Using Z-Wave with Google Home: A Step-by-Step Guide

Smart home automation is technology’s latest innovation. The ideal smart home system anticipates your needs and responds to commands immediately. Among the available options, Google Home devices are growing in popularity for their smart features and distinctive functions.

If you already own a Google Home device, you’re probably curious about smart light bulbs and other home automation options. In this article, we’ll discuss Google Home and Z-Wave compatibility.

Understanding the Basics: Z-Wave and Google Home

Z-Wave is a wireless communication protocol that’s primarily used for residential automation. It’s a mesh network that uses low-energy radio waves to communicate from device to device, allowing for wireless control of smart home devices. Compared to other standard point-to-point radio data technologies, Z-Wave has lower overhead and power requirements and offers reliable communication and interoperability between devices from different manufacturers.

Originally designed to compete with the Amazon Echo, Google Home is built around Google Assistant. Users can set alarms and timers, activate music on Google Play or Spotify, and request news updates using voice commands.  After years of development, Google has expanded the applications of its original Google Home smart speaker, launching Google Home devices that access Google Assistant. These include Google Home Hub, Google Mini, Nest Hub, and Nest mini.

Compatibility of Google Home with Z-Wave

Because Google Home uses Wi-Fi to communicate, its devices can “talk” to any smart device that uses Wi-Fi as its communication protocol without a hub or special wires. Because Z-Wave is designed to run complex home automation systems without slowing down, it uses unique protocols that are not compatible with Google Home.

Despite the lack of compatibility between Google Home and Z-Wave, there are ways to bridge the gap and make them work together. To accomplish this, you need a Z-Wave hub.

A Z-Wave hub allows Google Home to communicate with Z-Wave devices using radio frequencies signals. It enables communication throughout your home from distances up to 500 feet away, facilitating making all your smart home devices controllable by your voice.

Z-Wave Devices that Can be Used with Google Home

Other Z-Wave devices can be used with Google Home once it’s been integrated with a Z-Wave hub. These include:

Hub & Controller

Z-Wave controllers and hubs work with Google Home to manage your network, allowing you to activate your smart light bulbs, thermostats, smart locks, and other items. They are essential to your home automation system. Manufacturers including Wink, Samsung, Honeywell, and others are developing Z-Wave compatible hubs and controllers to make Google Home automation integration easier.

Thermostats

Thermostats detect temperature changes and help you maintain and control the temperature of an indoor area. They have a direct impact on HVAC efficiency as well as comfort. Combining Google Home with a Z-Wave controller or hub allows you to directly control a Z-Wave thermostat.

Light Switches

Z-Wave light switches let you control the intensity of your lighting from your Google Home light bulbs using voice commands: they are a great way to enhance the features of the mesh network inside your smart home system. Users can program their hubs to turn lights on and off at specific times, or to gradually dim in the evening to prepare your body for bedtime.

Door locks

Smart door locks can check and secure the entrance of your door remotely, via voice command. This provides invaluable peace of mind. Just tell Google Home, “Hey Google, can you lock the front door?”

Z-Wave Hub Functions

Before purchasing a Z-Wave hub, it’s important to know what its main functions are and how to choose the right one for you.

Main Functions of Z-Wave Hub

A Z-Wave hub is the heart of a smart home system. It can be a bridge as well as a translator between different devices. Much like other smart home hubs, Z-Wave hubs simplify the network protocol and give users a single smart home application that controls all the various systems and applications.

To facilitate compatibility between Z-Wave devices and Google Home, a Z-Wave hub assumes responsibility for collecting and translating various protocol communications. It also diverts traffic from Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, thus easing network congestion.

List of Available Z-Wave Hubs that Integrate with Google Home

The following Z-Wave hubs work with Google Home:

• Wink Hub
• Samsung SmartThings
• Hubitat Elevation
• Abode Essentials Gateway
• Control4

Choosing the ideal Z-Wave Hub

Choosing the ideal Z-Wave hub can be confusing, as there are many options available. Here are some factors to consider:

• Voice control: The biggest advantage of a smart hub is letting you control all your devices via voice, so check the audio functionality of each hub you're considering.
• Compatible app: Smart home hubs are most easily accessed when they have a compatible app. Make sure there is a compatible app for any Z-Wave hub before purchasing one.
• Integration: Some smart home hubs can connect to more devices than others, so make sure that any hub you select can accommodate the number of devices that you want it to integrate with.
• Internet connection: Smart home hubs connect to the Internet either by directly routing to your router or by using Wi-Fi. For greater flexibility, the ones that access Wi-Fi are most desirable.

Setting Up Google Home and Z-Wave: A Step-by-Step Guide

To integrate your Z-Wave devices with your Google Home system, follow these steps:

How to Set Up a Z-Wave Hub

There are many different Z-Wave hubs on the market, so the exact setup process may vary from one product to another. Following are the most common steps:

1. Download your Z-Wave hub’s compatible app onto your smartphone or tablet.
2. Open the app and log in or create a new account, following the instructions.
3. Plug your Z-Wave hub into a power outlet and follow the manufacturer’s directions to connect your hub to your home network using either an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi.
4. Using the app, add your Z-Wave devices to the hub and test their operation to ensure that you can control all the added devices.

Connecting a Z-Wave Hub to Google Home

After your Z-Wave hub is set up, the next step is to connect it to Google Home. Here are the steps to follow.

1. Launch the Google Home or Google Assistant app from your phone or tablet.
2. Select Home Control from the drop-down menu.
3. Press the “plus” button.
4. Search or scroll down to find the name of your Z-Wave hub.
5. Input other details for your smart home hub account.
6. Finish the setup by following the instructions in the Google Home app.

Get to Know More: Compatibility of Google Home with Zigbee

Zigbee is another wireless communication protocol designed for low-power, low-data-rate applications for smart home automation. It operates on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, and aims to create wireless networks between smart devices.

Like Z-Wave, Zigbee won’t work directly with Google Home. Linking your Google Home to Zigbee smart home gadgets that support Wi-Fi requires a hub.

FAQs

Is Google Home compatible with Z-Wave?

Google Home won’t communicate with Z-Wave devices unless you have a Z-Wave hub to bridge the gap. With the compatible Z-Wave hub, Google Home can communicate with Z-Wave devices.

Does Google Nest hub work with Z-Wave?

Google Nest is a Google Home device, and is not supported by Z-wave, but it can control smart devices using either a specific hub or a universal one that has a Google Assistant integration.

How can I connect Z-Wave to Google Home？

Start by setting up your Z-Wave hub, then launch the Google Home or Google Assistant app on your phone or tablet. Select “Home Control” from the drop-down menu, press the “plus” button, search or scroll down to find the name of your Z-Wave hub and input details for your smart home hub account. Finish setup by following the instructions in the Google Home app.

Can I use Z-Wave devices without a hub?

It is possible to use Z-Wave devices without using a hub, but getting your devices to communicate with each other without a gateway isn’t easy. A controller is required for the initial setup.

Which is better for Google Home: Zigbee or Z-Wave?

Google Home devices can’t work directly with either of these protocols without an associated hub. Choosing the right protocol for you depends upon your existing devices and needs.

Conclusion

There are many Z-Wave devices available for smart home automation, and integrating Google Home and Z-Wave devices through a Z-Wave hub gives you many choices.
We hope this article helps.

Do you have Google Home devices in your home? What protocols do they use? Were you familiar with Z-Wave before? Share this article with your friends and leave your comments below if you have any other opinions or comments about smart home automation. We’d love to hear your thoughts!