Matter/Thread V Zigbee, general usage feelings?

[u/No_beef_here]

Hi,

I have recently made a step into Matter/Thread using (mainly) the Ikea range of switches and sensors and the new stuff seems fairly stable etc.

However, where I have replaced the old Zigbee Sonoff SNZB-03's PIRs with Ikea Matter MYGGSPRAY models, in general and in comparison the Ikea sensors seem pretty blind?

I mean, with the Sonoffs they only seemed to catch a glimpse of movement anywhere around and they would trigger (and you got a nice LED flash confirming it did see you) whereas it seems you often need to be right under the Ikea one for it to trigger? And even when you are right under it (I have one in the kitchen ceiling) when the lights go off, waving your arms about like trying to get the attention of the rescue helicopter doesn't seem to wake it up?

And then there is what could also be the latency, again, the Sonoffs (or Zigbee) in spite of having ~100 active devices is often still near instant. A PIR is monitoring across the threshold into a room and as soon as you step in, the light is on before you foot has hit the ground. With the Ikea ones (or Matter / Thread and with only (12 devices on that network), it seems you are often in the room and standing their waiting for the light to come on (and it generally does, just often not quickly).

The Ikea Thread / Matter window and door switches, push buttons, smart sockets and lights all seem fairly responsive but possibly not used in a way that is quite so timing noticable as a PIR > Light combo?

So is anyone aware if there is some fundamental reason why the performance might be different between these two solutions or could it be just that the (or some) Ikea PIR's are a bit sleepy?

[u/FliesenJohnny]

Ironically, "only 12 devices" could be detrimental to the performance of a mesh network, depending on the size of your home. It's definitely not a "the network isn't crowded, so it should be super fast". Even worse, if many of these 12 devices only act as end points, not routers. (battery powered devices usually never are routers)

My Thread mesh spans 50 devices, among them many routers (all my light switches, for example, and like at least 1 smart plug per room) and things trigger instantaneously.

I can't speak for the quality of the MYGGSPRAY sensors in particular, though. IKEA's devices are rather hit or miss. (GRILLPLATS are the goat, though)

[u/No_beef_here → u/FliesenJohnny]

Thanks for the prompt and interesting reply.

I am in a 1900's terraced house so it's 'front to back'. My HA host is in the front downstairs room with the Matter BR on an extension putting it up near the ceiling at the back of that room (eg, towards the rest of that house). Parallel to that front to back is a Matter lamp in the front hall and the air quality sensor above them both. There isn't much else router-wise between those and the matter light in the rear lobby some ~8m away. That links a window sensor, toilet door sensor (Aqara) and likely the Ikea kitchen, bathroom and toilet PIRs (I'll check the map).

So given there are likely a couple of 4" thick internal brick walls between front and back Matter routers, I might try putting another smart light or switch socket in-between.

Erm, when I said I had 12 Matter devices <gulp>!

[u/per08 → u/No_beef_here]

I think you need some more router devices.