I’ll soon be moving to my own apartment and in the process of getting everything ready I want to make it smart (using Homey off course). Since it is an apartment I’m guessing there will be a myriad of wifi devices overbloating the 2.4ghz spectrum. This is why (after asking some advice here on the forum) I’m mostly down with using z-wave built in smart relays (for my light switches). However, I will most likely be adding Philips Hue lamps to my setup as well, which use Zigbee. So I will have in that scenario both a Zigbee and a Z-wave mesh running through the apartment. I know both protocols don’t interfere with each other but I am wondering whether this is a sound practice. I read somewhere that Philips Zigbee meshes don’t connenct with other Zigbee devices so even if I did go all Zigbee I would most likely still have two, now Zigbee, meshes running side by side (can anyone confirm this)?
So would using Z-wave for light switches (and potentially smart plugs) and Zigbee for lamps be fine?
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Hello,
I have 65 Fibaro devices (z-wave) and 30 Zigbee devices and also 30 Wifi Devices on my Homey Pro 2023. Everything is working without an issue.
Best regards
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Interesting!
Are the different protocols used in a certain way (for instance: Z-wave for light switches, Zigbee for light, Wifi for door sensor/camera’s, etc…) or do you mix them across purposes?
Hi,
I mix them across without any problems
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I live in a big apartment, and all my lights are Hue. My other devices are Z-Wave, Zigbee, BLE, Thread, and WIFI. I even have some RF 433 MHz and infrared, 95 devices in all, and do not have issues with signal conflict or anything of that sort…
Any noticable latency because of the mix of wireless technologies, or none at all?
None that I can report. I have not tried anything else, so I would not know the difference. To tell you the truth the devices that have prooved more problematic for me have been Matter over Thread. I believe it is not actually a problem with Homey, I guess those newer devices go through a lot of updates, so one Homey reboot fixes most issues as when that happens it mostly happens with a bunch of devices at the same time, so you would know
It is not a bad practice to mix technologies, in fact, this is why a device like Homey exists and makes sense.
But Zigbee, Z-Wave and Matter - for that matter 
- are mesh networks and rely on having ample routing mesh nodes distributed across your home, which can reliably relay messages to devices which cannot be reached by Homey directly.
So although there is no reason not to mix them, there’s a reason why you should not have too few nodes of a given technology stack (Z-wave, …).
So if your your is full with Z-wave devices and that network works fine, but you only have a handful Zigbee devices that are spread across your home, some of which out of reach of Homey, then the Zigbee network part can perform poorly. This is not because of the mix of Z-Wave and Zigbee, but because of the Zigbee network not having critical mass routing devices.
Just something to consider once introducing new technology for your devices.
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Yes, I know about the mesh network. I’m planning on having all my build in light switch modules be z-wave, which I have in every room and my hallway, so I don’t think their reachability will be an issue.
However, my lights will probably be either Philips Hue lights and/or lights that are compatible with Philips Hue, which use Zigbee. They will mainly be present in my living room and bedroom. The apartment itself spans just 13 meters, the hallway connecting the living room and bedroom, less than 2 meters. So, in your experience, will I need a repeater in that hallway or will the mesh connect over that distance?
Depends on the location of Homey, the usage of routing devices and the walls and how they are constructed. Metal-rich walls are a challenge due to the Faraday-effect.
I live in a 180m2 apartment, on a single floor, which is 23m long. There are many wooden walls and concrete/brick walls as well.
I have Z-Wave (many) and Zigbee (few routers only, quite some battery temp sensors and smoke sensors) devices.
Homey is in the small room located fairly centrally called “Berging” (grey) at 2m height.
In either direction devices are less than 12m from Homey.
I have Zigbee temp sensors in all rooms, and 3 Zigbee routers mainly in the living room.
Hardly any issues with Z-Wave, Zigbee (or matter). 99% of the time everything works perfectly.
For your question about a routing device: I would have a routing device central to your apartment if possible, or place Homey there if possible considering aesthetics. A Zigbee Power plug would do.
I’d say, just also add an hue light in the hallway. That seems to be the center and connecting point in your appartment (without knowing the actual layout)
Also, I missed in what room you’ll place Homey, central in your living room or on edge in the utilities closet? That may be of influence.
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