The Best Z-Wave Hub: 2022 Buyer's Guide - LinkdHOME

What I like

I’ve included this as no discussion of Z-Wave control is complete without pointing out that you don’t need to use a dedicated home automation hub to control your smart home. There are a variety of DIY software solutions out there, both commercial and open source, and for the hobbyist that wants complete control of their setup, this could be the way to go.

Aeotec is a major Z-Wave device brand (they also make the SmartThings hub above), and this controller offering is targeted at this DIY market. The Z-Sitck is a cheap, reliable dongle that plugs into a USB port and allows you to add Z-Wave connectivity to any computer. It supports Windows, Mac and Linux, and importantly can also run on a cheap Raspberry Pi device.

By setting up such a system as a home server you gain the maximum level of control and privacy on offer. Supported software include the open source options OpenHab, Home Assistant, and Domoticz, and the commercial offerings from HomeSeer, Axial, and Indigo Domotics.

Potential Concerns

Going with the Z-Stick and an open source solution running on Raspberry Pi is going to be the cheapest way to get into Z-Wave, and will give you true local control, no vendor lock in, and guaranteed privacy but, as with any DIY project, it’s not for the faint of heart.

This sort of solution inevitably comes with higher maintenance requirements as you’re running a system that is effectively cobbled together without an overarching company providing any sort of certification that things will work. If you want a hobby project, this is a great way to go, but if you want an actual system to run your house, you’ll need to be prepared for less reliability.

A Smart Home Bridge for Z-Wave Hubs

It’s not always easy to find a smart hub that will work with your smart home platform of choice, and while there’s not much we can do about that in most cases, there is an alternative solution for some Z-Wave controllers that might do the trick.

Australian Company Skaro has developed an automation bridge that is designed to connect different smart home systems together, and this includes some Z-Wave controllers. Once you set it up on your home network, you can install various plugins to provide support for the connected devices you need.

Supported controllers are:

• Fibaro Home Center HC2 & HC3

• Fibaro Home Center Lite & HC3 Lite

• Vera Edge/Plus/Secure

• HomeSeer

• Home Assistant

• RTI XP Controllers

Check it out at smarthome.com.au.

Other Considerations Before Buying

Why do you need a hub for Z-Wave?

Z-Wave is a completely isolated communication system tailored to smart devices and is built around a dedicated local network just for those that doesn’t require an internet connection. That network is created and managed by a Z-Wave controller (or ‘smart hub’), so without one of these there is no way a Z-Wave device can be used.

There are numerous advantages to using Z-Wave technology. These networks use mesh networking technology which allows individual smart devices on your network to act as repeaters that extend the range of the hub and uses lower frequency radio waves to help reduce interference and punch through obstructions better.

It’s important to note that Z-Wave only provides the means of communication between smart devices. What you can do with those devices, and the automation rules that you can create, is dependent on the capabilities your Z-Wave hub and it’s software. Check out our guide to Z-Wave to learn more.