Table of Contents
Understanding Thread and Matter
Thread is a wireless network protocol designed for smart home (IoT) devices. Like Zigbee, it is based on IPv6 and uses low power. It works on IEEE 802.15.4 radio technology and creates a secure and expandable mesh network for smart home products.
Thread was developed by the Thread Group, a group of big companies like Google, Apple, and Samsung. Its goal is to solve problems that older IoT protocols have, such as lack of security, poor reliability, and devices not working well together.
Because Thread is based on IP and is open standard, it lets smart home devices like lights, AC, thermostats, door locks, sensors, and speakers connect easily and safely to each other and to the cloud.
What is Thread?
Thread is a wireless protocol made especially for smart home (IoT) devices. It is designed to make these devices work faster, use less energy, have fewer problems, and communicate easily with each other.
Thread is a low-power mesh network protocol that uses 802.15.4 radio technology. It is similar to other smart home protocols like Zigbee and Z-Wave. But unlike these, Thread does not need a central hub or bridge. Instead, Thread devices can talk directly to each other. Because there is no middle device, Thread can be faster, especially in large networks.
Also, unlike other low-power smart home protocols, Thread is based on Internet Protocol (IP). This means it can connect directly to other IP-based devices, like smartphones, tablets, computers, and Wi-Fi routers.
Thread’s ability to let devices talk directly, along with its support for over 250 devices, gives it low delay (latency). A Thread mesh network can choose the best route to send messages, making it more efficient. This helps reduce power use and delay. As a mesh network, Thread can also fix itself – if one router goes offline, another takes over, so the network keeps working.
Seamless internet connectivity adds an extra security feature to Thread networks: end-to-end encryption. The data is locked with encryption at the starting device, travels through the Thread network, then to the internet backbone, and finally reaches the cloud server – still fully encrypted. This means that the data stays protected all the way from the home to the cloud. Designers can see how this gives privacy and security benefits for IoT users because the data is only unlocked in the secure cloud center.
Thread is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, which is a low-power, self-healing mesh network. From a hardware point of view, chip manufacturers can offer reliable, low-cost, small, and energy-efficient SoCs (Systems on a Chip) for Thread devices.
Unifying a platform means bringing different protocols together and using their strengths to solve various IoT challenges. But it’s not possible to create one protocol that fits every need in the IoT world because there are so many different problems to solve. That’s why many protocols exist – to handle the wide variety of challenges that engineers face.
So, Google, Amazon, Apple, and the Zigbee Alliance have come together to form a working group for the project called Connected Home over IP. Other members of the Zigbee Alliance – like IKEA, Legrand, NXP Semiconductors, Resideo, Samsung SmartThings, Schneider Electric, Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), Silicon Labs, Somfy, and Wulian – are also part of this group and are helping with the project.
The goal of the Connected Home over IP project is to make it easier for manufacturers to develop products and to improve compatibility for customers. The project is based on the idea that smart home devices should be secure, reliable, and easy to use. By using IP (Internet Protocol), the project aims to allow smart home devices, mobile apps, and cloud services to communicate with each other. It will also define a set of IP-based network technologies for certifying devices.
Benefits of Thread
Because Thread is a self-healing mesh network, it has many benefits. One big advantage is that it avoids a single point of failure (SPO). This means if one router in the network stops working, another router will automatically take its place. Unlike ZigBee, Thread devices can connect to more than one border router, which makes the network more reliable.
Another benefit is that Thread networks are very scalable because of the mesh system. A single Thread network can support hundreds of devices. Thread also uses IPv6, which allows devices to have end-to-end communication and direct addressing. This means two IPv6 devices – whether they are on the same Thread mesh or on different networks – can talk to each other easily using standard internet routing methods that move data from one device to another.
IoT devices also need to be easy to set up in the field, which is an important factor when choosing wireless technology. Thread devices can be installed easily using a smartphone or tablet. Users can safely connect devices to each other and to the cloud for simple control and access from anywhere.
Thread is based on 6LoWPAN, the same radio protocol that ZigBee uses. It is built on IEEE 802.15.4, a standard used for reliable communication in personal wireless networks with digital radios. In some cases, an existing ZigBee module can be changed into a Thread module with just a software update. This means that for people using older ZigBee devices, moving to Thread technology could be easy.
The availability of OpenThread, an open-source version of Thread, will likely help speed up the development of new Thread-based products. However, there are some challenges too – such as the limited availability of standard border routers and the use of less popular mesh designs – which can make it harder to fully use Thread in IoT devices.
Types of Thread Devices and Network Roles
The Thread specification defines two main types of devices:
- Full Thread Devices (FTD)
- Minimal Thread Devices (MTD)
Each type has a specific job in the network.
To make a Thread network work, you must have at least one Thread Border Router. This Border Router acts as a gateway between the Thread devices and other IPv6 networks, like Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and also connects the Thread network to the internet.
Every Thread network needs a Thread Border Router to link it to other IP networks and the internet (such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet). Once the Border Router is set up, all Thread devices can be safely accessed by apps on a smartphone or tablet, or by cloud services online.
So, it is clear that you need to install a Thread Border Router in your smart home before you can set up a Thread network.
What is Matter?
Matter is a smart home standard that was created in 2019 by Project Connected Home Over IP (also called Project CHIP). It is a new, open-source standard that uses Internet Protocol (IP) – the same technology that Wi-Fi routers use to give IP addresses to connected devices. Matter is now managed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), which was earlier called the Zigbee Alliance. The standard is royalty-free and helps different devices and platforms work together easily. Matter was officially launched in November 2022.
Matter is an application-layer protocol, which means it runs on top of other physical network protocols like Thread, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet. The main goal of Matter is to create a single, common standard so smart home devices from different brands can work together without problems. It defines how devices communicate and interact, making it easy for all types of smart home products to work smoothly with each other.
In the past, IoT devices depended completely on the cloud for everything, which made them useless if the internet connection was lost. But Matter allows devices to work even when they are offline, without always needing access to the cloud or online services. This also makes devices more secure, which is very important for things like smart locks and security cameras.
Simply put, Matter makes sure that smart home devices and IoT platforms work well together, even without an internet connection – even if they are from different brands. This allows communication between big IoT systems and creates one simple, reliable, and safe wireless protocol for easy use.
Difference between Thread and Matter
Matter is a standard for the application layer. It makes sure smart home devices from different brands can work together. Matter controls how devices are set up (onboarding), how they exchange data, follow security rules, and what features the devices have.
Thread is one of the three network protocols (along with Wi-Fi and Ethernet) that helps Matter devices talk to each other. Thread works at the network layer and provides the base system for smooth communication between devices.
Think of it like this:
If you are hosting a big party, Matter is like the party planner. Matter makes sure the party runs well – setting the theme, making the rules, planning activities, and helping guests from different places talk to each other and have fun. Matter is like that friend who introduces people, starts conversations, and keeps the party lively.
Now imagine Thread as the network of paths and hallways that connect the different rooms at your party. Just like these paths help guests move from one room to another without getting lost or delayed, Thread provides a reliable network for devices to communicate with each other. It’s like having a well-designed floor plan that makes sure guests can move around easily and reach where they need to go. With Thread, everything at your party runs smoothly because you’ve created a simple, clear way for everyone to stay connected.
So, while Matter sets the theme and the rules for the party, Thread takes care of the layout of the place, helping guests meet and talk to each other. Wi-Fi and Ethernet are also at the party, doing the same for the guests they know, while still following Matter’s rules and standards.
Also Read: Top 10 websites for IoT Projects
Be the first to comment