LAN vs Zigbee

[saurabh17g]

I m working in a Lab in which all comps r connected thru LAN cables. Now, maintaining these cables is becomming a problem. Also, some people r using laptops and they r not getting LAN cables to connect to laptops since we have a limited set of them.
So, is it possible to interconnect all the PCs using a Zigbee? These modules are avilable around 2500 Rs like-http://www.nex-robotics.com/products/wireless-devices/zigbee-long-range-wireless-serial-communication-module.html
These modules support point to multipoint and peer to peer connection

 

[crutschow]

Why not use a WiFi wireless router?

 

[dknguyen]

Zigbees are meant to be used as a wireless RS-232 or USB Virtual COM Port. THat's too slow for PC network transfers and Windows/Linux don't support networking through those connections. Just use WiFi.

 

[Birdman Adam]

Yep, WiFi is the way to go. Zigbee's are WAY too slow. A good wireless router is pretty darn cheap these days.

 

[3v0]

It seems nobody knows what zigbee is.

 

[Sceadwian]

Your solution has already been suggested, use a wi-fi network. Problem is, if the institution is so cheap they don't have enough patch cables to hook up people that have laptops they're going to be so cheap they couldn't afford the large hardware upgrade that would entail going wireless.

 

[Reloadron]

It seems nobody knows what zigbee is.

Everyone knows what a zigbee is and everyone is saying WiFi is the way to go. That would also allow connection of most laptops without any additional hardware. The number of wired machines is limited by the number of wired router ports.

Ron

 

[3v0]

Everyone knows what a zigbee is and everyone is saying WiFi is the way to go. That would also allow connection of most laptops without any additional hardware. The number of wired machines is limited by the number of wired router ports.

Ron

If the original poster understood what zigbee was he would not have suggested it. What ZigBee brings to the table is a manufacturer independent standardized profiles that allows control system components like lamps and HVAC equipment to talk to each other.

Everything else offered by ZigBee can be had with MiWi and other protocols that use 802.11.

People are confused by the XBee which is often used for non Zigbee communications.

As pointed out in another post you can use the radios associated with ZigBee with other protocols if they use an external uC for the stack. Doing so does not make it a ZigBee device.

 

[Reloadron]

If I was looking for a good effective wireless way to remotely monitor and control instrumentation I would consider Zigbee as a great way to go about it. Especially beyond home to industrial applications. What Zigbee brings to the table is standardization and no shortage of choice options as toi modular building blocks.

However, looking back to the original post:

I m working in a Lab in which all comps r connected thru LAN cables. Now, maintaining these cables is becomming a problem. Also, some people r using laptops and they r not getting LAN cables to connect to laptops since we have a limited set of them.
So, is it possible to interconnect all the PCs using a Zigbee? These modules are avilable around 2500 Rs like-http://www.nex-robotics.com/products/wireless-devices/zigbee-long-range-wireless-serial-communication-module.html
These modules support point to multipoint and peer to peer connection

I would lean towards going with a simple wireless LAN network. Especially since most laptops already have wireless LAN networking interface installed. Then it is just a matter of joining the network. The original poster isn't saying exactly what users on this network are doing? Knowing that would make things easier. Based on what was posted I would consider a good wireless LAN network.

Yeah, I don't think the OP had a good handle on what Zigbee is all about.

Just My Take
Ron

 

[saurabh17g]

yes, i knew that speed might be a problem with zigbee. Now, installing wifi in the lab is a very costly affair. So, i was thinking of doing it thru zigbee.

Reason to do this: that module info sheet suggested that zigbee can be efficiently used for networking- point to point and peer to peer and point to multipoint. and manual clearly indicated to create addresses and setup the connection.
also, hooking up extra devices do not break or create big changes in the network configuration. There is dynamic host and address generation which takes care and makes the system robust. Which is my case.

I have a intermediate solution ready, all the desktops will be connected using LAN cables and laptops can be hooked up using zigbee. and there are very less laptops: 2 to 3.

 

[3v0]

I have several ZigBee nodes that I pay with so trust me I know what I am talking about. I do not know how to explain this any better to you. Please read my previous post.

ZigBee is not going to work but suppose it did. How would it save any money in that you will have to buy a Zigbee Radio for each laptop.

Zigbee has a huge overhead in terms of what is sent with each packet. You will find it to be much to slow to think of using. You would never want to try downloading files or web pages.

You can not just hook a ZigBee radio to a PC. There needs to be a driver.

You would need to build or buy a bridge between the Zigbee network and the LAN. Neither knows how to talk to the other and there is a huge mismatch in speed.

You need WiFi.

 

[Norlin]

Agree he needs WiFi, but isn't WiFi an 802.11 solution?

 

[3v0]

Yeah I goofed on that one I fixed it.

 

[Sceadwian]

Saura, why do you think Zigbee is cheaper than wifi? Shop around a bit wi-fi is QUIET cheap nowdays, even the 802.11N spec devices, and provide if not all then most of the features that you mentioned Zigbee supports. Not to mention bandwidth one or two orders of magnitude higher.