Best node to build a Zigbee mesh?

[user1021]

I’m sure the word “best” here is less than superlative. What I really want to know is if the Leviton DG15A-1BW provides all the latest Zigbee mesh features

Would buying one of these for each room of the house and making them the only mesh enabled nodes of my Zigbee network give me a somewhat future proof basis?

For Z-Wave I know if getting an 800 series that I’m pretty much getting the latest and greatest. It might not mean I’m getting EVERY POSSIBLE feature like Long Range, but at least I know I’m getting (mostly) the latest networking tech. For instance, take the Minoston MP21Z series, with it I know there’s some that are dimmers and some that are energy monitors, but all of them run the latest “technology to create the fastest, latest, most stable mesh network”, right?

Is getting Zigbee 3.0 CERTIFIED the equivalent? Are there more features I need to consider before making a bulk purchase?

Specifically, would outfitting my house with these two products…

https://a.co/d/9dZ0tVD (Zigbee)
https://a.co/d/iXH0yOt (Z-Wave)

…would building my respective mesh networks using only those two products give me the technology to create the fastest, latest, most stable, and secure mesh networks for each standard?

Thank you!!!

[bertabcd1234]

Zigbee hasn't undergone as many notable changes as Z-Wave has. As you may know, Z-Wave 700- and 800-series devices do have potentially faster speeds, longer range, lower power consumption, and smaller but more capable chips than previous generations (and each generation before that similar improvements as well). I think investing in these devices for the "backbones"/repeaters of your network is a good idea. However, even for non-repeaters, factors like better battery life or smaller size (unfortunately, some manufacturers took advantage of both and now we're stuck with pretty much the same battery life, but I digress...) may be important for some users.

For Zigbee, there are pretty much only Zigbee Home Automation (ZHA 1.2) and Zigbee 3.0 devices and very little practical difference between them in any way that matters for use on Hubitat (mostly related to the application layer and some security and commissioning changes). There is also the Zigbee Light Link (ZLL) profile some, mostly older, bulbs and lightstrips used, and these are likely best avoided due to the fact that many are bad "repeaters"/routers, failing to pass on messages the network is counting on them to pass along, and causing hard-to-troubleshoot problems along the way (though some ZHA 1.2 bulbs also do this, so it's not the Zigbee profile per se; whatever it was, I don't think I've ever seen people complain about any Zigbee 3.0 devices doing this, which are naturally likely newer hardware too).

In other words, I wouldn't worry about Zigbee aside from avoiding (at least) old bulbs as repeaters. There's nothing to be gained with speed, range, etc. like there can be with Z-Wave.

My opinion specifically on the devices you linked to:

• The Z-Wave one is probably fine, though IMHO they are almost a no-name brand and one that appeared in the last few years in any case. Other vendors sell products where some appear to be from the same OEM, just with different firmware and well reputed support (e.g., Zooz). There are also longstanding brands like Aeon (not saying they're better, but you'll certainly pay more) and GE/Jasco, and others like Inovelli, though they do not currently offer in-wall outlets or smart plugs if that is what you want.
• The Zigbee one appears to be pretty old, but again, not much has really changed in this landscape. If you like the device, I wouldn't hesitate. Other well reputed products in this area include the Innr smart plugs or the Aeotec SmartThings Outlet (the Zigbee one that used to be Samsung SmartThings branded--though they also have a different-looking

Again, just my opinion on these particular ones.

[Ken_Fraleigh]

@bertabcd1234

Aeotec SmartThings Outlet (the Zigbee one that used to be Samsung

This has been the best, most reliable repeater I’ve had. I haven’t seen them in stock for a long time, but I would imagine that the Aeotec Range Extender Zi is the same thing minus the outlet.

[user1021]

Thank you so much for such a thought out and detailed response! It mostly confirms my assumptions, that Zwave versioning matters more than Zigbee. To date I’ve haphazardly bought random items to fit a need without really thinking about the details I should have been all along. Honestly, I was super surprised to find out I only had a total of 4 Zigbee devices, all Sengled Element Classic bulbs. Three of them work great, easy, set and forget. One of them never works twice in a row. It’s even in the same room as another bulb that works fine, but it’s inside a ceiling fan light housing. I assumed it was a connection issue. Now I wonder if congestion is a problem. Or if the one Amazon Echo with a Zigbee capabilities is messing with it. PS. That Echo isn’t even part of my Hubitat known mesh. I should just get rid of it. Well, I’m mid the process of getting rid of all Alexa devices for HomeKit, I digress.

I’m better than this. I should have swapped the non responsive bulb with a responsive one and watched if the problem followed the bulb or the location.

Anyway, I got one of those Zigbee outlets and plugged it in the same room. It’s been 24 hours now and the non responsive bulb is finally showing as a node hanging off the plug in the mesh map.

I should likely get rid of all Zigbee and just get it out considering I’m almost 100% Zwave at this point and moving to HomeKit I can move to Matter as well, right?

I mostly migrated all lighting solutions to smart switches instead of bulbs, and this will go that way one day too, but in an old house with no Neutral wire at the wall switch, my choices are limited or costly. I’m halfway to all lights being Lutron. I just wish there was a cheap, reliable Zwave bulb I could use until I get there. I found one for 30$ per bulb, yikes, considering I’ll one day replace this entire ceiling fan and also move to a wall switch for smarts… ugh.

But thank you! I think I have what I need… so long as those Zwave plugs turn out to be good hardware/software in a no name housing.

The real solution would be a nice in wall instead of a plug in outlet, but for that you want text that changes less, like the Zigbee standard, plus my need for this old wiring… no ground

If you have a Zwave in-wall receptacle outlet in mind that would work with old house US wiring (one black / one white) and no grounding at the wall, just GFCI at the panel, let me know!