So, I am looking to replace some old zigbee v1.2 end devices, these are all either contact sensors, or temp and humdity sensors, nothing else.
I have a large ish (80 odd devices) zigbee network and am wondering whether or not to replace these, effectively like for like with v3.0 devices, or maybe go matter over thread (I have a spare Dongle-E coordinator I could flash).
I’m wary about bringing in another 2.4ghz network and finding space for it so it doesnt overlap the zigbee and wifi ones. On the other hand, it could be the start of a transition, as and when the other devices get older…
I am the wrong person to ask this because I am waiting for Matter to either mature or die. (X-10, Insteon, UPB- I’m sure there are more).
But on your question of frequency congestion. I just doesn’t happen- at least to affect your perceived network performance very much. WiFi and Zigbee protocols expect channel congestion. WiFi and Zigbee use CSMA/CA (collision avoidance) because devices can’t listen while transmitting. It is basically, listen first before transmitting. If the channel is quiet the device will transmit. If a device hears activity on the channel it will wait a random time up to 10ms before listening again.
Unless you have hundreds of WiFi and Zigbee devices you will likely never observe a delay due to channel congestion. Devices take only a few ms to send data and the channel is only occupied when the device is sending data.
I have 87 WiFi clients in my network. Nine of them are WiFi cameras. I also have 84 Zigbee devices, making a total of 171 things competing for channel space on my WiFi. Yes, my AP statistics report tons of retries, but as long as my light turns on or off when my wife presses the switch, or when she tells Alexa to do it, 100 or even 200 ms of retries are not noticed.
For me, any expansion in the near future will be Zigbee.
All true, but I believe people fail to realise that Wi-Fi uses broadcast radio - which does not stop at property boundaries. You may be particularly fortunate to have a house located well away from your neighbours - but most of us are also competing with our neighbours’ device for the clear air in which to broadcast.
From your comment about 9 wi-fi cameras I assume you also have several WiFi access Points on different channels to spread that load.
I’m not trying to criticise you - rather that I am jealous … I have 4 WAPs in a 2 bedroom apartment. My anger is directed mainly at those sales-droids who convince customers that using wi-fi is the best way to stream 8K movies to their TV, even if the TV is sitting right next to the router . So that next month they can sell an expensive Mesh Wi-Fi system to people who don’t have the expertise to measure results, and can be intimidated if they go back and demand a refund.
. So that next month they can sell an expensive Mesh Wi-Fi system to people who don’t have the expertise to measure results, and can be intimidated if they go back and demand a refund.