Today most of the smart devices we come across are designed using the Z-wave technology. And that is not just a coincidence. It is the result of an informed choice made by many recognized smart home appliance organizations. And they have been doing so because they are well aware of the many benefits that incorporation of Z-wave technology brings along with it.
If you own a smart home then you must notice that most of the devices are Z-wave enabled. And because of that, you have been having a rather pleasant and convenient experience with your latest smart home upgrade. You might dabble in other technologies every now and then. But just like you, most of the consumers and manufacturers keep on coming back to the Z-wave technology time and again.
Whether this technology is used in individual devices or centralized controllers, it never fails to amaze us with its outstanding performance. The reviews of the best Z-wave controllers every other year lets you know the technological leaps that this technology keeps on scaling year after year. It is a crowd favorite because of this and so many other reasons.
Z-Wave Technology: Basic information
When we talk about Z-wave in terms of technology, it is quite an innovation. It is based upon the mesh network technology. Every single device that you install in a Z-wave network becomes a repeater. So, instead of the overall power of the network being weaker when expanded, it only gets stronger. This feature makes it a perfect fit for the many applications that make the smart home appliances a suitable option for the approaching future.
In this technology, the Radio Frequency (RF) signals are employed to control the compatible devices. These specific signals have been chosen because they make it extremely easy to control the connected devices in a wireless manner. This helps in saving a lot of the time and investment on meters of cable running throughout the room with the added risk of making your trip on them if not installed securely. No matter how big your smart home network is, you will never have to waste tons of time, effort, and money on just getting the devices up and running after making the purchase.
Basic Topology
Being designed after the mesh network topology, it makes it simple for all the connected devices to communicate with each other. Each Z-network can only have one primary controller. Though, it can surely have a number of secondary controllers for better control over the entire network. They are essentially created by copying the basic network information right from the source – primary controller. Occasionally you can transfer the role of the primary controller to a more accessible controller too.
After you are done with the addition or the removal of network nodes, you can simply transfer the controls back to the original controller. Since this process is extremely simple, you don’t have to bother about even getting up off your couch for the process. You can operate and manage the entire network with a few taps in just a couple of seconds. Few of the functions that you perform in this network will follow a certain hierarchy. This means that important functions such as the optimization of the network will be performed by the primary controller only.
Every single device integrated into the network will have its very own ‘ Node ID’. This ID will make sure that the network is able to properly differentiate between the various connected devices. Even if you connect hundreds of units of the exact same device, still the network will able to differentiate and properly assign them the corresponding tasks thanks to their unique node IDs.
Standard Functioning
The overall functioning of the devices connected to the Z-wave is foolproof. You might think that the primary controller is the backbone of the entire system but that is hardly the case. Even in the case of a primary controller failure, the nearest device will take the controls instantly and carry out the entire operation in a glitch-free manner. The new controller will now take a look at the routing table. And assign the shortest possible route for the command to the intended device.
This path will be followed during the response process too from the corresponding device. Z-wave is a two-way technology. This means that the alerts for both sending an acknowledgment of the commands are generated in a timely fashion. This makes sure that all the operations are carried out within the estimated time. And even if some minor complications do arise during the process, they can be instantly resolved.
Every command is carried out with lightning fast speed. The round trip time for the Z-wave network is just 80ms. This makes it perfect for the smart home networks of today where many tasks are being carried out simultaneously. In this case, we need a technology that is strong, reliable and fast. Z-wave network happens to be all of them. And with time, it is evolving, even more, to offer us a lot of new features that have been unheard of until now.
Z-Wave Technology vs Other Network Protocols
The advantages of Z-wave technology over other technologies are practically limitless. That is why it has been incorporated into so many devices and smart appliances consistently over the years. It is only the surface of the Z-wave which we have been able to scratch until now. There is still a long way to go and the vast scope of the Z-wave is yet a mystery to us. For now, let us take a look at the prime advantages that make it the smart home backbone.
1. Affordability
Since the Z-wave technology has been explored in an exhaustive manner, the final cost of the products comes down to quite affordable levels. You can get started on your very own smart home network today with even a single appliance. The incredibly affordable prices do not discourage you from checking out whether this whole smart home automation is your thing or not.
You can add more devices later on if you like where it is heading. Else you can just keep the only smart device in your home as a reminder of your home improvement plan. You can very well pick up where you left off in the future and get yourself one of the most updated home networks in all of the neighborhood.
2. Reliable
It has been over a decade since the Z-wave smart appliances were launched in the market. Z-wave as a technology has been around for a few decades now. This means that you can be assured of the quality that the Z-wave appliances have been worldwide famous for. The millions of customers that have become a loyal member of the smart home universe are a testament to the consistency and reliability of Z-wave technology in terms of smart home automation.
3. Secure
The cyber age gives us immense freedom. But the online hacking and other similar unethical practices keep us a bit concerned about the safety of our online data. However, Z-wave technology uses an encryption technology to keep all your online data and inputs totally secure at all times.
You will find this fact extremely reassuring when you are updating your smart home network the next time. You can integrate the smart home network with your home Wi-Fi without worrying about any unfortunate incidents. The robust encryption technique makes sure that your data and home security is never put at risk, no matter what.
4. Easy Installation
The installation process could not be any simpler for the Z-wave smart devices. Most of these appliances follow the do-it-yourself model. And this helps you to get it installed at the required place in no time. You won’t even need any professional help to get it integrated with your electrical network at home since it is intentionally made extremely simple to handle.
There is no need to even rewire your home electricity setting at the required location. These smart devices are created more in the plug-and-play format that frees you from the need of compromising the strength of your home electrical network.
5. Myriad of Choices
There is no shortage of options when you are in the market for a Z-wave product. The wide range of products will give you plenty of room to pick just the kind of smart home addition you have in mind. There is just so much that can be customized with the Z-wave technology option. Functionality, design, color, size and overall layout are available in unlimited variation for your convenience.
6. Leading Smart Home Technology
Today, Z-wave technology is leading the smart home automation market. Around 9 out of 10 smart home companies prefer to incorporate the Z-wave technology in their appliances as opposed to its rivals. This makes it all the easier for both manufacturers and the consumers to opt for the Z-wave products. The viable market and wide range of options make the present and imminent future perfect for the Z-wave home automation purpose.
Conclusion
A lot of technology has come to life since the invention of Z-wave technology in the early 1990s. But not many of them have been able to leave the kind of indelible impact that Z-wave has in the smart home automation sector. The majority of devices today have rightly been designed to cash in on the many benefits that come with picking Z-wave technology as the choice of network.
Have you used a Z-wave smart device until now? If yes, then how was your experience with the same. And if no then which smart network are you partial to and why. Let us know your suggestions and observations in the comment section below.
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