Ask Paul: 1st Edition: What are home automation protocols and which ones does Nexia support?

There is a lot written about smart home protocols in the media and many companies are fighting for a slice of the market, but the reality is probably a bit simpler than the hype.  A simple way to describe a protocol is that it’s the language the products speak to each other. Common home automation protocols are Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, ZigBee, Bluetooth and the list goes on.  Several companies have even created their own protocols that only work with their proprietary products.  Nexia now supports 10 different protocols, yet 90% of the approximate 400 compatible devices use Z-Wave, which has proven to be the most dominant in the connected home market.

What exactly is Z-Wave?

Z-Wave has become the market leader by defining the language and the specific commands that each type of device uses to communicate. Then, it forms a network in which the devices can communicate with each other and don’t all have to be in direct range of the bridge, aka hub or gateway. The industry calls it a mesh network and it allows each Z-Wave device added to the network to increase the strength of the network. This means the more Z-Wave devices connected in your home, the stronger the signal and the better the performance. With the Z-Wave common language defined, hardware manufacturers only need to make one version of their device and software developers like Nexia only have to integrate the device type, not every specific device. Z-Wave isn’t perfect for everything, that’s why Nexia supports nine other protocols and will continue to add more. Read more about Z-Wave in our Why Z-Wave Makes Sense post.

Here’s a rundown of the types of devices Nexia currently supports:

• Over 100 different Z-Wave Switches from manufacturers
• Over 100 different Z-Wave Dimmers from manufacturers
• Over 25 different Z-Wave Thermostats from manufacturers
• Over 25 different Z-Wave Door Locks
• Over 40 different Z-Wave Sensors (Open/Closed, Water, Motion, Tilt)
• Z-Wave Garage Door Controllers
• Z-Wave Security Sirens
• Z-Wave Smoke Detectors
• Z-Wave Water Valves
• Wi-Fi cameras
• Wi-Fi thermostats
• Motorized blinds
• Solar panel power monitoring
• Andersen® Verilock™ window latches which help you monitor both the open/closed and locked/unlocked status of your windows without any external sensors.
• Pella® Insynctive™ devices including innovations like a deadbolt sensor, and motorized/connected blinds between the glass