Why Smart Homes Love Zigbee: A Closer Look at the Benefits

24 Jun Posted at 11:25h in smart home technology by slsele

The goal of building a smart home is to connect everything in the home, especially to enable all smart home devices of the Internet of Things to share information. This is the original intention of the birth of many Internet of Things protocols such as Zigbee.

What is Zigbee?

Zigbee is a secure, low-speed, low-power wireless network technology. It is widely regarded as an excellent alternative to WiFi and Bluetooth. It is suitable for low-power devices that do not require a lot of bandwidth, such as smart home sensors, which can make IoT applications more efficient. It is widely used in smart home and industrial remote monitoring and control.

A typical example is that when you have a Zigbee-enabled light bulb and a Zigbee-enabled light switch, you want the light switch to control the light bulb. With Zigbee, even if the two devices come from different manufacturers, they have no communication barrier because they use the same Zigbee language.

Zigbee history and origin of the name

Zigbee was developed by the Zigbee Alliance, a non-profit organization founded in 2002. The alliance includes many well-known technology companies, such as Phillips, Mitsubishi Electric, Seiko Epson, Texas Instruments, etc. Zigbee was created to provide a unified, flexible, and highly compatible protocol for IoT hardware, App development engineers, and IoT users so that different IoT hardware and software can quickly and cheaply connect wirelessly. Zigbee is straightforward regarding usage settings, reducing users’ learning curve.

The Zigbee Alliance was officially renamed the Connectivity Standards Alliance on May 11, 2021. It now has more than 600 members, including technology companies such as Apple, Amazon, Google, IKEA, Samsung, etc., and is committed to promoting Zigbee and the next-generation smart home Matter standard protocol.

To understand Zigbee literally, we can first simply break down the word Zigbee. Zigbee is related to bees, so there is a word Bee in its name. What is Zig? It is also related to bees: every time a bee finds a new flower cluster, it will use a special communication method called “Zig” to notify other bee companions of the location of the new flower cluster, and Zig is the communication network of the bee, so the “Zig” in Zigbee refers to the network mode used by the bee. Zig + Bee became the name of Zigbee, a new generation of wireless communication protocol.

How Zigbee works

Zigbee protocol smart devices can automatically form a mesh network with each device as a node and can also form a partial area network to connect the data of appliances and devices in the smart home and operate them in coordination. There can be up to 65,000 Zigbee nodes, and each smart device as a node can communicate with each other without going through a central hub. When one of the nodes fails, the other nodes in the mesh network will find a new path within the network to transmit data. The more nodes there are, the wider the mesh network will be. Networks also have different shapes, including star topology, tree topology, and mesh topology.

Zigbee Mesh Network

Zigbee mesh networking refers to connections between Zigbee wireless nodes that can communicate and share network connections over a large area. Think of nodes as small transmitters that function in the same way as wireless routers. Zigbee’s ability to support mesh networking means it can extend the data transmission range and provide better stability (even when a single connected node fails or is not working).

With Zigbee, you might have a master controller node that controls the other connected nodes, the Zigbee Gateway. If one node fails and cannot communicate with a second node on the mesh network, the master and second nodes can communicate by linking to a third node within range. Each node acts as a repeater, and all nodes cooperate in data distribution – hence the mesh network. Zigbee supports up to 65,000 nodes in a single network.

It means you can use smart home devices or sensors far from your hub without losing connectivity. Data is passed from one node to another, so as long as you have enough nodes, you can communicate with devices across the smart home hub.

Zigbee Frequency Bands and Licenses

Zigbee uses the physical and MAC layers of IEEE 802.15.4. It also operates on the unlicensed 2.4 GHz ISM band. Although 2.4 GHz is widely used worldwide, devices in the United States, Europe, and China use 915 MHz, 868 MHz, and 784 MHz, respectively. Only one channel/band is selected for use in the network.

Channel 0: 868 MHz (Europe)
Channels 1-10: 915 MHz (United States and Australia)
Channels 11-26: 2.4 GHz (Worldwide)

The 2.4 GHz band is the most widely used because it is unlicensed and available worldwide. It also transmits data at a rate of 250 kbps.

Zigbee communication range

The communication range of Zigbee varies depending on the power output of smart devices and smart home products, whether the environment is blocked, and the specific Zigbee protocol used. Generally speaking, the coverage range of each Zigbee smart product can reach about 100 meters indoors and 400 meters in the open air and outdoors; the maximum theoretical range under ideal conditions is about 1,600 meters, but in most actual application environments (i.e., indoors), the coverage range is about 10-30 meters.

Zigbee Power Requirements

Zigbee smart products generally operate within a voltage range of 2.1 – 3.6 V. Assuming normal operation, the power consumption is approximately 20 – 50 mA. The power consumption of Zigbee smart products may also vary depending on the Zigbee protocol, the frequency band used, or the distance and data rate between smart products. For example, a Zigbee smart product using the 2.4GHz frequency band will consume more power than a smart product using the 868 / 915 MHz frequency band.

Zigbee smart products are generally designed to be low-power and can be powered by small batteries or other common household power sources, with power generally between 3 mW and 600 mW.

Zigbee Technology Summary

The following table shows a summary of all the technical details mentioned above.

Comparison between Zigbee and WiFi, Bluetooth, and Z-wave

Zigbee has some similarities and key differences with other wireless protocols such as WiFi, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, and LoRaWAN. As shown in the following table:

Wireless communication technologies such as Zigbee, WiFi, Bluetooth, and Z-Wave, each of which has its advantages and limitations.

From the protocol perspective, the WiFi’s communication distance is much smaller than that of the Zigbee protocol. Generally speaking, walls will seriously attenuate WiFi signals, which is unsuitable for the entire smart home system. The standby power consumption of WiFi protocol is high, which is unsuitable for battery-powered devices such as sensor switches. The working status or command execution of WiFi protocol devices depends largely on the network status. The smart home device can easily become unstable if it cannot receive signals like a mobile phone.

The IoT gateway using the Zigbee protocol can greatly increase the number of devices it can carry. The number of smart switches, sensors, and motors in a home may reach dozens, and the Zigbee gateway can easily handle these problems.

From the perspective of data transmission, WiFi executes control commands on a completely different path from other protocols. For example, in the scenario of human-sensing lighting, when the sensor senses that someone is passing by, it generates data and uploads it to the cloud server, which then sends a command to turn on the light. The command is transmitted wirelessly to the smart switch, sending a signal to turn on the light.

The generated data is transferred through the Zigbee gateway if the Zigbee protocol is used. Since the gateway has edge computing and logic design capabilities, all data only needs to be transmitted through the gateway at home to complete the control command.

Unlike watching videos on a mobile phone, videos can be cached and loaded. Smart home scenes must respond promptly. When people pass by, it is impossible to let the sensor wait a long time for the cloud server to process data and send commands. If the network is not good, the sensor will keep waiting, which will cause the sensor response to be delayed or unstable, and the user experience will become very bad.

Therefore, smart homes require low-latency, high-stability protocols. This is why the Zigbee protocol is superior to the WiFi protocol and why Zigbee gateways must be used in smart homes. Although Zigbee is not as powerful as WiFi and Bluetooth regarding data transmission rate and signal coverage, it has low power consumption and is more suitable for battery-powered devices. It is also more open and cheaper than Z-wave, so smart home products are fond of using Zigbee.

The following figure shows in detail the clear comparison of these technologies in terms of signal coverage, usage cost, communication data rate, and power consumption:

Comparison between Zigbee and WiFi, Bluetooth, and Z-wave

Zigbee has the following advantages.

Quick response

Generally, it only takes 15ms for Zigbee Mesh to switch from sleep mode to working mode and 30ms for a node to access the network. Zigbee Mesh is still the preferred solution for smart home devices requiring fast response. Of course, with the development of Bluetooth Mesh, the response speed of Bluetooth Mesh is also constantly improving.

Strong anti-interference ability

Zigbee was originally developed for industrial production. The design of the RF physical layer of Zigbee technology ensures strong anti-interference ability and communication reliability, so its anti-interference ability is stronger than Bluetooth and WiFi. Zigbee is more suitable for deployment in environments with large interference.

Safe and reliable

The design is safe and has multiple security mechanisms, including AES-128-CCM wireless encryption, to meet security requirements.

Low power consumption

Two ordinary AA batteries can be used in low-power mode for 6 to 24 months.

What are the intelligent application solutions based on Zigbee?

Sensor networks based on Zigbee technology are widely used and can help better achieve the goal of connecting everything. Zigbee technology applications include smart homes, industrial control, automatic meter reading, medical monitoring, sensor network applications, telecommunications applications, warehousing and logistics systems, etc.

Smart Home

Generally speaking, many electrical and electronic devices are in the home, such as lights, TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, computers, air conditioners, etc. There may also be smoke sensors, alarms, cameras, etc. In the past, point-to-point control could be achieved, but if Zigbee technology is adopted, these electronic devices can be linked to form a network.

You can even connect to the Internet through a smart home Zigbee hub. So people can quickly check their homes from anywhere without wiring. Applying Zigbee wireless communication technology to smart home devices can improve the operation’s convenience and reduce the family’s cost.

In addition, Zigbee wireless communication technology can also realize practical signal anti-interference functions, creating convenience for people while reducing signal interference to other users.

Smart Elderly Care

Zigbee can also be widely used in the field of smart elderly care. IoT elderly home care solutions allow the elderly to stay home independently for longer. It can not only detect the life trajectory of the elderly but also protect the safety of older people. The system uses unobtrusive wireless sensors throughout the home to understand the daily behaviour patterns of older adults and detect behavioural changes that may cause concern.

It then sends a message to family members or caregivers to alert them. Smart elderly care systems have been successfully tested in residential care facilities for many years and are now available for home installation by service providers, retailers, and smart home system integrators.

Smart Apartment

Intelligence aims to provide tenants with a lifestyle-integrated residence, increase tenants’ rents, save energy, and collect valuable resident population data. Smart apartments can be equipped with Zigbee gateway hubs, access control, door locks, thermostats, smart meters, water immersion sensors, human motion sensors, smart sockets, smart switches, and other smart hardware devices.

Smart Healthcare

Electronic medical monitoring has been a research hotspot in recent years. Many sensors are placed on the human body to measure pulse, blood pressure, health status, etc. Monitors and alarms are also placed in hospital wards to check physical conditions at any time. Once a problem occurs, a timely response can be made, such as notifying the hospital staff on duty.

Zigbee technology can connect these sensors, monitors, and alarms to create a monitoring network. Because it is a wireless technology, there is no need for wired connections between sensors, and the monitored person can move freely. Application of intelligent sensor networks

Sensor networks have also been a research hotspot in recent years and have good application prospects in cargo tracking, building monitoring, environmental protection, etc. Low-cost nodes, low power consumption, automatic networking, simple maintenance, and high reliability are the requirements of sensor networks. Zigbee has become an excellent technical choice for sensor network applications due to its advantages in networking and low power consumption.

Intelligent warehousing and logistics system

With the promotion of warehousing and logistics systems, the demand for wireless data transmission systems is rising. It puts forward high efficiency and low-cost requirements for wireless communication technology. Zigbee is particularly suitable for warehousing and logistics systems with its safety, reliability, multi-path routing and other characteristics. Its practice is reflected in:

First, the dispatch of on-site vehicles. Since the connection between the vehicle and the console is very important, and in warehouses, logistics, and other places, traditional wireless communication protocols make it difficult to guarantee the transmission distance, so Zigbee networking can be used to solve this part of the problem.

Secondly, the network structure of mesh Zigbee wireless communication technology can be applied to warehousing and logistics, relying on data relay, dynamic routing and other means to ensure the reliability and efficiency of the entire system communication.

Finally, vehicles in warehousing and logistics always need to move continuously, and traditional wireless communication protocols always show the problem of insufficient flexibility when finding the best path. With its network topology, technology can meet the changing needs of information transmission paths and flexibly provide ideal transmission paths to ensure communication quality.

Smart meter reading system

The sensor converts the meter reading into a digital signal and sends the reading directly to the gas or water company via the Zigbee network. Using Zigbee for meter readings can also bring other benefits. For example, the gas or water company can send some information directly to the user in conjunction with energy-saving usage. It can automatically reduce the usage rate when it finds it too fast.

Zigbee-based smart home devices

The IoT market has more and more product types, and technology is becoming increasingly mature. As Zigbee technology continues to improve, it will become the most cutting-edge digital wireless technology in the world today. Zigbee’s significant advantages, such as low power consumption, low cost, low speed, and ease of use, are bound to have broad application prospects.

Thermostats, smart meters, temperature and humidity sensors, human presence sensors, brightness sensors and CO2 sensors, smart sockets, actuators with integrated energy and power meters: a wide range of wireless devices for smart building projects designed to maximize energy efficiency.

Zigbee Gateway

A Zigbee gateway is an IoT gateway that bridges a Zigbee network and other wireless or wired networks, such as WiFi or Ethernet. Zigbee bridge hub gateways allow Zigbee devices on a Zigbee mesh network, such as smart lighting, thermostats, and security cameras, to communicate with devices on other networks and vice versa. Users can monitor their Zigbee devices using their smartphones. Within a Zigbee gateway, there is a Zigbee coordinator to manage the Zigbee network and another network interface to connect the Zigbee network to other networks, mostly depending on the user’s choice.

Smart Socket

WiFi and Zigbee-enabled sockets work with smart voice assistants to enable voice control of any Zigbee socket. Supports multiple functions: remote control, timer control, automatic on and off of lamps and small appliances.

Smart Sensor

Currently, there are many Zigbee sensors on the market, such as sensors for home automation and smart buildings:

Smart Switch

Smart switches indeed offer a lot of features that enhance convenience, comfort, and efficiency within a home.Smart switches can remotely control lights, curtains, water heaters, garden doors, garage doors, access control systems, and more. There are many types of smart switches, such as smart dimmer switch, smart fan switch, boiler smart switch, smart motion sensor light switch、smart fan and light switch, and more.

How to install and deploy Zigbee smart home devices？

Suppose you are adding a Zigbee product for the first time. In that case, referring to the manual for installation is recommended because the installation process may vary depending on the brand, manufacturer, and model. However, the installation of a Zigbee network generally involves the following steps:

1.Purchase the necessary smart home products, including Zigbee devices such as smart switches and controllers, Zigbee hubs or gateways (if necessary), and any other accessories, such as batteries required for the devices, etc.

2.Organize and prepare the installation area, including choosing the location of the smart home products and ensuring they have a clear and unobstructed line of sight with the Zigbee hub or gateway. In addition, check whether the smart product is within the coverage of the Zigbee hub or gateway

3.Plug the Zigbee smart home product into a power source or install batteries, and then install it according to the product manual

4.Pair the smart home product with the Zigbee gateway, usually through a smartphone app or web interface to connect the smart home product to the Zigbee hub or gateway

5.Set up the Zigbee network, such as network channel and network ID

6.Test the Zigbee network, check and test whether all smart home products are working properly and can be controlled through the controller

It is worth noting that Zigbee devices usually require a Zigbee hub gateway to connect to the Internet or other devices, and these hubs or gateways will require power and Internet connections.

What is the future development trend of the Zigbee smart home market?

The Zigbee protocol has been around for many years and is a market-proven technology. Zigbee has been widely adopted in different industries and fields worldwide due to its promising features. Many well-known global institutions have researched Zigbee’s global trends and market share extensively. Here, I share some convincing numbers and their references to show the value of Zigbee technology.

Verified Market Research estimates that the Zigbee market size was $3.5 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $7.79 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 9.30% from 2023 to 2030.

• According to Reportslinker data, the Zigbee market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of more than 9.2% during the forecast period from 2020 to 2025.

• Market Research Future said that by 2030, the Zigbee automation market is expected to have a net value of $7.91 billion, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.60%.

The growing popularity of smart homes and connected devices, increased investment in smart cities, and the demand for energy-saving and low-cost communication solutions have driven the rapid growth of the Zigbee market.

What are the common problems when using Zigbee?

Is a Zigbee gateway required?

Zigbee devices require a Zigbee gateway. Currently, mobile phones support WiFi protocol, so a Zigbee gateway is needed to convert WiFi protocol to Zigbee protocol so that smartphones can control Zigbee devices. Zigbee gateways can also centrally maintain Zigbee devices and ensure they are safe and functioning properly.

How to deal with delayed or no response from Zigbee devices?

Cause: Network congestion, signal interference, or device firmware issues.

Solution: Avoid placing metal objects or other objects that interfere with the signal between WiFi and Zigbee devices—update device firmware to ensure that all devices have compatible firmware versions.

What to do if the Zigbee device cannot be found or recognized?

Cause: The Zigbee device is too far from the control centre or relay device, or there are too many walls between them.

Solution: Adding relay devices between the Zigbee device and the control center can relay wireless signals for Zigbee devices too far from the control center to expand the signal coverage.

How to solve the problem of short battery life？

Cause: The device consumes much power and has poor battery quality.

Solution: Check the device settings and reduce unnecessary frequent communications or status reports. Use high-quality batteries and replace the batteries at the recommended time cycle.