Zigbee as well as Z-wave are both mesh wireless technologies that were made in the first place to very small amount of data in a span of short or medium distances. They were both built on a low power base as well. Over-viewing a brief about both the technologies, Z-wave was released in the year 2004. It is a compatible wave, but not with every range of device.
For example, it is not compatible with Amazon Alexa but, it’s compatibility is pretty well with SmartThings hub. Zigbee is much more widely populated. It connects to a range of things that most importantly include Wi-Fi and bluetooth and hence it can produce an interface between the same. Now, both these technologies have their own sets of characteristics that make them different and similar on varied on it’s own basis of traits.
To begin with, the most basic similarity is the fact that both of these technologies are mesh networks. Both of them are nodes inside the system that act like a wireless data source along with this, they also act as a repeater. The data from one sensor node is made to transfer and bounce on the successive nodes until it reaches the desired destination. This phenomenon takes place in both of these technologies, Z-wave as well as Zigbee.
Another point of similarity is that Z-wave and zigbee use a very low rate personal area network protocol. Which is IEEE 802.15.4, precisely. This phenomenon creates a medium access control schemes. It creates a structured packaging of data, and has a unified layer for the protocol which is OSI layer 1. This abstract is shared by both the technologies in more or less the similar manner.
Another ver crucial similarity to ponder upon is that both of these technologies, Z-wave and Zigbee are widely applied in local area sensor data network. These two can be used for a local data censoring for example in security systems. There are various security systems that can gel well with both, the Z-wave as well as the Zigbee.
These two are surely similar on various pages but, somewhere down the line, Zigbee has not been able to touch the par that Z-wave is at especially when it comes to interoperability.
We also know that mesh transmission does not work efficiently or at all over long distance. Hence, neither of them are advisable for transmission of data after a particular range.
Both the networks have their own kinds of network coordinations. They provide transmissions in a range of fields including industrial, medical and home automation devices. They are both self organised to overcome and beat complexity during installation procedures as well. The technological mesh provide the users with a lower data rate and also lower lower power consumption wireless systems.
Therefore, both have their own ups and downs. They are similar yet different on various traits. Every individual has it’s own specific set of needs that make them pick either of them.
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