Understanding Zigbee: The Backbone of IoT and Smart Home Innovation
Unlocking Zigbee's true brilliance, the Gateway Hub creates a flawlessly interconnected and intelligent environment, setting the gold standard for smart home technology.
The modern home will have every light switch, power point and light controlled as groups or individually through a smart home system. The inherent superiority of Zigbee being attributed to its utilisation of a gateway hub co-ordinator, offering unparalleled benefits that enhance connectivity, reliability, and overall performance in smart home ecosystems.
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This is not science fiction as many home owners today are future proofing with complete smart light and switch fit outs of 40-70 switches plus another 40-70 smart lights.
Choosing the smart home protocol that will handle 100’s of switches and lights is where Zigbee shines above the rest. Zigbee built from the ground up with the modern home in mind can easily manage 100 plus devices on one Zigbe
e gateway hub and you can have multiple hubs in one home. Add to this the huge advantage that this gateway hub only requires one connection to the internet via your NBN WiFi router and you have control of your home network from anywhere you have a mobile phone.
I already have WiFi so why not just use WiFi devices?
WiFi is a great protocol and has it’s place in the smart home with devices like cameras and audio visual devices that require to pass large amounts of data. However we all know that lagging feeling when someone is gaming or streaming a movie and the WiFi slows down, now imagine another 100 constant connections of all your lights and switches all having to wait their turn to access the WiFi. Zigbee was designed for just this and the more Zigbee devices you add to your home the better it works at the speed of light.
Zigbee is a radio frequency protocol that was specifically designed and built for Internet of Things(IoT) home and industrial automation. It is supported by the biggest names in smart home electronics through a collaboration known as the Connectivity Standards Alliance who created the interconnection standards.
Zigbee, Matter and Thread IoT protocols are “open source” so any manufacturer can adopt them. Zigbee the complete loT solution for smart devices is a mesh type network where smart devices from different manufacturers can communicate in one encrypted secure language (zigbee protocol).
What if your Zigbee gateway hub loses internet connection on those days when your internet provider is having an outage will your lights and switches still work?
The simple answer is yes, with local control through your Zigbee gateway, switches, lights and most sensors connected at the local control level continue to run their automated functions. Sounding too complicated? Don’t worry the gateway hub is the brains of the system and works all this out for you automatically. Just know that if the internet goes down, everything that does not need the internet will still work.
Setting up your smart home has never been easier. Seamlessly integrate and control multiple devices from different manufacturers through the one app, eliminating the need for multiple apps and ensure a streamlined and intuitive user experience or seamlessly link your favourite voice assistant like Alexa, Google Home or Apple Homekit and talk to your home.
Zigbee gateways include wired and wireless hubs:
Wireless has the benefit of a wireless connection to your WiFi router and the outside world, which means the hub can be placed in any convenient location with WiFi access.
Whereas the wired hub is very simple to setup and has the benefit of a hardwired connection to your WiFi router and the outside world but does need to be near the WiFi router as it is connected by a cable. Both systems work extremely fast with very little latency however due to its hard wired connection the wired gateway is fractionally faster but in real life most people wouldn't notice the difference.
Both wired and wireless zigbee gateways will integrate with Amazon Alexa and Google Home offering voice control and automation of your connected home. To connect through Apple Homekit make sure that you order a Homekit compatible zigbee gateway.
Zigbee Technology Q&A
Zigbee switches are designed for smart home networks and offer lower energy consumption and a broader range through mesh networking, making them efficient for controlling multiple devices. In contrast, Wi-Fi switches may consume more power and rely on direct internet connectivity.
Zigbee is ideal for smart homes, transmitting data over long distances via a mesh network. It supports low data rates, long battery life, and secure networking with 128-bit encryption, making it a reliable choice for home automation.
Zigbee is a cost-effective alternative to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for smart home networks, offering benefits like lower energy consumption and extended battery life, making it a preferred choice for smart home enthusiasts.
Yes, Zigbee can operate independently of the internet. Core functions, like controlling lights and devices within the network, remain functional even during internet outages, ensuring your smart home continues to operate seamlessly.
Zigbee networks use peer-to-peer connections, eliminating the need for devices to be in close proximity to a router. This flexibility allows for easy integration into various home setups.
While Zigbee and Wi-Fi can coexist, both operate on the 2.4 GHz spectrum, which may cause interference. However, Zigbee's low power consumption and mesh capabilities often mitigate these concerns.
Yes, Zigbee signals can penetrate walls, though signal strength may vary based on materials and distance. Zigbee's mesh network helps maintain connectivity throughout the home.
Zigbee remains a popular choice in the smart home industry due to its reliability and robust performance, supported by major companies despite emerging standards.
A hub is essential for Zigbee devices as it facilitates seamless communication and connectivity within the network, enhancing the smart home experience.
Zigbee may face interference and network congestion due to shared frequency bands, and some complexity in setup. However, its energy efficiency and secure networking often outweigh these challenges.
Zigbee supports larger networks with higher security, while Bluetooth offers higher data rates but shorter range. The choice depends on your specific connectivity and network size needs.
Yes, Zigbee is designed for low power consumption, making it ideal for battery-powered devices, in contrast to Wi-Fi, which requires more power for high bandwidth applications.
While some basic functionalities can work without a hub, a hub is generally needed for full connectivity and device management within a Zigbee network.
A Zigbee switch connects smart devices like lights and plugs to a home network, allowing remote control without physical access, enhancing convenience in smart home setups.
NOTE: We know you won't regret choosing a Zigbee smart home network so for customers new to us we will help you on your journey with a FREE wireless Zigbee gateway hub when you spend over $99 on product.
Explore the Zigbee Alliance, the premier IoT solution offering a complete mesh network and universal language for seamless smart object integration. Click here to learn more.Additional independent resources on the Zigbee IoT system