Z-Wave vs. Zigbee vs Wi-Fi: What’s the Difference and Which is Better?
The leading smart technologies are Z-Wave, Zigbee and Wi-fi, yet they are not compatible with one another when it comes to building a connected smart home ecosystem. So how do you decide which is best for your home? Keep reading to learn the key differences, features and functions to make an informed decision.
Wi-Fi
WiFi is a 2.4 GHz network communication standard that’s been adapted to work with smart home devices. Unlike Z-Wave and Zigbee, it is not a mesh network technology so each device must be within direct range of the router to work. Investing in a high quality router or router mesh system is key for optimum performance. Additionally, Wi-Fi devices, especially small ones, have a much lower battery life than Z-Wave or Zigbee devices because Wi-Fi is not optimized for battery devices, and they will die quickly.
If you’re looking to tip-toe into the smart home world, WiFi is the simplest and least expensive way to do it because it’s the only technology that does not require a hub. Keep in mind, however, that automations are limited to simple schedules like on/off sequences. Voice control can be added, along with more advanced automations, with the addition of a hub.
Zigbee
Zigbee technology was developed and standardized by the Zigbee Alliance in 2003. Like Z-Wave, it is also a low power ‘mesh network’ technology and there are a wide range of products that run on the Zigbee protocol. However, most devices operate on the higher 2.4 GHz, creating room for some frequency interference.
In its early years, there was no interoperability standard for Zigbee, meaning that many of the devices were incompatible and hard to build a home ecosystem around. Since then, the issue has been addressed with Zigbee Pro, then finally Zigbee 3.0, but there are still some improvements that need to be made. The latest 3.0 products, however, exhibit strong interoperability.
Z-Wave
Z-Wave is used in more than 3,000 products from over 700 leading worldwide brands, including thermostats, lights, door locks, sensors, remote controls, garage door openers, and even iblinds. Z-Wave certification guarantees that all Z-Wave devices will communicate and work with one another regardless of the brand. These products work together through stringent enforcement of Z-Wave certification, performed at independent test labs, and overseen by the Z-Wave Alliance. In addition, Z-Wave devices are less likely to have frequency interference because not many devices use the same 908Mhz frequency. All of these reasons are why Z-Wave is our number one choice. Z-Wave offers the widest selection of choices for every product category, and is easily accessible no matter where you are located.
When building your home ecosystem, it’s important to map it out and plan ahead. You may build a smart home entirely based on one of these operating systems, or you may link them together with a multi-tech hub.
For more information on planning your smart home ecosystem, read this guide.Leave a comment
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