March 2005, Issue 176

Zeroing in on ZigBee (Part 2)
Chipsets and Source Code

FAST ENOUGH?

ZigBee is optimized for low-power operation, so its data rate isn’t as high as Bluetooth or 802.11. If throughput is your biggest concern when designing your new wireless network, you should first address the question of speed. If you have any doubts about 802.15.4 throughput for your application, you can download a free network simulation tool and a model of 802.15.4 supporting Beacon mode.

By altering the numerous parameters, you’ll be able to see if the network performance you want will be possible in terms of latency, throughput, power, and the number of nodes. The network simulation software is called ns2 (from the University of California, Berkeley). The 802.15.4 networking model was developed by the University of Southern California’s Autonomous Networks Research Group. (Refer to the Resources section of this article for more information.) With these tools you can quell your doubts before committing to buying or developing hardware and software.