Measurement Environment#
Two distinct test environments were used to evaluate Z-Wave network performance under controlled and reproducible conditions. The Multi-WSTK Module setup served as the default test environment. However, for specific measurements requiring tighter control of RF conditions and repeatable signal paths, a conducted RF chain environment was used instead.
1. Multi-WSTK Module (MWM)#
This setup is a scalable test system called Multi-WSTK Module (MWM), consisting of the following components:
Up to 16 × Pro Kit Mainboards, each hosting a Z-Wave node under test
1 × Raspberry Pi running the test control software
1 × Raspberry Pi Pico Ethernet relay module for remote power cycling and control
The complete setup was placed in an RF isolation chamber to eliminate external noise and interference.
Within the chamber, all devices share the same RF space, allowing direct communication among nodes without attenuation.
2. Conducted RF Chain#
The second setup is a conducted RF test environment designed to simulate multi-hop mesh communication over controlled signal paths.
Each device is enclosed in an aluminum case, providing RF shielding. Small holes were drilled into the enclosures to allow RF cabling connections through RF attenuators. This ensures isolation between devices while allowing control over inter-node signal strength.
In this setup neighboring devices are connected with 60 dB attenuation, enabling direct communication between adjacent nodes only. Non-adjacent devices experience at least 120 dB total attenuation, preventing direct communication and forcing routing through intermediate nodes. At 0 dBm transmit power, nodes are fully dependent on the designed attenuation chain for network formation. This configuration forms a chain topology, where only neighboring devices can communicate directly.
This setup effectively simulates a multi-hop Z-Wave mesh network, where each node can reach its immediate neighbors but must rely on routing to communicate beyond them.
