Wired or Wireless Smart Switches?

The development of smart switches means that you can now control the atmosphere and visibility of your home more intelligently than ever before. There are a number of different ways you can implement smart lighting. Many questions will arise along the way, starting with why you should consider upgrading your light switch to smart.

Wired or wireless smart switches?

If you think a smart switch is the best option for you, you need to decide whether to go wired or wireless.

A wireless smart switch is very sensible if you rent one. You do not need to do any work on the wiring and switches that are already in place. Many smart switches come with magnetic brackets, which means you don't even need to physically fix them to the wall. Although the choice of wireless switches is limited, there are still options available from the major industry players.

If you are a homeowner, a wired smart switch will require a replacement of your current switch. In return, you will get a fully integrated approach to lighting control. Often circumstances will dictate whether you choose a wired or wireless smart light switch. There is no right or wrong answer, only what works best for you.

Tuya ZigBee Wireless Smart Curtain Switch     

Neutral / C-wire

Before you start, you need to understand the wiring in your home.

Most conventional light switches and sockets use 2 wires.

Residential

Neutral

As with most electronics, IoT devices run on low voltage DC power.

If you are adding a smart switch, you will need at least one more wire to connect to the DC power supply. This is called the common or C wire and it sends a signal to any of your IoT devices.

Unfortunately, about 50% of North American homes don't have this C wire, so how do you bypass it to achieve your smart lighting goals?

Choose a smart switch that doesn't require an additional neutral wire

Adding wires to your existing wiring can be costly and can create a real mess. If you are retrofitting and the wiring is already exposed, this is the best way to go

Smart bulbs avoid any wiring issues and allow you to control at bulb level

Choose a smart LED light with a battery-powered switch

Once you've solved the wiring problem, you need to consider which communication protocol is best for your smart home.

Tuya ZigBee Wireless Smart Curtain Switch     

Protocol: Z-Wave or Zigbee?

As with all aspects of the smart home, there is never a clear-cut best path, just a case of what works best for your situation. If you're only interested in smart locks, some simple smart bulbs and speakers, then you won't encounter too many problems with communication standards. On the other hand, if your smart home includes garage door automation, smart switches and other smart home security layers, you're likely to encounter Z-Wave and Zigbee.

Simply put, Z-Wave and Zigbee are both radio protocols that require a third-party hub so that your smart devices can communicate with your phone. In contrast, Bluetooth and WiFi enabled devices can communicate directly without the need for conversion.

While Z-Wave and Zigbee are not directly compatible with each other, you can bridge this protocol gap with hubs and smart speakers, so it's no longer a divisive issue.

The advantages of Z-Wave

Although there is no single solution, the Z-Wave protocol does offer significant advantages over other protocols. The 900 MHz frequency occupied by Z-Wave is not shared by many other devices. Zigbee, Bluetooth and WiFi all share the same 2.4 GHz frequency, so there is often a lot of network interference. In addition, Z-Wave can be rolled out as a mesh network. The more Z-Wave devices you have, the stronger the signal will be.

If you want to get more information about the best wireless smart switch, welcome to contact us today or request a quote.