What is Zigbee? Applications and advantages and disadvantages | Learn Zigbee technology

Learn about Zigbee technology and the stability of Zigbee smart homes. Ensuring security, energy savings and high compatibility, Zigbee brings a smart experience to your home. Explore the advantages and disadvantages of Zigbee technology today!

1. What is Zigbee?

Zigbee is a standard wireless networking technology, developed to connect smart home devices. Zigbee operates on the 2.4GHz frequency and uses the Mesh Network model. This allows Zigbee devices to communicate directly with each other or through intermediate nodes in the network. The Mesh Network model helps extend the range and increase network reliability, because each device can act as an intermediary node, communicating through other nodes to reach the destination.

2. Highlights of Zigbee

Zigbee is notable for many important advantages:

• High security: Zigbee uses strong encryption to ensure data and communication security. This ensures that your information is protected from external threats.
• Efficient energy use: Zigbee devices consume little power, helping to save and extend battery life. This means you can use smart home devices for long periods of time without worrying about regularly changing batteries.
• Wide signal range: Zigbee has a wide signal range, allowing connection in both large spaces and through obstacles such as walls and doors.
• High compatibility: Zigbee is a standard technology widely used in the smart home industry. This means Zigbee devices are compatible with many different devices and systems, providing flexibility in expanding and upgrading smart home systems.
• Reliability: With Mesh Network, Zigbee automatically finds the optimal communication path and has the ability to self-recover when problems occur. If one node in the network fails, other devices can still communicate through the other nodes, ensuring that the network remains stable.

3. What is Mesh Network? Why are they useful?

Mesh Network is a type of flexible network in which devices connect to each other to share data and create information transmission lines. This helps increase network reliability and coverage, as each device can act as an intermediary node, communicating through other nodes to reach its destination. With Mesh Network, you can expand the network range and improve the stability of your smart home system.

4. Devices using Zigbee technology

Zigbee technology is used in many smart home devices, including:

a. Zigbee compatible devices

• Lighting: Zigbee lights allow you to adjust lighting, create a warm space and save energy.
• Sensor: Zigbee sensors help monitor the surrounding environment, from temperature to humidity, helping to adjust the smart home system accordingly.
• Switch: Zigbee switches allow you to control lights and other devices remotely via mobile app or website.
• Power outlet: Zigbee outlet helps you control the power on and off of connected devices.
• Controller: Zigbee controller allows you to conveniently interact and control smart home devices.

b. Some outstanding Zigbee systems

• Philips Hue: Philips Hue's Zigbee lighting system allows you to create custom lighting spaces, adjusting color and brightness as you like.
• Xiaomi Smart Home: Xiaomi Smart Home Zigbee system includes many smart home devices, from lights to sensors and power outlets, helping you create a complete smart home.
• SmartThings: The SmartThings system uses Zigbee technology to connect and control smart home devices, and is compatible with many different devices.

5. Advantages and disadvantages of Zigbee technology

Zigbee technology offers many important advantages and also some disadvantages to note:

a. Advantages of Zigbee network

• High security between devices and data communication.
• Save energy and extend battery life.
• Compatibility with many different devices and systems.
• The Mesh Network self-recovers when there is a problem.

b. Disadvantages of ZigBee

• In an area that is too wide, the Zigbee network cannot cover the entire area. At this point, you will need a device to help expand coverage, the ZigBee Repeater.
• The Zigbee network will be weakened when encountering large obstacles or houses with many rooms. In particular, it cannot penetrate walls.
• Zigbee wave stability is not as stable as Z-Wave and wired devices.
• High scalability: Zigbee can scale up to 65,000 devices in the same system.