The difference between Wi-Fi, ZigBee, and Bluetooth

 

By Neha Thatte:

You’ve probably heard of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but you might be asking “ZigBee? What’s that?” Wi-Fi, ZigBee, and Bluetooth are different protocols for wireless communication. In other words, they allow the devices in your home to talk to each other. But what’s the difference between these three protocols?

Wi-Fi is intended for computer-to-computer communication, as a substitution for cabled networks. It allows you to surf the internet at broadband speeds when connected to an access point. Wi-Fi gives a higher data rate, whereas Bluetooth and Zigbee give lower ones. Wi-Fi operates with either a 2.4GHz or 5GHz frequency band, and supports devices with a substantial power supply.

Bluetooth is intended to enable the short-range peripherals of those computers, such as computer mice, keyboards, printers, etc., to talk to the computer. This range of applications is known as wireless personal area network (WPAN). Bluetooth operates with a 2.4GHz frequency band, and really only works well within one room, not across an entire house.

ZigBee, named for the “waggle” dance that honey bees do to communicate with each other, is ideally suited for simple applications within the home that transmit small amounts of data, such as a light switch or a passive sensor. These devices are low-rate WPAN (LR-WPAN) specifications, and use minimal power within an operating space of 20-50 meters. Zigbee uses 900 MHz in the US, 868 MHz in Europe, and 2.4 GHz worldwide.

Both Bluetooth and ZigBee are intended for products with limited battery power, but Bluetooth operates best within one room only, and Zigbee operates well across multiple rooms. Ecovent’s smart vents and sensors operate with a proprietary protocol at 915MHz, similar to that of Zigbee, which provides not only better battery life for our smart vents but also a wider range. You know how there are parts of your house that get bad WiFi signal? Our secure network doesn’t have that problem.

Ecovent’s sensors use a Bluetooth beacon to know whether a room is occupied, enabling the system to learn homeowners’ temperature preferences. In addition to our proprietary 915MHz protocol, the Ecovent smart hub has a ZigBee radio as well as WiFi, for integration with other home automation systems/devices that use these protocols. Some devices like the Nest thermostat have WiFi, and Ecovent works with Nest through their cloud service on the web.

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