Zigbee

What is Zigbee?

Zigbee is a low-power, wireless communication protocol designed for short-range communication between devices. It is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard and is widely used in IoT, home automation, and industrial control systems. Zigbee supports mesh networking and is optimized for low data rates and low power consumption.

Why is Zigbee useful?

  • Enables low-power, battery-efficient communication.

  • Supports mesh networking for extended range and reliability.

  • Designed for low-data-rate applications like sensors and controls.

  • Facilitates interoperability through standardized application profiles (e.g., Zigbee Home Automation).

  • Ideal for scalable networks with many connected devices.

How it works?

  • Zigbee uses IEEE 802.15.4 at the physical and MAC layers.

  • Devices are organized in a mesh topology with coordinators, routers, and end devices.

  • The Zigbee Coordinator initializes and manages the network.

  • Data is routed through intermediate devices, improving range and fault tolerance.

  • Zigbee defines its own network and application layers, separate from IP-based protocols.

Where is Zigbee used?

  • Smart homes (lights, locks, thermostats, motion sensors).

  • Industrial automation (machine monitoring, control systems).

  • Smart agriculture (environmental sensors).

  • Healthcare (patient monitoring).

  • Retail and commercial buildings (energy monitoring, security).

Which OSI layer does this protocol belong to?

  • Zigbee spans multiple layers of the OSI model: * Layer 1 (Physical) and Layer 2 (Data Link): IEEE 802.15.4. * Layer 3 (Network): Zigbee’s own routing and addressing. * Layer 7 (Application): Zigbee profiles and device communication.

IS Zigbee Windows specific?

  • No, Zigbee is not Windows-specific.

  • It is used on embedded devices and microcontrollers.

  • Windows can be used to monitor or control Zigbee devices via a Zigbee hub or USB dongle, but it does not natively implement the Zigbee stack.

IS Zigbee Linux Specific?

  • No, Zigbee is not Linux-specific.

  • Linux is commonly used in Zigbee coordinators, gateways, or home automation hubs (e.g., Home Assistant, OpenHAB).

  • End devices typically run on RTOS or bare-metal firmware.

Which Transport Protocol is used by Zigbee?

  • Zigbee does not use IP-based transport protocols like TCP or UDP.

  • It defines its own transport layer within the Zigbee stack.

  • Communication is handled over IEEE 802.15.4 frames and Zigbee’s own data delivery mechanisms.

Which Port is used by Zigbee?

  • Zigbee does not use traditional IP ports.

  • It communicates over the 2.4 GHz ISM band (globally), and also 868 MHz (EU) or 915 MHz (US) for some regional variants.

  • Channels are defined within the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, not by port numbers.

Is Zigbee using Client server model?

  • Zigbee can implement client-server communication at the application layer (e.g., light bulb as server, switch as client).

  • However, the network itself is peer-to-peer in a mesh topology.

  • Roles depend on the application profile and device type.

Topics in this section,

  • In this section, you are going to learn

  • Terminology

  • Version Info

  • rfc details

  • setup

  • setup

  • packet details

  • usecases

  • features

  • Reference links