[From last episode: IoTThe Internet of Things. A broad term covering many different applications where "things"  are interconnected through the internet. devices need keysA number used to encrypt (or encode) information so that no one can read it. Keys are used when encoding and decoding. You shouldn't have to mess with keys yourself. so that they can communicate securely. At least one key is installed during manufacturing, and it’s also stored in a databaseA structured way of storing data and relating different pieces of data to each other. (Like, which address belongs to which person.) There are “query” languages, the best-known of which is SQL, that let you enter data into the database, change data that’s already in the database, and retrieve data from the database..]

Once you unbox your shiny new IoT gadget, you’re supposed to “register”  — or on-board — it with the cloudA generic phrase referring to large numbers of computers located somewhere far away and accessed over the internet. For the IoT, computing may be local, done in the same system or building, or in the cloud, with data shipped up to the cloud and then the result shipped back down.. Why do this? There are a couple reasons, one of which may be important to you, both being important to the manufacturer or service provider.

The first reason is to ensure that you have a legitimate unit.

• Some manufacturers, when given an order for, say, building 100 units, will build, say, 110. They’ll send the 100 units to whomever ordered them, and they’ll sell the other 10 units on the gray market. A careful manufacturing plan makes this harder, but not impossible.
• Or perhaps someone will create a cheap knock-off that looks like your unit, but is a quick-and-dirty copy – one that may or may not work well.
• Or maybe you got a stolen unit.

Registering with the cloud means that you’re confirming that your device is legit. If you connect and send your device ID, the cloud will check whether it’s in the database. If so, you’re good to go – and it can communicate with you using its copy of the key. If it’s not in the database, then you may have a bogus unit, and you should get that resolved with the seller.

Let’s assume that you have a good unit. The other thing registering does is let the cloud know who you are. Many of these devices come with servicesWe are used to purchasing products outright. "Services" is a new concept where you may or may not buy the product, but optional or mandatory services come with the product. Those services may have an ongoing cost separate from the purchase price., and the service provider (which may or may not be the company that built your unit) will want to keep your data separate from other people’s data.

Getting Onto the Network

OK, so you want to register the unit you just pulled out of the box. How do you do that? Most units will have some kind of wireless connectionThis refers to some kind of electrical connection. It might be through a network cable, a cable connection, a wireless connection, or a phone - just to name some options. The connection might be to the internet or to some other local device. (although there’s nothing to stop them using a wired connection). This would probably be either WiFiA common type of wireless network used to connect computers and phones to each other and the internet. or Bluetooth.

Let’s start with WiFi. Before your unit can talk to the cloud, it has to connect up to your WiFi networkA collection of items like computers, printers, phones, and other electronic items that are connected together by switches and routers. A network allows the connected devices to talk to each other electronically. The internet is an example of an extremely large network. Your home network, if you have one, is an example of a small local network.. Theoretically, that uses the same method that you would use to connect your phone or laptop to WiFi: you pick a network by name, and then (hopefully) enter the password for that network.

That’s kind of obvious for someone who knows this stuff, but, realistically, lots of people have never done this. Yes, even if you use WiFi, you may have had someone else configure everything. So now you’ve got this new device, and you’re being asked to do something that feels out of your comfort zone.

The other wireless alternative is Bluetooth. This would probably connect to your phone, with the phone connecting to the cloud. So you’d need to pair the device with your phone. Again, simple if you’re used to doing that; not so much if you’ve never had to before.

And this is one of the main reasons that devices never get connected: it just seems too hard. Even when it works right. If something goes weird while doing it, it’s even worse – what to do then?

This whole process – getting onto a network and registering a new device – is referred to as on-boardingThis is the process of connecting an IoT device for the first time. You connect to a network, and then the device connects "home" for registration and for confirming that the device is legitimate..

Do You Have to Connect?

What happens if you give up – or just decide not to connect? Well, that depends on your device and service. If it’s just a device that doesn’t need fancy cloud algorithmsA way of calculating something, typically as a step-by-step recipe. A familiar one to all of us is how we do long division on paper: that's an algorithm. Algorithms abound in the IoT. to work, and if you don’t have a service plan and you don’t want to control it with your phone from far away, then, in theory, it should still work (unless the manufacturer requires you to connect for no other reason).

Another risk of not connecting is that you’ll never know whether or not you have a legitimate version of the device – either from the gray market or a stolen unit. The flip-side of this is that, if your own device is stolen and you’ve registered it, then, in theory, you should be able to decommission it so that no one else can use it.

If you have a service, on the other hand, or if part of how the unit works relies on data or calculations from the cloud, then none of that will work until you on-board the unit.

But here’s the biggie: if you don’t connect, then you’ll never get any software updates. If you have no other reason to connect, this should be reason enough. For instance, if a securityRefers to whether or not IoT devices or data are protected from unauthorized viewers. flaw is discovered, it will most likely be fixed by a softwareIn this context, "software" refers to functions in an IoT device that are implemented by running instructions through some kind of processor. It's distinct from "hardware," where functions are built into a silicon chip or some other component. update. Not updating leaves your device at risk.

So does that mean you simply need to suck it up and slog through an annoying process (in your estimation)? Possibly. But the good news is that industry folks have seen this issue, and they’re trying to make devices easier to on-board. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed on that one.