Using the Internet Protocol enables applications with connectivity needs to be portable and loosely coupled from the MAC and transport layer technologies (e.g. Thread, Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
This is achieved by using standardized application interfaces such as the BSD socket API.
Using IPv6 addressing and routing in the framework of a technology such as Thread also eliminates the need for Border Routers to maintain state and provide application layer translation for devices in order for them to be able to interact with cloud or web services - as is the case for non-IP standards such as Bluetooth or ZigBee Pro. As each device is addressable using an IPv6 address, packets sent to and from a home network device are forwarded by the in-premise routers at the IP layer.
