis and displays speed and frequency of vibration.

All of Monnit’s wireless sensors include free basic iMonnit online sensor monitoring with SMS text and email alerting. For more information on Monnit’s ALTA sensors, gateways and remote monitoring software, call (801) 561-5555 or visit www.monnit.com/alta.

Monnit also provides products to OEM’s and Reseller’s through the IoTvantage™ business partner program which allows for volume discounts and private branding of both the wireless hardware and online monitoring software. Learn more at www.monnit.com/partner.

Additional Resources:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/monnitsensors
Twitter: https://twitter.com/monnitsensors

About Monnit Corp.
Monnit is a global leader in the design and manufacture of low-cost turnkey monitoring solutions for commercial, industrial and consumer markets, recognized by CRN as one of the “20 Coolest IoT Hardware Vendors,” for its innovation, devices, analytics and infrastructure that have transformed and improved the way we work and live.

Press Contact:
(801) 561-5555
press@monnit.com

01 Jun

Don’t Fear the IoT

IoT Security - Encryption
Monnit Encrypt-RF™ Security
Bank-Grade Security for Your “Internet of Things”
Monnit treats your sensor data in the “Internet of Things” (IoT) the same way your bank treats your money – not a single breach is tolerable – EVER – NOT ONCE! As part of the ALTA IoT Platform, Monnit integrates ECDH-256 (Elliptic curve Diffie–Hellman) public key exchange and AES-128 symmetric key encryption on all sensor data. The more battery-exhausting ECDH-256 encryption is used during initial linking of devices and the more battery-friendly AES-128 encryption is used for all subsequent RF data packets. This combination provides integrators the best of both worlds – – bank-grade security and outstanding sensor battery life (ALTA sensors yield 10-year battery life when powered with 2 AA batteries or 1 industrial lithium battery).
Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) built on Monnit’s ALTA IoT Platform provide bank-grade security at every level.

Between Sensors & Gateways (ECDH-256 and AES-128 encryption)

Between Gateways & Servers (AES-128 encryption plus the gateways are “Purpose-Built Devices” that do not have an OS (operating system) to hijack or add malicious programs to.)

Between Servers & Browsers (TLS Encryption)

In a study conducted by the Ponemon Institute, 533 enterprise IT decision-makers were surveyed. 76% of the respondents believed their organizations were likely vulnerable to cyber-attacks executed through IoT (src: “The Internet of Things (IoT): A New Era of Third-Party Risk”). Monnit extinguished the threat of cyber-attacks within the architecture of the ALTA wireless IoT sensor platform.
We Ain’t Scared of No Botnets!
A large portion of the IoT headlines are focused the DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks facilitated and propagated by botnets (botnet = a network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners’ knowledge). Remote cameras have been one of the most commonly hijacked device types and are easy prey for IoT hackers – because they often run Linux operating systems that are not properly protected. ALTA sensors are not vulnerable to weak passwords or OS-related breaches. ALTA gateways run on a purpose-built real-time operation system without any external administrative access to the device.
Figure 1. Three Things You Should Learn from the Negative IoT Security Headlines
Encrypted RF Data Packets - Purpose-built Devices

ALTA IoT systems are protected by multiple layers of security and encryption.

Security between Sensors and Gateways
(ECDH-256 and AES-128 encryption)
Would be hackers would have better luck finding a needle in a haystack than cracking ALTA encryption keys. Each individual ALTA device uses an embedded TRNG (True Random Number Generator) to achieve a high guarantee of statistical uniqueness for each ECDH key set. ECDH allows any two devices to create unique, link-specific keys between them. ALTA only uses one 256-bit key exchange for every sensor linked to a gateway. No other data is sent using the 256-bit keys. Therefore, would be hackers only have a very small dataset in which to attempt brute force attacks. The ALTA platform provides infinitesimally small key exposure.
128-bit encryption is used for all subsequent RF data packets. This encryption method supports over 50,000 data messages before enough of a dataset is generated to enable brute force optimizations. At 10 minute data intervals, this equates to an entire year of dedicated observation before key exposure becomes slightly more likely (refer to “Birthday Attack” probability, P = 10 ^-18, then 10^-15 after one year –> for the non-techies: the probability of someone finding the key goes from 1 quadrillion:1 to 1 trillion:1). A hacker would have to be physically present within range of the wireless sensor network for one year to get this low probability benefit – dedicated solely to cracking a single key for just one sensor – Ha!
To mitigate further the issues surrounding key exposure, integrators can use the ALTA platform to refresh keys once every year. To add to the futility of cracking one link-specific key, no shortcuts can be realized by the exposure of one device’s key. The same work it requires to crack one key will be required again to crack the next.

Security between Gateways and Servers
(ALTA Gateways have AES-128 Encryption and are “Purpose-Built Devices”)
Any device that runs on an operating system is vulnerable to attack. ALTA gateways are “purpose-built devices” that are built for a specific task and do not contain an operating system. Due to the absence of an OS (Linux, Embedded Windows, etc.); ALTA sensors are not vulnerable to weak passwords or OS-related breaches. The ALTA gateways run on real-time “C” code without any administrative access to the device.

Security between Servers and Browsers
(TLS Encryption)
An IoT system is only as strong as its weakest link and communications between servers and browser are every bit as critical to protect as the other layers in the WSN. ALTA IoT networks employ iMonnit software for interfacing between network administrators and sensor networks. The iMonnit interface is secured using TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption. TLS is a protocol that provides privacy and data integrity between applications. It is used for web browsers and other applications that require data to be securely exchanged over a network. Keys are established using standard Diffie-Hellman key exchange.
Summary
Businesses should be aware of the threats that have corrupted IoT systems in the past. Hackers crashed the IoT stage with malware and botnets such as BASHLITE, Luabot and Mirai and Brickerbot. These attacks made headlines; but they were only able to exploit weak and unprotected systems. Integrators should take courage in the fact that their sensor data will always be safe and protected when measures of security and encryption are properly executed. Monnit engineered the ALTA IoT Platform with the dangers of hacking in mind. Every device, wireless link and user interface in the ALTA IoT Platform are protected by Monnit Encrypt-RF™ Security.

04 May

Monnit Wins Connected World IoT Innovations 2017 Award

Monnit IoT Innovations 2017

ALTA – Enterprise IoT Solutions Called “Game Changing In The World Of Enterprise Wireless Sensors”

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – May 4, 2017 – Monnit Corporation (www.monnit.com), today announced it has been named an IoT Innovations 2017 winner by Connected World magazine for its ALTA – Enterprise Internet of Things (IoT) Solutions. Specifically designed to meet higher-demanding enterprise requirements, the ALTA wireless sensors can communicate readings over four times the distance of standard sensor platforms, offer significantly longer battery life and include bank-level security.

“Enterprises want what Monnit is offering with ALTA,” said Peggy Smedley, editorial director, Connected World magazine. “ALTA sensors improve four-fold on what was available before, allowing businesses to connect, monitor, and control almost every conceivable element of their businesses. It’s game changing in the world of enterprise sensor solutions.”

ALTA is the only wireless sensor platform available today, with over 1,000 feet wireless range (non-line-of-sight) and 10+ year battery life. In addition, ALTA products use Monnit’s new Encrypt-RF™ bank level security, featuring a 256-bit exchange to establish a global unique key, and an AES-128 CTR for all data messages.

“We are honored to be recognized by such a respected industry organization,” said Brad Walters, CEO, Monnit Corporation. “With ALTA, companies get the most reliable and cost-effective solution on the market. ALTA provides businesses with secure, real-time information on how assets, buildings and processes are managed and maintained.”

The editorial advisory board and the judges at Connected World evaluated products based on a number of criteria to identify the newest, most creative, and technologically advanced products, services and platforms on the market.

View the Connected World 2017 IoT Innovations Award Winners Here

About Connected World Magazine

Connected World is the business and technology publication that provides the intelligence industry titans need and the guidance consumers crave. It’s all about M2M. connectedworld.com

About Monnit Corp.
Monnit is a leader in the design and manufacturing of turnkey, self-installing, low cost wireless sensor solutions targeted at the commercial and industrial markets. Monnit’s sensing solutions are easily installed and used by anyone wanting to remotely monitor information and activities around a variety of variables (i.e. temperature, motion, humidity, vibration, etc.) and receive alerts based on user-defined conditions. Monnit products are fully tested, FCC, CE and IC compliant for use anywhere in the world. For more information, visit www.monnit.com.

Monnit Contact:
Matt Moulton
(801) 561-5555
press@monnit.com

19 Apr

Monnit CEO and Executive VP Featured in Huffington Post Article About Entrepreneurial Success

Huffington post recently featured an article about how “Achieving Repeated Entrepreneurial Success Comes Down to the Team”. This article follows several team’s that have achieved continued entrepreneurial success and some of the learning that has helped them along the way. Monnit’s very own CEO, Brad Walters, and Executive VP, Nick Mecham, were featured as one of these teams. You can read the full article at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/58f4023de4b04cae050dc8a3.

14 Apr