Zigbee Network Information
Meshnetics Zigbit modules can implement the full Zigbee standard which allows dynamic mesh networks as well as tree & star topologies.
Each module is controller, router or endpoint
All roles can send/receive data. Only one controller is allowed, which initiates the network (multiple networks are possible using diferent channels). Any number of routers & endpoints can be used.
Routers must be powered up continuously and can be part of mesh topology forwarding packets from other nodes. Endpoints can be very low power, spending most of their time asleed, but cannot route packets.
Data is sent in packets of up to approx 80 bytes (longer packets are slower but more efficient). Data can be sent from any node to any other node though usually data is sent to/from the controller. On reception an automatic acknowledgement (ACK) can be sent back to the sender.
If ACK is enabled and sender waits for ACK before sending the next packet the maximum throughput with one router (two hops) is 50kbit/s. This goes down to 25kbit/s with 5 or more hops. These figures assume maximum length packets.
Beacon networks allow better performance in some circumstances, and routers can sleep as well as end-nodes. however these are only supported using the underlying 802.15.4 protocol. Meshnetics Zigbee modules support this as well, but you lose mesh capability (star is still possible). Use of this is not documented here, as although 802.15.4 is simpler than Zigbee it is less well packaged for easy use.
Measurements of typical Zigbee performance