# Connect to AWS IoT Core AWS IoT Core supports connections with IoT devices, wireless gateways, services, and apps. Devices connect to AWS IoT Core so they can send data to and receive data from AWS IoT services and other devices. Apps and other services also connect to AWS IoT Core to control and manage the IoT devices and process the data from your IoT solution. This section describes how to choose the best way to connect and communicate with AWS IoT Core for each aspect of your IoT solution. ![Image showing how AWS IoT Core provides device endpoints to connect IoT devices to AWS IoT and service endpoints to connect apps and other services to AWS IoT Core.](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot/latest/developerguide/images/iot-endpoints.png) There are several ways to interact with AWS IoT. Apps and services can use the [AWS IoT Core - control plane endpoints](#iot-service-endpoint-intro) and devices can connect to AWS IoT Core by using the [AWS IoT device endpoints](#iot-device-endpoint-intro) or [AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN Regions and endpoints](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/developerguide/iot-lorawan.html#connect-iot-lorawan-regions-endpoints). ## AWS IoT Core - control plane endpoints The **AWS IoT Core - control plane** endpoints provide access to functions that control and manage your AWS IoT solution. + **Endpoints** The **AWS IoT Core - control plane** and **AWS IoT Core Device Advisor control plane** endpoints are Region specific and are listed in [AWS IoT Core Endpoints and Quotas](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//general/latest/gr/iot-core.html). The formats of the endpoints are as follows. [See the AWS documentation website for more details](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot/latest/developerguide/connect-to-iot.html) + **IPv4 endpoints** — IPv4 endpoints support only IPv4 traffic, and are available for all Regions. IPv4 endpoints use the following naming convention: ``` iot.{{aws-region}}.amazonaws.com ``` For example the IPv4 endpoint name for the us-east-1 Region is `iot.us-east-1.amazonaws.com`. + **Dual-stack (IPv4 and IPv6) endpoints** — Dual-stack endpoints support both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic. When a request is made to a dual-stack endpoint, the endpoint URL resolves to an IPv6 or an IPv4 address, depending on the protocol used by the network and client. Dual-stack endpoints use the following naming convention: ``` iot.{{aws-region}}.api.aws ``` For example the dual-stack endpoint name for the us-east-1 Region is `iot.us-east-1.api.aws`. + **SDKs and tools** The [AWS SDKs](https://aws.amazon.com/tools/#SDKs) provide language-specific support for the AWS IoT Core APIs, and the APIs of other AWS services. The [AWS Mobile SDKs](https://aws.amazon.com/tools/#Mobile_SDKs) provide app developers with platform-specific support for the AWS IoT Core API, and other AWS services on mobile devices. The [AWS CLI](https://aws.amazon.com/cli/) provides command-line access to the functions provided by the AWS IoT service endpoints. [AWS Tools for PowerShell](https://aws.amazon.com/powershell/) provides tools to manage AWS services and resources in the PowerShell scripting environment. + **Authentication** The service endpoints use IAM users and AWS credentials to authenticate users. + **Learn more** For more information and links to SDK references, see [Connect to AWS IoT Core service endpoints](iot-connect-service.md). ## AWS IoT device endpoints The AWS IoT device endpoints support communication between your IoT devices and AWS IoT. + **Endpoints** The device endpoints support AWS IoT Core and AWS IoT Device Management functions. They are specific to your AWS account and you can see what they are by using the **[describe-endpoint](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/iot/describe-endpoint.html)** command. [See the AWS documentation website for more details](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot/latest/developerguide/connect-to-iot.html) If you are using dual-stack endpoints (IPv4 and IPv6) for data plane operations, use the `iot:Data-ATS` endpoint type. `iot:Jobs` can be used for IPv4 only. For more information about these endpoints and the functions that they support, see [AWS IoT device data and service endpoints](iot-connect-devices.md#iot-connect-device-endpoints). + **SDKs** The [AWS IoT Device SDKs](iot-connect-devices.md#iot-connect-device-sdks) provide language-specific support for the Message Queueing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) and WebSocket Secure (WSS) protocols, which devices use to communicate with AWS IoT. [AWS Mobile SDKs](iot-connect-service.md#iot-connect-mobile-sdks) also provide support for MQTT device communications, AWS IoT APIs, and the APIs of other AWS services on mobile devices. + **Authentication** The device endpoints use X.509 certificates or AWS IAM users with credentials to authenticate users. + **Learn more** For more information and links to SDK references, see [AWS IoT Device SDKs](iot-connect-devices.md#iot-connect-device-sdks). ## AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN gateways and devices AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN connects wireless gateways and devices to AWS IoT Core. + **Endpoints** AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN manages the gateway connections to account and Region-specific AWS IoT Core endpoints. Gateways can connect to your account's Configuration and Update Server (CUPS) endpoint that AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN provides. [See the AWS documentation website for more details](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot/latest/developerguide/connect-to-iot.html) + **SDKs** The AWS IoT Wireless API that AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN is built on is supported by the AWS SDK. For more information, see [AWS SDKs and Toolkits](https://aws.amazon.com/getting-started/tools-sdks/). + **Authentication** AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN device communications use X.509 certificates to secure communications with AWS IoT. + **Learn more** For more information about configuring and connecting wireless devices, see [AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN Regions and endpoints](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot-wireless/latest/developerguide/lorawan-getting-started.html).