Unfortunately Philips smart lights are not z-wave compatible. But there are some options to make the two interconnect with each other.
In this article we will provide you with some background information on both Philips Hue smart lights and the z-wave technology. From there we will have a look at the several options to connect Philips smart lights and z-wave with each other.
Philips Hue smart lights
The Philips Hue smart lights system was first introduced in 2012, it was the first lighting system to be directly compatible with Apple’s Homekit. Which allowed control directly from the iPhone. Philips Hue uses the Zigbee protocol, which differs from the z-wave protocol in some aspects. If you are interested on reading more about the technical differences, please review our technical article about z-wave vs zigbee.
The Philips Hue requires use of a bridge, the bridge is connected to your home network and allows control from smartphones. When you send a signal to the hub, the hub translates this signal to a Zigbee signal.
Z-wave technology
Z-wave is a low-energy mesh based network used for home automation. It uses radio based technology (similar to Hue) but it is a completely different protocol. Z-wave was first released in 1999, and provides a wide range of supported devices from z-wave thermostats, lights switches etc.
In order to control Z-wave devices from your smartphone you require a Z-wave hub also known as a Z-wave controller.
Z-wave provides interoperatebly at the application level, which allows you to share z-wave with other technologies. Our three tips below show you how to integrate z-wave with another platform such as Philips Hue.
Philips Hue vs z-wave side-by-side
Lets compare the two technologies side-by-side using some key metrics of each technology.
| Technology | Frequency | Device types | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philips Hue | 2.4Ghz | Mainly light bulbs | Due to the use of the 2.4Ghz frequency. Hue devices might interfere with WiFi devices as they use the same wavelength. |
| Z-wave | 800-900Mhz | All types of sensors, switches, bulbs etc. | Z-wave uses its own frequency, which provides low interference with other devices. Z-wave also offers more types of devices then just lighting. If you need a broader range of devices supported, Z-wave is definitely the way to go. |
3 tips to connect Philips Hue lights and Z-wave
Unfortunately Philips Hue smart lights and z-wave are not directly compatible with each other. This is due to the difference in technology. Although they are not directly compatible with do provide you with some tips in order to make them work together in your Home Automation system.
- Use a Home Automation system that has support for both device types. We at ZwaveGuide are a huge fan of Home Assistant. Home Assistant provides great support for both Philips Hue and Z-wave
- Make a choice of platform. This might not be the best option because Philips Hue is quite limited in the range of products they offer. But simply just using one technology will help you get rid of any incompatibility issues between the two.
- Use a hub such as Google Nest Mini or the Amazon Echo Dot. These hubs provide direct support for both Philips Hue and z-wave technology. We are assuming you have a z-wave controller already.
We hope these tips help you to connect z-wave and Philips Hue devices together. If you have any questions feel free to contact us using the contact form on this site. We will be glad to help you with any questions you may have.