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Unexplained Zigbee packet drops and slow sensor response times are almost always caused by Wi-Fi co-channel interference. Here is how to plan your 2.4GHz spectrum cleanly.
Both Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11) and Zigbee (IEEE 802.15.4) operate in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band. However, while a standard 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi channel occupies a wide 20 MHz (or 40 MHz) bandwidth, a Zigbee channel is only 2 MHz wide with a 5 MHz channel spacing.
1. The Spectral Overlap Dilemma
Wi-Fi signals transmit at significantly higher power (typically 20 dBm to 30 dBm, or 100mW to 1000mW) compared to battery-operated Zigbee sensors (typically 0 dBm to 10 dBm, or 1mW to 10mW). When a Wi-Fi access point broadcasts on a channel overlapping your Zigbee network, it completely drowns out micro-power sensor transmissions.
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