ZigBee is a wireless technology that was developed as an open, universal market connectivity standard to address the unique needs of low-cost, low-power wireless IoT data networks. Although there are many high-speed transfer standards available today, none of them appear to be compatible with the communication standards used by sensors and control devices. The IEEE 802.15.4 physical board radio specification for the ZigBee communication standard uses unlicensed radio bands of 2.4 GHz, 900 MHz, and 868 MHz. Zigbee 3.0 is an upcoming technology that has many benefits. Let’s take a closer look at it.
What is the ZigBee 3.0 Protocol?
Member businesses of the ZigBee Board Alliance developed and approved the ZigBee 3.0 protocol. The ZigBee Alliance membership board is made up of more than 300 market-leading OEMs, technology businesses, semiconductor makers, and service providers. The ZigBee protocol was created to offer a simple wireless data solution with dependable and secure wireless network designs.
What Are the Benefits of the Zigbee 3.0 Protocol?
- The ZigBee 3.0 protocol is made to transmit data across RF noise, which is typical in applications for commercial and industrial markets.
- Version 3.0 expands on the existing ZigBee connectivity standard while unifying the market-specific application profiles to enable wireless network connectivity for all devices, regardless of their market classification and function.
- A ZigBee 3.0 certification program also guarantees the compatibility of goods made by various device manufacturers.
- By tying ZigBee 3.0 networks to the IP domain, radio devices like smartphones and tablets on a LAN or WAN, including the Internet, will be able to wirelessly monitor and control connected devices, realizing the Internet of Things.
ZigBee Mesh Networks
The ZigBee protocol’s capacity to allow mesh networking is a crucial feature. In a mesh network, nodes are linked to one another via several paths, connecting each node. The complex, integrated mesh routing table updates and optimizes connections between nodes dynamically.
Mesh networks are by nature decentralized; every node on the network is capable of performing independent self-discovery. Additionally, the mesh topology enables nodes to modify their routing pathways to follow the altered network architecture as they depart the network. Mesh topology and ad hoc routing features offer more reliability in varying wave circumstances or single-node failures.
Compatibility Of The ZigBee Protocol
The backward compatibility of ZigBee 3.0 allows for the use of applications and smart home devices designed for ZigBee Light Link 1.0 or Home Automation 1.2. The ZigBee Smart Energy profile is functionally compatible with ZigBee 3.0; however, Smart Energy has extra security requirements that the profile alone can address.
Data from ZigBee devices
Applications on devices already deployed in the field or on the market can be effortlessly upgraded to ZigBee 3.0 thanks to ZigBee’s Over-The-Air (OTA) upgrade mechanism for software updates during device operation. Manufacturers are urged to support OTA updating in the application layer of their ZigBee products as an optional feature.
ZigBee Digi XBee 3 Technology
In addition to creating a variety of data networking solutions based on the ZigBee protocol, Digi is a member of the ZigBee Alliance. The Digi XBee 3 is the most recent in a long line of radio devices that offer a simple implementation solution and functionality to connect to many devices with reliable connectivity standards.
WIFI Security Using ZigBee
The network security offered by ZigBee 3.0 is improved. Two different types of networks result from two different security techniques:
- Centralized Security: This approach makes use of a coordinator/trust Centre that assembles the network, controls the distribution of the network, and links security keys to joining nodes.
- Distributed Security: It is created by a router in the absence of a coordinator or trust Centre. After joining nodes, any ZigBee router node can then provide them with the network key.
Upon joining a hub network, nodes implement the security strategy that is in place there. ZigBee 3.0 is capable of handling large local networks with more than 250 nodes as well as the expanding size and complexity of wireless networks.
Conclusion
Long battery life and 128-bit AES encryption for secure data transmissions are both features of the ZigBee technology. The differences between these networks make it easier to apply the standard to put IoT, Smart Grid, and M2M applications into practice. The study of networking in BE engineering colleges helps students learn and comprehend these principles of wireless networks and their advantages in the modern world.
Author
Gowtham S
ECE Final Year
