There are three different ZigBee device types that operate on these layers in any self-organizing application network.

These devices have 64-bit IEEE addresses, with option to enable shorter addresses to reduce packet size, and work in either of two addressing modes – star and peer-to-peer.

1. The ZigBee coordinator node : There is one, and only one, ZigBee coordinator in each network to act as the router to other networks, and can be likened to the root of a (network) tree. It is designed to store information about the network.

2. The full function device FFD : The FFD is an intermediary router transmitting data from other devices. It needs lesser memory than the ZigBee coordinator node, and entails lesser manufacturing costs. It can operate in all topologies and can act as a coordinator.

3. The reduced function device RFD : This device is just capable of talking in the network; it cannot relay data from other devices. Requiring even less memory, (no flash, very little ROM and RAM), an RFD will thus be cheaper than an FFD. This device talks only to a network coordinator and can be implemented very simply in star topology.