Thread Smart Home explained: Everything you need to know about the wireless protocol

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What the hell is the thread and why is it so important for the Smart Home matter?

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

No one really paid attention to the thread group before Apple joined in August 2018, despite the taste of Google and Amazon, they were already members.

The Thread Group is a group of companies that support a mesh network protocol called Thread. And if no one paid attention to the Thread group, certainly nobody pays attention to their protocol.

On the other hand, all the attention had focused on Zigbee and Z-Wave, the established standards of the smart home and for a good reason.

There are a series of intelligent devices and on that support, and the main players like Samsung, La Morada and Amazon even make them centers for them.

But Thread could still be the most important wireless protocol for the future of the smart home, especially because he is at the forefront of the Smart Home Matter initiative, which is capturing impulse. There are already a lot of intelligent domestic devices of matter that use thread.

Therefore, it is a future that has already begun, such as Apple, Amazon, Google and Nanolef already have subprocess centers, also known as border border routines, for sale and possibly, even without you knowing, in your home.

But what exactly is the thread, how it works, how is it linked to matter and how will your smart home improve?

Here, we explain everything.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al1gcwejt0q


What is thread and how does it work?

Thread is a low -power mesh network technology protocol designed to connect all the devices of your home, but that is not what makes it interesting. What makes it interesting is that the group of subprocesses is pressing a standard that solves some intelligent home problems.

The group of subprocesses feels that it can be difficult to obtain devices to talk to each other, and that when they speak, the connections can be irregular and absorb battery life on mobile devices. Therefore, the thread is aimed at safely connecting the devices without blowing through the battery life.

Like Zigbee and Z-Wave, Thread can connect all its devices together on a giant mesh. Unlike Zigbee and Z-Wave, Thread does not require an intelligent domestic center to connect them; They only require a thread edge router.

A subprocess edge router connects a subprocess device to other IP-based networks, such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

And the good news is that thread border routers are already widely available. You may already have one at home without realizing it.

The Apple Homepod Mini contains a thread border router, as well as the latest generation Apple TV 4K. Amazon has thread border routers in the echo of 4th gen, echo programs such as show 8, 15 and 21; and also the center of Eco.

Google has been building subprocess radios on its devices for years and the tastes of Nest Hub Max Smart Display, Second Generation Nest Nest and the Google Nest Wi -Fi Mesh router now act as border routers.

Nanoleof also has border routers of integrated subprocesses in some of its intelligent light systems and we are obliged to see that more devices become routers in the future.

Subprocess devices are connected to each other without a single failure point, which also means that the network can “autocration.” So, if a low device or a connection becomes irregular, the network can adjust and continue without breaking.

The most important thing, the thread is interoperable by design. Use open standards as IPv6 and a 6Lowpan base. Translation: All their devices could speak with each other, regardless of the manufacturer.

At this time, when you try to gather your Smart Home devices in routines, it uses services such as Homekit, Ifttt, Alexa and Google Assistant. They basically act as remote that make them seem that their devices are working together without problems. As when you say good night and the locks of your door and your lights go out.

The thread, on the other hand, would allow its devices to talk directly to each other. Therefore, its smart lights of Philips could speak with their LG refrigerator without a center or a service that is put in the middle.

(Image credit: the subprocess group)

It also uses AES encryption, which Thread Group says that closes the holes that are present in other network protocols. It is worth noting that Zigbee and Z-Wave also use AES encryption, although Thread also uses public class bank cryptography to support it.

As for how many devices you can use, a network of subprocesses in your home can admit more than 250 devices with multiple hops. Then there is energy use: Thread Group says that Thread’s energy efficiency means that the devices that are executed in AA batteries will last for years, since it is executed in the IEEE 802.15.4 Mac/Phy of energy efficiency and use short messages between devices to keep the power.

The good news with Thread is that it is a technology that can be enabled on some older devices using firmware; While the devices admit the 802.15.4 protocol, they can be updated to admit the thread.

Nanolead thread Smart light bulb
(Image credit: the environment)

But what does all that mean for you?

Thread should mean that their intelligent domestic devices work faster, safer and less problems than ever; Especially compared to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices.

Let’s take, for example, some intelligent lights by Nanoleof Essentials, which have thread on board. These are intelligent lights compatible with homekit that, in time before Homepod Mini, would have used Bluetooth to connect to a homekit hub.

And that is fine, more or less, but Bluetooth is notoriously slow and, therefore, it does not get an instantaneous result following a voice command, press a button on the start application or through a homekit automation.

And although the tastes of Zigbee and Z-Wave are super fast, these are not protocols with which Apple plays particularly well.

And, the fact that Big Tech is enabling the thread is a big problem. Especially as a thread, together with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, it is a pillar of matter.

What is matter?

At the end of 2019, the Big Boys of Tech were associated with the alliance of connectivity standards, to create the Connected Household project on IP; An initiative to “simplify development for manufacturers and increase compatibility for consumers“In the world of the smart house.

Chip was based on a shared belief that intelligent domestic devices should be safe, reliable and without problems using.

The plan was to simplify that brands and manufacturers build devices that are compatible with Alexa, Siri, Google assistant.

Thread is one of the main technologies that execute the project chips program, which claimed life as a matter at the end of 2022, being the subject on subprocess one of the key protocols of the new standard.

Explanator: What is the smart home?

Many matter controllers packed an edge of subprocesses inside and the good news is that you probably will not have to buy a new device such as Amazon, Apple, Smartthings and Google, as mentioned above, all have plans of matter and threads for a Variety of a variety of range of a variety of existing devices.

THREAD SMART Home Network Diagram
(Image credit: the subprocess group)

However, it must be aware that, as it is at this time, matter on thread is anything but navigation.

This is because, despite the fact that Thread’s greatest strength is the mesh capabilities it offers as detailed in the previous diagram, the main players of the Home Smart Home initiative have not yet agreed the best way to implement this .

When it comes to matter such as Google, Apple, Amazon and Samsung have not yet been decided by a standardized way of sharing subprocess credentials. Which makes things a bit messy.

Currently, people discover that, instead of a thread network in their homes, everyone singing and dancing from the same hymns sheet, end with multiple networks of threads that live with each other, even if some of those thread networks are enabled For matter.

track the networks of your starting threads using applications
(Image credit: the environment)

This problem, highlighted by the image above that shows all wire networks in my house, is not an important problem; You will not get the interference of the network as it would if you had multiple Wi-Fi networks, for example, but it is not yet ideal and denies the total point of the power of the shared thread mesh.

However, it is a problem of CSA matter to solve, not the group of threads, although the latter is doing things a little easier.

At the beginning of 2024, the Thread group announced a series of improvements with the subject in mind and in September 2024, Thread 1.4 was officially launched and should make everything a bit clearer to the user.

The first great improvement that is coming the path of thread are the improvements with the border routers that should solve the problem of credentials.

The strategy of the thread group involves standardizing how border routers share credentials in different manufacturers, ensuring a unified subprocess mesh network.

This solution aims to reduce latency, eliminate failure points and even improve the battery life of thread devices.

Who is the thread group?

The Thread Group is, well, a group of companies interested in developing and supporting the thread. Its Board consists of Apple executives, Google, Yale, Qualcomm, Lutron, Somfy and Siemens.

The subprocess group is not exactly a body of standards. Instead, it is considered a group focused on educating the market and developers on the benefits of thread, hoping to expand their scope. It also performs certifications on Thread technologies and products.

The Thread Group membership list reads like Who’s Who of The Smart Home World. They are Apple, Google and Amazon, which is important since they are the three great of the smart houses. But just as important, there are people like D-Link, Eero, Kwikset, LG, Lutron, Bosch, Samsung, Signify, Tado, LG, Somfy, Tado and Yale.

Apple Homepod Mini
(Image credit: the environment)

Is there any thread device?

Yes, in fact, a lot. As mentioned, the Homepod Mini was the first center to open its thread radius and the tastes of Nanoleof and Eve began offering homekit devices that are compatible with threads in 2022.

Since then, we have seen a flood of devices enabled for announced threads, many of which are also important devices.

Here is the thing: the subprocess can be added to almost any device with a simple software update. While these devices admit the 802.15.4 protocol, they can be updated to admit the thread. That is the route that Eve has taken with her first wave of thread compatible devices.

Google Nest already used a combination of threads, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for their devices to be spoken. He has been doing this since then in 2016. Therefore, he can see all the potential benefits of thread in nest protection, protect and detect devices.

Google has also placed a thread radio on some of its intelligent starting devices, such as the Google Nest Wi -Fi system and the Hub Max nest and, as mentioned, the 1.3.0 thread means that they can act as border routers for devices No Google/Nest too.

In terms of devices around their home, we have already seen smart locks, smart plugs, smart sensors, intelligent blinds and heating devices of people such as Eve, Schlage, Aqara, Wemo and Siemans will live with thread on board and some of these Devices are now certified by matter as well.

It is clear that we are seeing an intelligent future at home where thread is an important player, although with some problems to solve first.

We will be happy to hear your thoughts

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