Plain-language definitions for the terms that show up across DomoViq’s smart-home and renter-DIY guides — no marketing spin, just what the word actually means and why it matters before you buy something.
Protocols & ecosystems
- Matter
- A shared connectivity standard that lets a device work with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home, and Samsung SmartThings using one setup process, instead of a separate app per brand. Look for a “Works with Matter” label.
- Thread
- A low-power wireless mesh network, often paired with Matter, used mainly for battery-powered devices like sensors and locks. Needs a Thread border router — many modern smart speakers and TVs already provide one.
- Zigbee
- An older low-power mesh protocol still used by many sensors, bulbs, and plugs. Needs a compatible hub (SmartThings, Aqara, Home Assistant) to bridge it to your phone and voice assistant.
- Z-Wave
- Similar purpose to Zigbee, different radio standard, also hub-dependent. Some hubs (Aeotec, SmartThings) speak both Zigbee and Z-Wave.
- Hub / border router
- A device that bridges low-power protocols (Thread, Zigbee, Z-Wave) to your Wi-Fi network and phone app. Some devices connect straight to Wi-Fi and skip this entirely.
- Mesh Wi-Fi
- Multiple access points working as one network instead of a single router, used to fix dead zones and the “2.4GHz congestion” that shows up once a home has a dozen-plus smart devices.
Renting & deposits
- Security deposit
- Money held by a landlord to cover unpaid rent or damage beyond normal wear and tear. See our full deposit-law guide for what that means in practice.
- Normal wear and tear
- Gradual deterioration from ordinary use (faded paint, worn carpet paths) that a landlord generally cannot deduct for — as opposed to damage, which they can.
- Move-out inspection
- A walkthrough, ideally with a written or photographed condition report, used to compare a unit’s state at move-out against move-in.
- Renter-safe / reversible
- DomoViq’s own shorthand for any product or technique that can be fully removed without professional repair — no drilling, no patching, no rewiring.