Earlier this month at CES 2025, the Z-Wave Alliance unveiled that nearly 100 certified devices were rolled out in 2024 for the Z-Wave Long Range (ZWLR) protocol, potentially opening new industrial sectors where the network platform could be adopted.
With these devices available and another 50 different Z-Wave products in the certification queue for 2025, it could be a banner year for ZWLR as it addresses limitations that other smart home and internet of things (IoT) protocols can’t provide. Specifically, extended range.
ZWLR allows devices to connect over distances of up to 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) line-of-sight. Meaning connecting devices like outdoor security cameras, gate sensors and smart irrigation systems in large properties or industrial sectors could be accomplished without the need for multiple range extenders or mesh networks.
As part of this rollout of devices at CES 2025, Canadian smart home vendor Alfred International launched the DB2S smart lock, a ZWLR device designed for larger homes and multi-unit properties.
“Z-Wave Long Range is a pivotal moment in the evolution of smart home and connected building technology,” said Avi Rosenthal, chair of the board for the Z-Wave Alliance. “Adoption of ZWLR has been impressive and continues to gain traction. In 2024 alone, nearly 100 ZWLR devices were certified and we’re on pace in 2025 to witness similar, if not better, results.”
Why it matters
Traditional Z-Wave and Zigbee protocols are limited to about 328 ft indoors. To extend connectivity, it requires mesh networks.
As ZWLR can support up to 4,000 devices on a single network — compared to 232 nodes on traditional Z-Wave — this could be a boon for apartment buildings, smart agriculture, building automation, asset tracking and even potentially smart cities.
This could mean we may one day see a city where thousands of sensors, smart streetlights, parking meters and air quality monitors are all controlled via ZWLR on a single network. And there could be multiple networks across a smart city.
“As with any technology, consumer adoption depends on having devices that meet the needs of the market,” said Mariusz Malkowski, CTO and founder of Trident IoT. “The growing ecosystem of nearly 100 additional certified ZWLR devices demonstrates the strong support from manufacturers and that Z-Wave remains at the forefront of innovation in the IoT space.”
ZWLR may find a place in apartment buildings, hospitality and multi-unit dwellings where thousands of devices are connected at once. With support for up to 4,000 nodes, the protocol could allow these devices to run on a single network. Source: Z-Wave Alliance
Clashing protocols
Because ZWLR offers an extended range for industrial sectors and smart cities, it will be in direct competition with other long range industrial networking protocols such as Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) and SigFox.
While these may target different use cases, there is potential for crossover and eventually competition among protocols.
ZWLR could also potentially be fighting against other established protocols in the long-range smart dwelling sector like Zigbee, Wi-Fi and Thread, although these are more likely to co-exist.
Other benefits
Beyond support for a larger number of devices on a single network and extend range, ZWLR has other benefits where smart cities, industrial sectors and multi-unit buildings could take advantage of such as:
- Longer battery life
- Backward compatibility
- Better penetration
- Enhanced security
ZWLR offers a longer battery life of up to 10 years, meaning less need for maintenance and swapping of devices annually. The protocol is also backward compatible, allowing businesses or cities to upgrade the network without needing to swap out current devices.
Because ZWLR operates in the 800 MHz to 900 MHz band, it is less crowded compared to other protocols providing better penetration power through walls and obstacles. ZWLR uses S2 Security framework for end-to-end encryption and secure key exchange.
“Not only does this new technology enhance scalability and performance reliability across greater distances, but it also enables innovative applications to come to market that will redefine how devices integrate and interact, ushering in a new era of smart connectivity for residential, commercial and even industrial spaces,” Rosenthal said.
Additionally, the Z-Wave Alliance is growing the support for ZWLR by partnering with mainstream automation brands to expand its ecosystem.
How it works
ZWLR operates on a star network topology with a gateway or hub at a central point that establishes direct connection to devices. The network can support up to 4,000 nodes.
Star networks differ from mesh networks in that they allow the direct gateway to connect to devices at increased distances. In contrast, mesh networks permit signals to hop from node-to-node until the destination is met.
While the Z-Wave protocol and ZWLR can co-exist, ZWLR reserves a few network nodes for new or existing Z-Wave mesh network devices to preserve compatibility and guarantee that the devices work properly on the network.
This is why ZWLR is suited to cover large areas with centrally controlled and monitored systems.
“Z-Wave Long Range is one of those rare, transformative technologies that are poised to bring about significant change and transform landscapes,” said Leon Kralj, CTO of Shelly Group. “This technology is proving to be a critical enabler for scaling smart solutions into new sectors, including outdoor or edge-of-property applications, multi-dwelling units, commercial properties and expansive residential installations.”
