Zigbee is a communication protocol that allow smart home devices to communicate with each other within the local area network. Many smart home devices uses different communication protocols. These different protocols for smart home devices prevents them from communicating or working together.
The Zigbee protocol was created to solve this communication issue for smart home devices. Zigbee devices create a mesh network that allows every device to communicate with its neighbor within the network. If one device within the Zigbee network stop working, the network can create a new path for the signal to find its destination to other devices in the network.
How Zigbee Works in a Smart Home
Zigbee devices use various method for powering the network. Some devices use batteries to power the signal from the device. Because the battery powered devices use less power, they can enter sleep mode to save the battery.
Other devices are mains powered devices that use power from the electrical outlet in the smart home. These mains-powered devices act as signal repeaters to extend the signal from other Zigbee devices. For best performance with the Zigbee network, use as many mains-powered device as possible to maintain signal strength throughout the smart home.
A Zigbee coordinator is a device that manages the Zigbee network created by the smart home devices. A Zigbee coordinator must use software that is compatible with your smart home integration platform. Some Zigbee coordinators use a USB dongle with an external antenna to extend the signal from the Zigbee coordinator to other devices in the network.
Other Zigbee coordinators use an Ethernet connection to allow the Zigbee network to maintain stability. The chipset in the Zigbee coordinator must be compatible with the software used to integrate the Zigbee coordinator into the smart home for the coordinator to successfuly manage the Zigbee network. There are many ways to integrate Zigbee technology with a smart home automation system.
One way to integrate Zigbee use a community-driven database for total control over all smart home devices in the network. This Zigbee integration method may require setting up MQTT to control the device. Other integrations may offer auto-discovery of devices and over-the-air firmware update to the devices in the Zigbee network.
This makes the Zigbee integration for smart home devices more easier for a smart home automation system user. Some smart home integration platforms also offer a visual map of the Zigbee network and the devices in the smart home. Interference can affect the performance of the Zigbee network.
Zigbee technology use the same frequency as WiFi signals. Both Zigbee and WiFi technology use the 2.4 GHz frequency. If the channels for the Zigbee network and the WiFi network are not properly manage, the WiFi signal can interfere with the Zigbee signal.
This interference with the Zigbee signal will cause the smart home devices using Zigbee to disconnect from the Zigbee network. Manage the channels for the Zigbee and WiFi networks to avoid interference between the two communication protocol. To add a device to a Zigbee network, the device must be pair with the Zigbee network.
Methods for pairing devices with a Zigbee network may differ for each type of device. Always refer to the device instructions to learn the method for pairing the device to the Zigbee network. For mains-powered devices, once the device is paired with the Zigbee network, the device will automatically begin to route signal for the Zigbee mesh network.
If a device is located a considerable distance from the Zigbee coordinator, place a mains-powered Zigbee device between the coordinator and the device that is a considerable distance from the coordinator. The best way for a person to start a Zigbee network is to start with a small number of device in the network. You should of bought a proven Zigbee coordinator integration platform, a Zigbee bulb, and a Zigbee plug for the smart home.
These Zigbee bulbs and Zigbee plugs will act as router for the Zigbee network. Do not create a Zigbee network with only battery-powered sensor as the network will not have the routers necessary to maintain the Zigbee mesh network. Continue adding mains-powered device to the network as you add smart home devices to the Zigbee network to maintain the stability of the Zigbee mesh network.