The Z-Wave Alliance, the standards development organization dedicated to advancing the smart home and Z-Wave technology, announced the continued expansion of Z-Wave Long Range (ZWLR) certification across the ecosystem. With 125 ZWLR certified devices now in market, manufacturers are bringing long range, higher-capacity and more reliable IoT connectivity to homes, multifamily properties and commercial environments worldwide.

The latest surge of certified products showcases how manufacturers are leveraging ZWLR capabilities to enhance range, security and performance for next-generation smart home and building applications. 

Z-Wave Long Range brings the following features and benefits: 

• Extended Range: ZWLR supports direct wireless communication between the hub and devices over much greater distances than traditional Z-Wave, up to about 1.5 miles line of sight in ideal conditions. This means outdoor devices or ones far from the hub can stay connected without relying on repeaters.
• Star Network Topology: Unlike classic Z-Wave mesh networks that route messages via neighboring devices, ZWLR uses a star network, where each device communicates directly with the hub. This reduces latency and simplifies network behavior.
• Scalability: ZWLR expands the network’s addressing space so a single hub can support up to 4,000 nodes, a much larger network than traditional Z-Wave’s limit. This makes it ideal for extensive smart home installations and commercial deployments.
• Optimized Battery Life: Devices dynamically adjust transmit power based on range needs, reducing unnecessary energy use and enabling long battery life, often up to 10 years on small coin cell batteries for many sensor types.
• Security: Z-Wave S2 is an advanced security framework used in Z-Wave and ZWLR smart home networks to protect communication between devices (like sensors, locks, and controllers). It enhances device and network security through strong encryption, secure key exchange, and device authentication.

“The pace of Z-Wave Long Range adoption this year has been remarkable,” said Bettina Roll, certification program manager, Z-Wave Alliance. “Manufacturers are not only embracing the performance benefits of ZWLR, but they’re also demonstrating how scalable, reliable connectivity can redefine smart home and building automation. With 125 certified ZWLR devices across 30 plus categories in the U.S. and EMEA market, and 80% of the products currently going through certification seeking ZWLR, the ecosystem’s growth underscores the strength of open standards and the continued innovation driving the Z-Wave community forward.”