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Maximum data rate is 250 kbits/s using offset quadrature phase shift keying (OQPSK). The most popular configuration is in the 2.4-GHz band, where the standard defines sixteen 5-MHz channels of operation. ZigBee devices operate in the unlicensed industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands. If a node cannot communicate with another node, the two may communicate by way of links to other nodes within range acting as repeaters. A master coordinator node controls other connected nodes. The ZigBee Alliance was established in 2004 to maintain the standard, continue its development, and provide interoperability testing.Īs a wireless mesh networking technology, ZigBee can be used in direct communications, but most applications are based on a star or tree topology mesh network. The IEEE 802.15.4 standard was completed in 2003 and updated in 2006. ZigBee was established in the late 1990s as an alternative to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for some applications. The IEEE 802.15.4 standard provides layer 1 (physical layer, or PHY) and layer 2 (media access controller, or MAC) of the network, while the ZigBee stack software provides the network and applications layers. Here is a comparison of these two widely used wireless technologies.īased on the IEEE's 802.15.4 personal-area network (PAN) radio standard, ZigBee is an open wireless standard fro, the ZigBee Alliance. Both technologies are ideal for home-area networks (HANs), which are becoming more widespread in the U.S. However, their specifications and applications are different. The ZigBee and Z-Wave short-range wireless technologies are used for remote monitoring and control.
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