Wireless Systems in the Smart Home

Radio data transmission technologies are the nervous system of home automation. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, DECT, Zigbee and Z-Wave are among the most popular among them. Let's take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of those used in FRITZ products in particular!

Wireless communication systems

The least invasive way to equip an existing home with modern automation is through wireless connectivity pAN (Personal Area Network) type. There are various radio communication systems, whose common features are the relatively small size of the devices, a range of up to 100 m, energy efficiency (which is important with battery power) and small bandwidths, sufficient for the transmission of control and statistical data.

AVM in the FRITZ product family! successfully uses dECT system, because in the base of this type of routers FRITZ!Boxes have been equipped for many years. DECT has the advantage of using the less crowded (compared to Wi-Fi) 1900 MHz band. Other manufacturers also commonly use more industrial solutions, such as Zigbee and Z-Wave.

Zigbee vs Z-Wave

Both competing wireless communication systems meet the requirements placed on them, mentioned earlier, PAN. Z-Wave uses a band below 1 GHz, which appears to be an advantage due to less noise in the radio range from coexisting networks. However, the problem may be that depending on the country, the authorized bandwidth is different and there may be compatibility problems. The trouble is not with Zigbee, which uses the 2.4 GHz band, widely available around the world.

Perhaps for this reason, AVM's dilemma Zigbee vs Z-Wave settled in favor of the former and soon smart home devices fRITZ brands! will also be able to use Zigbee. A new FRITZ device was unveiled at this year's MWC in Barcelona!Smart Gateway, through which Zigbee-based Smart Home controllers will be integrated into the FRITZ router!Box.