Electronics
Smart Home Starter Guide: Matter, Thread and Wi-Fi Explained
Understand the protocols behind smart home devices before you buy.
· 3 min read
Key takeaways
- Matter makes devices work across ecosystems.
- Thread is a low-power mesh network.
- You can build your own sensors with ESP32 boards.
Matter
Matter is an industry standard that lets devices work with Apple, Google, Amazon and others.
Thread and Wi-Fi
Thread devices form a mesh and use little power, ideal for sensors. Wi-Fi suits cameras and devices with constant power.
DIY smart home
Makers build custom sensors and switches with ESP32 boards and open-source firmware like ESPHome.
Pro tip: ESPHome lets you add an ESP32 sensor to Home Assistant without writing code.
Frequently asked questions
Products mentioned in this article
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