A bad, impartial list! # Common Methods ## Wired I'm using this as a catch-all. There's myriad ways to connect things together using wires - from Ethernet to coaxial to fiberoptic and more. Maybe later I'll expand on them. Wired connections are generally better than wireless in terms of speed and reliability. ## Wifi "Wireless Fidelity", for some reason, a standard that continually updates that utilizes bands in the 2.4 and 5.0 gigahertz spectrum. Offers a high bandwidth. However it's annoying to establish new connections to wifi devices because it means disconnecting from your local access point (your router). Expected range of wifi is 50 to 100 meters indoors, with the lower frequencies typically traveling farther, and better through walls. ## Bluetooth Bluetooth is actually a registered trademark, and it _also_ operates in the 2.4Gh band. I learned recently that bluetooth uses a frequency-hopping technique, changing channels 1600 times per second. This allows many bluetooth connections to happen simultaneously without noticeably interfering with each other. Expected range is ~10 meters. ## NFC "Near Field Communication" is for extremely close-range communication with very limited bandwidth. This is how contactless payments work. It's based on RFID technology, although NFC and RFID are not synonymous. # Less Common ## IR Infrared is how TV remotes used to work. They typically require line-of-sight. They're being phased out in most cases, it seems, but could definitely still have valid use cases. Range depends on the power of the transmitter and fidelity of the receiver, but is typically 1 to 5 meters. ## Zigbee Low-powered *mesh* protocol, so it can relay messages around. Zigbee is commonly used for smart home devices, and seems to be the current most-popular choice for [[HomeAssistant]]. Range is 10 to 100 meters, expanded by each node in the mesh. ## Z-Wave Z-wave is a proprietary alternative to Zigbee that shares the same use cases. ## Thread Thread is a newer alternative to both Zigbee and Z-Wave. It's associated with the Matter smart home protocol. It's also mesh-based and is self-healing. # Table from ChatGPT This table is better than my note - directly from ChatGPT. | Tech | Bandwidth | Range | Frequency Band | Power Use | Common Use Cases | Fun Fact / Notes | | ----------------- | ------------- | --------------------- | ------------------------- | --------------- | ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | | Bluetooth Classic | ~2–3 Mbps | ~10m (up to 100m) | 2.4 GHz | Low to moderate | Headphones, game controllers | Named after a Viking king | | Bluetooth LE | Up to 2 Mbps | ~10–30m | 2.4 GHz | Very low | Wearables, beacons | Used in Apple AirTags & Tile trackers | | Wi-Fi Direct | 100–250+ Mbps | ~50–100m | 2.4 / 5 / 6 GHz | High | File sharing, screen casting | No router needed; supports HD streaming | | NFC | ~424 kbps | ~4 cm | 13.56 MHz | Extremely low | Tap-to-pay, pairing | Works even when phones are locked | | Zigbee | ~250 kbps | ~10–100m | 2.4 GHz (mostly) | Very low | Smart lights, sensors | Mesh networking extends range | | Z-Wave | ~100 kbps | ~30–100m | ~900 MHz (US: 908.4 MHz) | Very low | Home automation | Lower frequency = better wall penetration | | Infrared (IR) | Up to ~1 Mbps | ~1–5m (line-of-sight) | Infrared light (~300 THz) | Low | Remotes, A/V control | Cannot penetrate walls; oldest method here | | UWB | ~500 Mbps+ | ~10–30m | 3.1–10.6 GHz | Moderate | Precision tracking, smart keys | ~10 cm location accuracy | | LoRa | ~0.3–50 kbps | Up to 15+ km | ~433 / 868 / 915 MHz | Ultra low | Environmental sensors, asset tracking | Amazing range for minimal power | | Thread | ~250 kbps | ~10–30m per node | 2.4 GHz (IEEE 802.15.4) | Very low | Smart homes, Matter devices | Self-healing mesh; native IP support | Power Use Key: - **Ultra Low**: Suitable for coin cell batteries (e.g. LoRa, Zigbee). - **Very Low**: Designed for long battery life (e.g. BLE, Thread). - **Low**: Efficient, but more frequent charging may be needed. - **Moderate–High**: Faster transfer or range at the cost of battery. Let me know if you’d like this exported as a spreadsheet or visual cheat sheet! **** # More ## Source - Self - ChatGPT