ZigBee Frequently Asked Questions

A. Zigbee is an industry standard protocol that forms a wireless MESH network. This is a group of products that all communicate with each other so that the wireless signal can find the most efficient route around the network.

A. The name Zigbee comes from honeybees and their way to communicate newfound food sources with each other. The bees dance in a zig-zag pattern to share information, such as location for the food. This is called the Zigbee Principle.

A. One of the reasons you would use Zigbee is because it is a great system if you’re looking at setting up a smart home. Zigbee allows you to control lights conventionally but also through an app or hub e.g., Amazon Echo/Google Assistant.

A. The range for Zigbee devices is approximately up to 30 metres depending on the line of sight.

A. Yes, Zigbee can allow you to use apps to control your lights from virtually anywhere in the world.

A. There are many compatible ZIGBEE control devices that can be used which can include: motion sensors, door/window sensors, smart switches, wall panels, ZIGBEE remote handsets, Light switches/Dimmer switches.

A. Yes, you will require a hub to control a Zigbee network as this will coordinate the system and allow you to control the devices on your network.

A. No, not only can you control LED lights with Zigbee, you can also control mains powered lights as well using the right equipment amongst many other things.

A. You can have more than one brand in your Zigbee network although it Is important to check compatibility as not all Zigbee items will communicate with each other effectively.

A. Yes, you can set up lighting scenes using Zigbee, but it can vary depending on which hub and application you’re using.

A. Whilst Zigbee does operate on a 2.4GHz frequency, it won’t communicate directly with any radio frequency devices.

A. Yes, Zigbee can control groups of lights as one zone, this just comes down to how you set up the lights.

A. No, you don’t need to be restricted to one Zigbee wall panel or handset for your lights. Zigbee control devices can be set up to control several lights at once and different zones as well.

A. You will need a Hub/Controller to get started with your network and use Zigbee.

A. Zigbee can’t be used to control Wi-Fi or Bluetooth directly but there are certain hubs that will allow you to control several protocols including Zigbee, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

A. Zigbee is a wireless protocol so there isn’t any additional wiring or cabling for controls making set up quick and easy.

A. One of the reasons you would want to use Zigbee instead of Wi-Fi is because Wi-fi devices will be added onto your home network router and will need to communicate directly with the router, limiting range. Zigbee acts as a mesh network so you can get more range utilizing a Zigbee network.

A. Yes, you can add more Zigbee devices one you have a network set up. Zigbee networks are scalable, and it is very easy to add more Zigbee devices to a network.

A. No, setting up a Zigbee network is not difficult, and most devices can be set up in minutes.

A. Yes, Zigbee does allow the option of voice control. This mostly just comes down to the application you are using.

A. Yes, you can use Zigbee lights in your garden as well if you don’t go out of range from the Zigbee network.

A. If you want to increase the range on the Zigbee network, then you just need to add more powered Zigbee devices to the network. These devices act as nodes or repeaters, allowing you to extend the range of your network.

A. Yes, it is possible to make your lights flash to music with Zigbee. Certain Zigbee applications have a sound to light function which will then control your lights to the music.

A. Yes, it is possible to have more than one person set up to control your Zigbee application. It does depend on the application but there are several which will allow several users access to control the Zigbee network if you want them to.

A. It is possible to set up permissions for a user on your Zigbee network. A lot of applications will allow you to add a user but with limited permissions, so they don’t accidentally alter or delete your set up devices.

A. Yes, you can use more than one controller to control your lights with Zigbee. As an example, you could use the App, a wall panel, and a handset all for the same lights.

A. Yes, it is possible to set up a circadian rhythm automation in your house with Zigbee. Zigbee is a very useful tool for setting schedules with lighting and certain apps have a circadian rhythm function to allow you to set this up as well.

A. Yes, it is possible for Zigbee to control your lights depending on your proximity. There are apps that will track if you’re leaving your property or returning using your phone and can control your lights as per your requirements. On top of this, there are motion sensors available too.

A. If you remove a node from your Zigbee network, this shouldn’t cause issues. Zigbee networks can “self-heal” and by this, they are always checking for the most efficient way to go through the network so removing a node shouldn’t cause any issues unless it causes other nodes to go out of range.

A. Zigbee will stay operational in the event the internet does down so you can still use wall panels etc. to control the lights. However, you would lose app control if you were a distance from the Zigbee network and out of range.

A. No Zigbee and Z-Wave aren’t the same. Whilst Zigbee and Z-Wave are both “mesh” protocols. They are not the same and operate on different frequencies to each other. You could run both protocols alongside each other if you have a multipurpose hub capable of doing so.

A. No, it is not possible to use a Zigbee device to control Z-Wave devices as they are different protocols and different frequencies so these wouldn’t work together.

A. Yes, it is possible for Zigbee to be used to control DALI if you use a suitable converter.

A. Yes, you can use Zigbee motion sensors that can then be set up to control your lights.

A. Yes, is it possible to get your lights to change depending on the weather using Zigbee. This comes down to which application you are using.

A. Yes, you can use Zigbee to control 0-10v lights. There are Zigbee to 0-10v converters available which allow this.

A. Matter is a new protocol being launched by Zigbee and other major companies e.g., Apple, Samsung, Google, Amazon although there are 170 companies involved overall. The protocol is to be launched to help with operability between all brands’ Zigbee devices, so they all work together equally.

A. Project CHIP (Connected Home over IP) has changed name and is now the Matter protocol.

A. If you already have Zigbee products, then no Matter shouldn’t cause issues with these. The Matter protocol is using existing technologies already in place so anything you already have should continue to work, the Matter protocol will be more applicable to future products coming out.

A. Yes, there is a limit to how many devices that can be run from a Zigbee hub. This generally comes down to the hub being used, some can support up to 35, others over 100.

A. Yes, you can add more Zigbee hubs to your network to increase how many devices you can control. Depending on the manufacturer, you can usually add more hubs so you can control more devices.

A. The frequency Zigbee works on is the global standard 2.4GHz ISM frequency band.

A. It is possible for protocols on the 2.4GHz frequency to interfere with Zigbee. If you have a lot of devices using the 2.4GHz frequency, e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and the more you have, the “nosier” the airwaves become. However, there needs to be a great deal of stuff all trying to talk on the same frequency at the same time before you start having any interference.

A. Yes, Zigbee can penetrate through walls, but it also comes down to what the walls are made of as well as how thick they are. If they are too thick etc. then you may need to extend the Zigbee network range to get around this.

A. No, not all Zigbee devices act as repeaters to extend the range of the network. Generally, any Zigbee device that is plugged in/runs from the power can act as a repeater. If, however you have a device that is running from batteries, then it is likely that will not act as a repeater as these would generally run out of battery quickly if they did.

A. Yes there are other things that can cause interference with your Zigbee equipment. If you’re mounting your Zigbee equipment anywhere where there may be a lot of electromagnetic interference e.g., near speakers/amplifiers then this may also cause issues.

A. Yes, it is possible to run Zigbee alongside other protocols using a multipurpose hub.

A. The Zigbee alliance is now known as the Connectivity Standards Alliance (soon to be Matter) are a collective made up of hundreds of different companies utilizing Zigbee’s technology in the design and manufacture of their products. They also maintain and publish the Zigbee standard.

A. Yes, Zigbee is secure as it uses strong encryption and authentication algorithms to help keep your data safe from any cyber threats.

A. A Zigbee mesh network is a group of devices that act as a single network. In a mesh network, nodes/devices are interconnected with other nodes/devices to create multiple pathways around the network and to each device. These nodes and their connections are dynamically updated and optimized so if you add or remove devices, the network will adapt to keep everything communicating.