When it comes to home automation, there is more to be explored that can make life easier rather than just playing with WiFi and Bluetooth thanks to other available wireless standards such as Zigbee and Thread.
These standards allow instructions such as a smart light bulb illuminating a certain color at a specific time to be sent to multiple devices at once, providing you have a compatible smart home hub that can talk to all of your smart home devices.
Unlike Wi-Fi, these smart home standards use a fraction of the power, which means many smart home devices can run on batteries that don’t need changing or recharging for months or even years without needing to be replaced.
- CC2340R SimpleLink™ family of devices are 2.4GHz wireless microcontrollers (MCUs), targeting Bluetooth® 5.3 Low Energy, Zigbee, Thread and Proprietary 2.4GHz applications.
Zigbee
Advantages of Zigbee:
• Network type - Zigbee technology is a mesh-based protocol that allows a network to grow as your application needs. It supports self-forming and self-healing mesh. There are four different Zigbee roles; Coordinators, Routers, End Devices and Green Power
Devices. Zigbee is primarily found in building and home automation.
• Power consumption - Zigbee is a low-power wireless communication enabling long battery life in end applications. To achieve this energy consumption, the end device periodically wakes up to send data and reenters low power mode as soon as possible.
Zigbee Green Power Devices can even enable battery-less applications like energy harvesting using solar panels.
• Wireless robustness - Zigbee is a wireless stack based on IEEE 802.15.4 (as the physical and MAC layer). The Zigbee application is capable of selecting a specific channel to communicate on with up to 16-channels. Zigbee is self-healing and can identify a broken node in the network and reroute as necessary to preserve the network.
• Range - Typical range of a Zigbee application is up to 200 m line-of-sight with one-hop distance. However, Zigbee can achieve long range through its mesh network capability by daisy-chaining multiple Zigbee routers in the network.
• Security - To learn more about security in Zigbee networks, read: Understanding Security Features for SimpleLink™ and Zigbee CC13x2 and CC26x2 Wireless MCUs.
• Target applications - You can find Zigbee networks in various home automation controls like wireless light switches, thermostats and many more. Zigbee Certification guarantees interoperability with Zigbee Certified products from other vendors as well.
Potential disadvantages of Zigbee:
• Network type - Zigbee does not provide an easy way to connect to the cloud. Connecting to an IP network would require a gateway and address translation layer.
• Throughput - Zigbee is not designed for high data rate transfer. It is designed to be a low data rate application with a maximum throughput of 250 Kbps.
Silicon Labs Wireless Gecko Module MGM13P Block Diagram
- MGM13P features a highly configurable radio transceiver supporting a wide range of wireless protocols including Zigbee, Thread and Bluetooth Low Energy.
Thread
Advantages of Thread:
• Network Type - Thread is designed for the connected home using a mesh to an IP-based network. It is designed primarily for building automation to control lighting, thermostats and other products. Thread self-heals and self-forms, meaning that it
automatically promotes or demotes nodes to ensure there is no single point of failure in the network. In addition, Thread works with any IPv6 gateway thus making it easy to commission new devices to the network.
• Power consumption - Thread is designed to operate in low power sensing applications and connecting your sensors to the IPv6 network. Thread End Devices can sleep for an extended period of time, thus extending battery life.
• Range - Thread range is typically up to 200 m line-of-sight for a single-hop. Thread is a mesh network capable of up to 32 hops to extend range.
• Security - Inter-device communication is secured by default using AES-128. Commissioning uses standard DTLS with ECJ-PAKE.
• Target Applications - You can find Thread networks being used in various home automation devices like light bulbs, electronic locks and many more. Thread is also designed to be controlled through any Thread certified devices. It can easily integrate with any existing application framework.
Potential disadvantages of Thread:
• Throughput - IPv6-based networks have the possibility for high-overhead, so the 250 Kbps throughput of Thread may be less adequate for existing IPv6 deployments.
• Application agnostic - Thread does not prescribe an interoperable application framework; while Thread certifies network interoperability, application framework interoperability is not guaranteed.
Applicable Part Numbers
| DigiKey Part Number | Manufacturer Product Number |
|---|---|
| 1786-ISP1907-LL-RSTR-ND,1786-ISP1907-LL-RSCT-ND,1786-ISP1907-LL-RSDKR-ND | ISP1907-LL-RS |
| 776-453-00039RTR-ND,776-453-00039RCT-ND,776-453-00039RDKR-ND | 453-00039R |
| 776-453-00039C-ND | 453-00039C |
| 1914-BC833MTR-ND,1914-BC833MCT-ND,1914-BC833MDKR-ND | BC833M |
| 1914-BC833ETR-ND,1914-BC833ECT-ND,1914-BC833EDKR-ND | BC833E |
| 672-NINA-B406-00BTR-ND,672-NINA-B406-00BCT-ND,672-NINA-B406-00BDKR-ND | NINA-B406-00B |
| 672-NINA-B416-00BTR-ND,672-NINA-B416-00BCT-ND,672-NINA-B416-00BDKR-ND | NINA-B416-00B |
| 1786-1019-2-ND,1786-1019-1-ND,1786-1019-6-ND | ISP1807-LR-RS |
| 776-453-00053RTR-ND,776-453-00053RCT-ND,776-453-00053RDKR-ND | 453-00053R |
| 1914-1018-2-ND,1914-1018-1-ND,1914-1018-6-ND | BT840 |
| 1914-BC840TR-ND,1914-BC840CT-ND,1914-BC840DKR-ND | BC840 |
| 497-STM32WB5MMGH6TR-ND,497-STM32WB5MMGH6CT-ND,497-STM32WB5MMGH6DKR-ND | STM32WB5MMGH6TR |
| 1914-1020-2-ND,1914-1020-1-ND,1914-1020-6-ND | BT840E |
| 1914-1019-2-ND,1914-1019-1-ND,1914-1019-6-ND | BT840F |
| 1914-BC840MTR-ND,1914-BC840MCT-ND,1914-BC840MDKR-ND | BC840M |
| 672-BMD-340-A-RTR-ND,672-BMD-340-A-RCT-ND,672-BMD-340-A-RDKR-ND | BMD-340-A-R |
| 672-NORA-B106-00BTR-ND,672-NORA-B106-00BCT-ND,672-NORA-B106-00BDKR-ND | NORA-B106-00B |
| 672-BMD-380-A-RTR-ND,672-BMD-380-A-RCT-ND,672-BMD-380-A-RDKR-ND | BMD-380-A-R |
| 1604-BMD-341-A-RTR-ND,1604-BMD-341-A-RCT-ND,1604-BMD-341-A-RDKR-ND | BMD-341-A-R |
| 336-4280-ND | MGM13P12F512GA-V2 |
| 672-BMD-345-A-RTR-ND,672-BMD-345-A-RCT-ND,672-BMD-345-A-RDKR-ND | BMD-345-A-R |
| 1914-BT840XTR-ND,1914-BT840XCT-ND,1914-BT840XDKR-ND | BT840X |
| 1914-BT840XETR-ND,1914-BT840XECT-ND,1914-BT840XEDKR-ND | BT840XE |
| 336-MGM12P22F1024GA-V4RTR-ND,336-MGM12P22F1024GA-V4RCT-ND,336-MGM12P22F1024GA-V4RDKR-ND | MGM12P22F1024GA-V4R |
| 1965-ESP32-H2-MINI-1-N2TR-ND,1965-ESP32-H2-MINI-1-N2CT-ND,1965-ESP32-H2-MINI-1-N2DKR-ND | ESP32-H2-MINI-1-N2 |
| 1965-ESP32-H2-MINI-1-N4TR-ND,1965-ESP32-H2-MINI-1-N4CT-ND,1965-ESP32-H2-MINI-1-N4DKR-ND | ESP32-H2-MINI-1-N4 |
| 336-MGM210PA22JIA2-ND | MGM210PA22JIA2 |
| 296-CC2652PSIPMOTR-ND,296-CC2652PSIPMOTRCT-ND,296-CC2652PSIPMOTRDKR-ND | CC2652PSIPMOTR |
| 776-453-00041RTR-ND,776-453-00041RCT-ND,776-453-00041RDKR-ND | 453-00041R |
| 1914-BC840ETR-ND,1914-BC840ECT-ND,1914-BC840EDKR-ND | BC840E |
| 672-NINA-B400-00BTR-ND,672-NINA-B400-00BCT-ND,672-NINA-B400-00BDKR-ND | NINA-B400-00B |
| 776-453-00052RTR-ND,776-453-00052RCT-ND,776-453-00052RDKR-ND | 453-00052R |
| 672-NINA-B410-00BTR-ND,672-NINA-B410-00BCT-ND,672-NINA-B410-00BDKR-ND | NINA-B410-00B |
| 336-MGM210PA32JIA2-ND | MGM210PA32JIA2 |
| 336-MGM210PB32JIA2-ND | MGM210PB32JIA2 |
| 672-NORA-B100-00BTR-ND,672-NORA-B100-00BCT-ND,672-NORA-B100-00BDKR-ND | NORA-B100-00B |
| 672-NORA-B126-00BTR-ND,672-NORA-B126-00BCT-ND,672-NORA-B126-00BDKR-ND | NORA-B126-00B |
| 672-NORA-B120-00BTR-ND,672-NORA-B120-00BCT-ND,672-NORA-B120-00BDKR-ND | NORA-B120-00B |
| 1786-ISP2053-AX-JT-ND | ISP2053-AX-JT |
| 776-453-00041C-ND | 453-00041C |
| 296-CC2652RSIPMOTR-ND,296-CC2652RSIPMOTRCT-ND,296-CC2652RSIPMOTRDKR-ND | CC2652RSIPMOTR |
| 672-NORA-B101-00BTR-ND,672-NORA-B101-00BCT-ND,672-NORA-B101-00BDKR-ND | NORA-B101-00B |
| MGM12P32F1024GA-V4-ND | MGM12P32F1024GA-V4 |
| 336-4281-ND | MGM13P12F512GE-V2 |
| 336-4279-ND | MGM13P02F512GA-V2 |
| 672-NORA-B121-00BTR-ND,672-NORA-B121-00BCT-ND,672-NORA-B121-00BDKR-ND | NORA-B121-00B |
| 336-MGM240PB22VNA3-ND | MGM240PB22VNA3 |
| 336-MGM240SA22VNA2-ND | MGM240SA22VNA2 |
| 672-NINA-B401-00BTR-ND,672-NINA-B401-00BCT-ND,672-NINA-B401-00BDKR-ND | NINA-B401-00B |
| 336-MGM240PA22VNA3-ND | MGM240PA22VNA3 |
| 336-MGM240LA22VIF2-ND | MGM240LA22VIF2 |
| 336-MGM240LD22VIF2-ND | MGM240LD22VIF2 |
| 336-MGM240PB32VNN3-ND | MGM240PB32VNN3 |
| 336-MGM240PB32VNA3-ND | MGM240PB32VNA3 |
| 336-MGM13P12F512GA-V2RTR-ND,336-MGM13P12F512GA-V2RCT-ND,336-MGM13P12F512GA-V2RDKR-ND | MGM13P12F512GA-V2R |
| 2832-MGM210PB22JIA2R-ND,336-MGM210PB22JIA2RTR-ND | MGM210PB22JIA2R |
| 2832-MGM13P02F512GA-V2R-ND,MGM13P02F512GA-V2R-ND | MGM13P02F512GA-V2R |
| 776-453-00053R-SPBTR-ND,776-453-00053R-SPBCT-ND,776-453-00053R-SPBDKR-ND | 453-00053R-SPB |
| 776-453-00052R-SPBTR-ND,776-453-00052R-SPBCT-ND,776-453-00052R-SPBDKR-ND | 453-00052R-SPB |
| 4356-S1MODULETR-ND,4356-S1MODULECT-ND,4356-S1MODULEDKR-ND | S1 MODULE |
| 336-MGM240PA32VNA3-ND | MGM240PA32VNA3 |
| 336-MGM210PB22JIA2-ND | MGM210PB22JIA2 |
| 1914-LN60E840E-ND | LN60E840E |
| 336-5770-ND | MGM13P02F512GE-V2 |
| 1096-CSB04PA10-RFC-NTR-ND,1096-CSB04PA10-RFC-NCT-ND,1096-CSB04PA10-RFC-NDKR-ND | CSB04PA10-RFC-N |
| 1096-1030-2-ND,1096-1030-1-ND,1096-1030-6-ND | CSB04PA10-CHP-N |
| 1568-WRL-24806-ND | WRL-24806 |
| 1568-WRL-24807-ND | WRL-24807 |
| 336-MGM240SD22VNA2-ND | MGM240SD22VNA2 |
| 672-NORA-B101-ES-ND | NORA-B101-ES |
| 672-NORA-B100-ES-ND | NORA-B100-ES |
| 1914-LN60G840F-ND | LN60G840F |
| 336-MGM240PA32VNN3-ND | MGM240PA32VNN3 |
| 1914-BM833A-PTR-ND | BM833A-P |
| 1786-ISP1907-LL-R2TR-ND | ISP1907-LL-R2 |
| 1914-BM833AF-PTR-ND | BM833AF-P |
| 1914-BC833M-PTR-ND | BC833M-P |
| 1914-BC833E-PTR-ND | BC833E-P |
| 1914-BM833-PTR-ND | BM833-P |
| 1786-ISP1907-HT-R2TR-ND | ISP1907-HT-R2 |
| 1914-BM833E-PTR-ND | BM833E-P |
| 1914-BM833F-PTR-ND | BM833F-P |
| 336-MGM210LA22JNF2RTR-ND | MGM210LA22JNF2R |
| 336-MGM210LA22JIF2RTR-ND | MGM210LA22JIF2R |
| 1914-BT840-PTR-ND | BT840-P |
| 1914-BC840-PTR-ND | BC840-P |
| 336-MGM210PA32JIA2RTR-ND | MGM210PA32JIA2R |
| 865-EYSNCNZWWTR-ND,865-EYSNCNZWWCT-ND | EYSNCNZWW |
| 1914-BT840E-PTR-ND | BT840E-P |
| 336-MGM210PB32JIA2RTR-ND | MGM210PB32JIA2R |
| 336-MGM240PA22VNA3RTR-ND | MGM240PA22VNA3R |
| 1914-BT840F-PTR-ND | BT840F-P |
| 336-MGM240SA22VNA2RTR-ND | MGM240SA22VNA2R |
| 336-MGM240LA22VIF2RTR-ND | MGM240LA22VIF2R |
| 1914-BC840E-PTR-ND | BC840E-P |
| 336-MGM210LA22JIF2-ND | MGM210LA22JIF2 |
| 1914-BC840M-PTR-ND | BC840M-P |
| 336-MGM240PA32VNN3RTR-ND | MGM240PA32VNN3R |
| 336-MGM240PB22VNA3RTR-ND | MGM240PB22VNA3R |
| 1786-ISP1907-LL-JT-ND | ISP1907-LL-JT |
| 336-MGM240PA32VNA3RTR-ND | MGM240PA32VNA3R |
| 336-MGM240LD22VIF2RTR-ND | MGM240LD22VIF2R |
| MGM210L022JIF2R-ND | MGM210L022JIF2R |
| 336-MGM240SD22VNA2RTR-ND | MGM240SD22VNA2R |
| 336-MGM240PB32VNN3RTR-ND | MGM240PB32VNN3R |
| 336-MGM210LA22JNF2-ND | MGM210LA22JNF2 |
| 336-MGM240PB32VNA3RTR-ND | MGM240PB32VNA3R |
| 1786-ISP1907-HT-RSTR-ND,1786-ISP1907-HT-RSCT-ND,1786-ISP1907-HT-RSDKR-ND | ISP1907-HT-RS |
| 113990556-ND | 113990556 |
| MGM210L022JNF2-ND | MGM210L022JNF2 |
| 776-453-00052C-ND | 453-00052C |
| 776-453-00053C-ND | 453-00053C |
| MGM210L022JIF2-ND | MGM210L022JIF2 |
| 865-EYSKJNZWBTR-ND,865-EYSKJNZWBCT-ND | EYSKJNZWB |
| 1786-ISP1907-HT-JT-ND | ISP1907-HT-JT |
| 1786-ISP2053-AX-RSTR-ND | ISP2053-AX-RS |
| 865-EYSNSNZWWTR-ND,865-EYSNSNZWWCT-ND | EYSNSNZWW |
| 336-6186-2-ND,336-6186-1-ND,336-6186-6-ND | MGM210L022JNF2R |
| 1914-BT840X-PTR-ND | BT840X-P |
| MGM13P02F512GE-V2R-ND | MGM13P02F512GE-V2R |
| 1914-BT840XE-PTR-ND | BT840XE-P |
| 336-MGM13S02F512GN-V3-ND | MGM13S02F512GN-V3 |
| 336-MGM13S02F512GN-V3RTR-ND | MGM13S02F512GN-V3R |
| 336-MGM13S02F512GA-V3-ND | MGM13S02F512GA-V3 |
| 336-MGM13S02F512GA-V3RTR-ND | MGM13S02F512GA-V3R |
| 51-CMP530-1-RTR-ND | CMP530-1-R |
| MGM13P12F512GE-V2R-ND | MGM13P12F512GE-V2R |
| 336-MGM13S12F512GN-V3-ND | MGM13S12F512GN-V3 |
| 336-MGM13S12F512GN-V3RTR-ND | MGM13S12F512GN-V3R |
| 336-MGM13S12F512GA-V3RTR-ND | MGM13S12F512GA-V3R |
| 336-MGM13S12F512GA-V3-ND | MGM13S12F512GA-V3 |
| 51-CMP530-1C-RTR-ND | CMP530-1C-R |
| MGM12P02F1024GE-V4R-ND | MGM12P02F1024GE-V4R |
| 51-CMP535-1C-RTR-ND | CMP535-1C-R |
| 865-EYSPBNZUATR-ND,865-EYSPBNZUACT-ND | EYSPBNZUA |
| MGM12P22F1024GE-V4R-ND | MGM12P22F1024GE-V4R |
| 865-EYSKDNZWBTR-ND,865-EYSKDNZWBCT-ND,865-EYSKDNZWBDKR-ND | EYSKDNZWB |
| MGM12P32F1024GE-V4R-ND | MGM12P32F1024GE-V4R |
| MGM12P32F1024GA-V4R-ND | MGM12P32F1024GA-V4R |
| MGM12P02F1024GE-V4-ND | MGM12P02F1024GE-V4 |
| MGM12P02F1024GA-V4-ND | MGM12P02F1024GA-V4 |
| MGM12P22F1024GE-V4-ND | MGM12P22F1024GE-V4 |
| MGM12P22F1024GA-V4-ND | MGM12P22F1024GA-V4 |
| MGM12P32F1024GE-V4-ND | MGM12P32F1024GE-V4 |
| 51-CMP530-1-B-ND | CMP530-1-B |
| 51-CMP530-1C-B-ND | CMP530-1C-B |
| 51-CMP535-1C-B-ND | CMP535-1C-B |
| 1914-LN60E840F-ND | LN60E840F |
| 336-5803-2-ND,336-5803-1-ND,336-5803-6-ND | MGM12P02F1024GA-V2R |
| 336-5804-2-ND,336-5804-1-ND,336-5804-6-ND | MGM12P32F1024GA-V2R |
| MGM12P02F1024GA-V4R-ND | MGM12P02F1024GA-V4R |
| MGM210P032JIA2-ND | MGM210P032JIA2 |
| MGM210P022JIA2-ND | MGM210P022JIA2 |
| 336-6188-2-ND,336-6188-1-ND,336-6188-6-ND | MGM210P032JIA2R |
| 336-6189-2-ND,336-6189-1-ND,336-6189-6-ND | MGM210P022JIA2R |
| 336-ARTIK-030-EV2RTR-ND | ARTIK-030-EV2R |
| 336-ARTIK-030-AV2-ND | ARTIK-030-AV2 |
| 336-ARTIK-030-EV2-ND | ARTIK-030-EV2 |
| 336-MGM210PA22JIA2RTR-ND | MGM210PA22JIA2R |