Zigbees

Zigbees are a type of wireless personal area network (WPAN) technology based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. Developed by the Zigbee Alliance, now the Connectivity Standards Alliance, Zigbee is designed for low-power, low-data-rate applications. It is commonly used in home automation, industrial control, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

The Zigbee protocol operates in unlicensed frequency bands, such as 2.4 GHz globally, and in sub-GHz bands in specific regions like the US and Europe. Its architecture allows for the creation of mesh networks, where devices can relay data for each other, extending the network's range and improving reliability. This mesh capability is a key differentiator from other wireless technologies like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Zigbee devices are typically characterized by their low power consumption, enabling battery-powered operation for extended periods. They are also designed for simplicity and cost-effectiveness, making them suitable for mass deployment in a wide array of devices. The technology supports different network topologies, including star, tree, and mesh, with mesh being the most prevalent for its robustness.

The Zigbee stack includes several layers, with the physical (PHY) and media access control (MAC) layers defined by IEEE 802.15.4. Higher layers, including the network layer, application layer, and the Zigbee device objects (ZDOs), are defined by the Zigbee Alliance. This layered approach ensures interoperability between devices from different manufacturers, provided they adhere to the Zigbee standard. Zigbee's low data rate is suitable for sending small packets of data, such as sensor readings or control commands, rather than streaming large amounts of information.