It might get a little confusing when it comes to figuring out whether your Google home is compatible with Zigbee as various other protocols are also available such as IFTTT, Z-Wave, etc.

When it comes to compatibility Zigbee protocol is not compatible with your Google Home directly but can be used along with a hub. You will be needing a device that can be used a hub to connect Zigbee devices with Google Home.

Since Google Home communicates cannot communicate using the Zigbee protocol, you will have to connect it to a hub to make it able to work. You can also connect your google home with smart devices which enable communication through WiFi and let them communicate.

Before we jump to understand how other devices work we should start by explaining how Zigbee devices can be connected to the Google Home.

Zigbee devices and Google Home

It is clear that the Google Home is no directly compatible with Zigbee devices, but they can be made to communicate using other devices like Hubs. Before we start, we should understand how smart devices communicate with each other.

Here are some of the common ways smart devices can communicate with each other-

  • Zigbee
  • Bluetooth
  • Z-Wave
  • WiFi

Zigbee protocol is used by many of the smart devices, but you should not worry if the Google Home cannot understand the Zigbee limbo.

The Google home itself has a plethora of features to provide to its users, and compatibility issues can be ignored. You should also know that Google and Alexa have made sure that most of the smart devices should be compatible with them.

If you want to know whether your smart device is compatible with Google and Alexa you can check with the packaging of your device and look for – “Works with Google Assistant” or “Works with Alexa.”

If you only want to communicate with your smart bulbs or plugs via WiFi, you do not have to worry about installing a hub or a middleman device to make it work with Zigbee.

There is also one drawback that you need to understand before you proceed carefully, and that is, your router may cause some issues if it is connected to more than 7 smart bulbs separately. That is why you need a hub because it can easily manage many smart bulbs with a single connection.

Google Home Functions

Just because Google Home does not support Zigbee, you do not have to rush to buy a hub right now as it has its own functionality which can be more than enough for you.

Here is what the Google home offer-

  • You can easily check the weather and set reminders on your Google Home which will help you to remind your important commitments.
  • You can easily access your smartphone applications using this device.
  • You can play your favorite music.
  • It will respond to your voice commands and perform simple tasks.
  • You can easily control other smart devices at your place.

The Google home smart speakers do not need a separate hub for communicating with other devices and also provide voice assistants features.

Are Hubs a Necessity?

Hubs will only be needed when you want your Google Home device to communicate with devices following Zigbee or Z-Wave protocols such as the:

  1. Ecobee Thermostat
  2. Ring Video Doorbell

Or any other devices that are compatible with the smart things hub, since Google home has great features to offer to its customers and tons of product are compatible with Google Assistant as well as Alexa.

The hub will be a necessity only if you want it to communicate with specific devices. If you are happy with what your product has to offer you do not have to invest in a hub separately.

Can Google hubs be of help?

Many of you might be wondering about the google home hub, if there is a hub like this, why do we have to buy others? But the truth is Google Home hub is just a basic hub and cannot help Google home to connect with Zigbee devices, whereas it can help you with connecting a plethora of other devices.

The primary purpose of a Google home hub is to centralize the device controls and to connect multiple devices with a single connection.

You need not connect your devices with wires and use your smartphone to connect and control many of the devices at your home. This will surely provide ease of access and make your life a lot more convenient, and you just need to provide voice commands to your Google Home device and voila! Your job is done.

Here is some of the feature that the Google home hub has to offer

Google Home Hub Features

Google home hub is not similar to the Google Home speakers and offers tons of features for the users; it comes as a rectangular-shaped device with a screen. You can easily access anything using the display controls

  • You can set parental controls for your children
  • You can control the compatible household devices such as the lights and smart locks
  • If your devices are connected with the Google home, then you can easily locate them
  • You can set and update reminders and calendar for you to remember important events
  • You can organize your devices and appliances by room if they are connected with the Google home hub
  • You can display your favourite photos using this hub

As mentioned earlier, the Google home hub is just a basic hub so you will still need another hub if you want to set up and control devices like Ring video doorbell (which speaks Zigbee) then you will have to buy a hub that supports it.

However, Google home hub can still work with other devices which are compatible and help you control it with just your commands.

Setting up your Google Home hub

Now that you know tons of things about the Google Home hub you might as well learn how to set it up for making your home smarter. You can use the below steps to set the Hub.

  • Find a suitable place for the device
  • You need to install the Google Home app in your smartphone
  • Now plug in your Google Home hub to get started
  • You can proceed to connect the devices with the google home hub
  • Customize the setting or set preferences such as locations, voice controls, etc.)

Finding a suitable place for your device is certainly the most important step of all because you need to place the Google Home hub near the most used devices that are connected to the hub.

You can choose between your home office, bedroom or your kitchen. Without the Google home application in your phone, you will not be able to set up the device so make sure to download the application which is available for both Android and IOS in your smartphone

The voice matching feature is the best as you can set up different voice profiles and you will receive a customized response, for instance, if you ask about the events that you have on a particular day it will respond with the list of events you have set, and it will differ when someone else asks the same question.

More information about the Google home hub

Apart from controlling the devices compatible with the Google Home hub, it also provides some other functions. Here is some extra information that most of the users need.

  • Google home hub can recognize multiple voices and respond to each individual separately.
  • It can help you call anybody who is in your contact list, but the calls will go directly to your contact’s phone and not the device,
  • The devices that is compatible with the Google home hub are – Apple, Samsung products, Philips Hue, Nest, Amazon Alexa, you can also use it along with Samsung SmartThings, Belkin WeMo or wink.
  • The Google Home Hub is not compatible with Zigbee or Z-Wave, so you will not be able to connect with any other devices that work with Zigbee.

Can you use Google Home with Z-Wave?

You cannot use Google Home with Z-wave, but you can use Hubs to set up a communication between them.

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