# Using Zigbee and Zwave? **URL:** \ **Category:** Devices & Integrations\ **Created:** [July 7, 2018, 11:38pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-zigbee-and-zwave/130144 "2018-07-07T23:38:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tuffloud1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@tuffloud1](https://community.smartthings.com/u/tuffloud1)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2018, 11:38pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-zigbee-and-zwave/130144/1 "2018-07-07T23:38:11Z")
Hi, I’m new here and I’m just jumping into home automation. I have experience with automation already. I’ve had a reef tank running for almost 5 years - completely automated. It even changes it’s own water, mixes it’s own saltwater, etc. I purchased the SmartThings hub. I’d like some help with choosing Zigbee or Zwave. It seems that certain things are hard to find in Zwave and vice versa for Zigbee. Bulbs for instance seem to be widely available in Zigbee as well as the majority of the plugs I find. I understand the concept of the mesh network and it would obviously be beneficial to choose just 1. It just seems like it is difficult to find all things in only Zwave or Zigbee. Do most of you use both? Any suggestions/input is greatly appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![ogiewon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/ogiewon/32/13743_2.png) [@ogiewon](https://community.smartthings.com/u/ogiewon)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2018, 11:47pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-zigbee-and-zwave/130144/2 "2018-07-07T23:47:21Z")
I use both Zigbee and Z-Wave. Most of my light switches are Z-wave. Since they are hard wired, they are also Z-Wave repeaters, thereby building a strong mesh. Be sure to buy “Z-Wave Plus” devices, as that is the much newer specification and has some advantages over earlier revisions. For motion detectors, door/window contact sensors, and leak detectors, I use Zigbee devices. I also use Zigbee light bulbs (from Sengled and Cree.) I also have some Lowes Iris 3210-L plug in wall sockets that are both Zigbee and Z-Wave repeaters. They are controlled by Zigbee only. If your needs are simple, you may be able to choose just one or the other. If you expect to have a wide variety of devices, you’ll probably end up with both. Be careful of some devices that are poor repeaters. A device that is a repeater, but that does a poor job of it, is worse than not having repeater functionality at all. I believe some of the Osram zigbee bulbs fall into this category. Sengled has chosen to not have their bulbs be repeaters, which is helpful if your family turns them off from a wall switch, which would wreak havoc on your zigbee mesh if they were a repeater. ---
**Author:** ![JDRoberts](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/jdroberts/32/56577_2.png) [@JDRoberts](https://community.smartthings.com/u/JDRoberts)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 12:00am UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-zigbee-and-zwave/130144/3 "2018-07-08T00:00:55Z")
There’s an FAQ in the community – created wiki that should help: [http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Z-wave\_versus\_Zigbee](http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Z-wave_versus_Zigbee) ---
**Author:** ![JDRoberts](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/jdroberts/32/56577_2.png) [@JDRoberts](https://community.smartthings.com/u/JDRoberts)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-zigbee-and-zwave/130144/4 "2018-07-08T00:08:55Z")
Smart bulb repeater FAQ ( this is a clickable link) > [@FAQ: Are Smart Bulbs Repeaters? (Updated 2019: the new answer is yes, but may be inconsistent)](https://community.smartthings.com/t/faq-are-smart-bulbs-repeaters-updated-sept-2017-the-new-answer-is-yes-but-may-be-inconsistent/43065/): > > Hue Bridge Lightbulbs connected to a hue bridge are repeaters–but only for other devices attached to the same bridge. They essentially form their own mini network. So they won’t help with nearby sensors. Zwave bulbs Zwave lightbulbs like those from Linear and aeotec typically are repeaters – – but only for Z wave. These can actually be very useful in some specific use cases like getting zwave signal down basement stairs or across a garage. sunglasses bulb zigbee bulbs connected directly to the ST hub Zigbee lightbulbs like hue or Osram if connected directly to the SmartThings hub without using a bridge shift from the ZLL profile to the ZHA profile and then do typically act as repeaters for other ZHA devices. Or if they are Zigbee 3.0 devices, they will connect to the smartthing… And the protocol FAQ which also discusses Wi-Fi: > [@New to SmartThings should I avoid Wifi devices over alternative Z Wave or Zigbee devices?](https://community.smartthings.com/t/new-to-smartthings-should-i-avoid-wifi-devices-over-alternative-z-wave-or-zigbee-devices/12499/): > > I haven’t purchased a home automation system yet but my research has me choosing SmartThings. I understand the goal of ST is to integrate all connected devices but are there any benefits to choosing Z Wave vs. Zigbee vs Wifi devices? It seems to me that there aren’t many complaints about z wave and zigbee devices but there are many complaints about waiting around/hoping for support for Wifi devices. Should I strategically avoid certain Wifi Device if there’s a Z wave or Zigbee alternative? To be more specific, my dilemma is regarding a connected thermostat and a connected garage door opener. Lift master sells a wifi module for my garage door (I’ve read claims that there are delays in communicating with the SmartThings hub) . Alternatively I could choose a z wave device to signal the… ---
**Author:** ![Automated\_House](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/automated_house/32/99641_2.png) [@Automated\_House](https://community.smartthings.com/u/Automated_House)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 5:28am UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/using-zigbee-and-zwave/130144/5 "2018-07-08T05:28:25Z")
Both crew here. Honestly, I buy whatever is reliable and on sale. Perk of owning a hub that works with both protocols.