Want to convert your home into a smart home? Or are you looking to add new features to your already present smart home products? Just like the other types of electronic systems, these smart devices also run on different types of protocols and syntax. The ground rule between the communication being both digital and analog electronic signals. ZIGBEE v/s ZWAVE is those set of languages which help in the communication of the devices. However, if one device works on ZIGBEE and the other works upon ZWAVE then they won’t be able to communicate among themselves. Though both of them are the most popular languages in the field of wireless and smart home technology, but still they differ in their benefits, drawbacks, and consumer bases.
- ZIGBEE:
Not only has this open ZigBee technology become the global wireless standard language for smart device communication, it has also become a sensation in the field of industrial and residential use. Originally, it was designed to serve only commercial use. But, it has come a long way since than. Now it serves as the sensing and control standard in almost every field. It is built by IEEE and is an 802 wireless communication standard. It has many advantages over other competitors like, lesser electricity consumption, excellent range of networks and speedy communication between the devices.
- COMPATIBILITY: ZigBee technology is very open. Its consumers are spread worldwide among various smart home devices. In addition, due to its increasing demand various companies have collaborated with ZIGBEE in order to increase the platform use as well as the consumption of their own manufactured products.
- SECURITY & FUTURE PROOFING: Imagine your home smart devices using the same level of encryption and protection as that of the major banks. Yes, ZigBee uses AES-128 encryption.
The alliance considers over nearly 400 member organizations that use, develop, test and improve ZigBee’s open wireless communication. Therefore, it allows both the company and the customers to develop a good and a healthy relationship between each other. - BIGGEST PRO: It boasts about the very little power consumption it takes and thus devices working on ZigBee can last up to seven years on single set of batteries.
- PRODUCTS COMPATIBLE WITH ZIGBEE:
1) WeMo Smart LED Bulb
2) Zen Thermostat
3) Kwikset Smart code Deadbolt
- Z-WAVE for smart homes:
- It is the mother of the original wireless network technologies for home automation. Originally it was developed specifically for customers to control and monitor their home automation devices from a distance. Z-wave was designed for smart homes. It has continued creating a much higher standard for automated lighting, heating, security and other domestic and home smart devices. It is a home wireless automation protocol that runs on the 908.42 MHz frequency. This makes it relatively new in terms of automation protocols, but as change is the demand of today’s market it has grown quite rapidly in the past few years. The group behind Z-Wave says that, there are about 1,000 different home automation devices that are compatible with it. Therefore, Z-Wave for smart homes is a dream come true.
- SECURITY & FUTURE PROOFING: At every Z-Wave network the devices are precisely configured. They are assigned unique ID’s within the network for the purpose of communicating with the hub. This ensures that no other device hub can control your set of devices. This increases the usage among the neighborhood and also helps in mass installation among flats and colonies. It also supports various security devices and thus the major bank level protection uses AES-128 type encryption.
- BIGGEST PRO: It’s the friendliest system, even the customers can setup and install it. Just purchase the Z-wave hub and after that, you only need the devices that you want to connect.
- FEW PRODUCTS COMPATIBLE WITH Z-Wave:
1) GE Wireless Lighting Outlet
2) Yale Touchscreen Deadbolt
3) Fibaro Motion SensorCompare their features, pros and cons, advantages they offer to different customers, and the wireless technology that best fits your home automation needs. Z-wave v/s ZigBee are the fiercest and the friendliest in their own field.
