If you are enthusiastic about a smarthome, then you have undoubtedly come across various terms that you do not know very quickly about. One such term is Z-wave: a communication protocol for devices that can be used to communicate with each other. You can use this communication standard as the basis for your smart house.
You can set up a smarthome in different ways. Consider, for example, a retro fitting, with which you can make stupid devices smart. Or you can replace your stupid devices one by one with a smart device of your choice, regardless of the support for voice assistants, protocols or other standards. Usually things do work together by using IFTTT or Yonomi.
But you can also choose to choose one protocol, such as Zigbee or Z-wave, so that you know for sure that everything communicates at home. In this article we look at what Z-wave is. With Z-wave you let devices communicate with each other, without the intervention of a router, modem or smart home hub. Moreover, the Z-wave network is a mesh network, which means that the connection can be further distributed per device in the house.
Unlimited large network with Z-wave
Basically, with Z-wave you can create an unlimited network of smart devices. The more devices with this communication standard on board, the better the connection and the more stable the network is. The protocol works both ways and can send and receive information. And that’s fine, since there are currently more than 2,500 Z-wave devices for a smarthome, all of which can communicate with each other. That high number, which is increased daily, can be achieved because the standard is open. Every manufacturer can implement Z-wave. The Z-Wave Alliance ensures that the standard remains up-to-date and certifies products. If you come across the Z-wave logo, then you know it is all right.
Once you have set up a network of Z-wave devices, it is of course the intention that you can also operate them. That goes through a controller. The controller can send and receive commands and often offers options related to automation. You can do this with a separate device, but it also works great with your smartphone. Manufacturers such as Fibaro, Zipato and the Dutch Homey offer excellent Z-wave controllers, with which you can easily control everything at home. In addition to manual operation and automated operation, you can control the Z-wave devices with sensors in the house. For example, lights can turn on automatically when you enter a room, for example. The sensors can also be used for measurements, so that you can find out, for example, how much power a coupled device uses when you use a smart socket.
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