Tuya vs TTLock: Which Smart Lock Ecosystem Should You Sell?
Both ecosystems work. They suit different buyers, and choosing wrongly costs a lot of after-sales time.
Read the article →BLE and Wi-Fi in Smart Locks: What Each One Does
Buyers often read 'Bluetooth and Wi-Fi' as two ways of doing the same thing. They are not. One is for the person at the door and the other is for the person managing the building, and a lock needs both to do both.
What BLE 5.0 actually provides
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| Version | Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0 |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 2.402 to 2.480 GHz, the ISM band |
| Data rate | Up to 2 Mbps in the high-speed mode |
| Typical use | Phone-to-lock entry, configuration, fingerprint enrolment |
| Advantage | Opens without a network, and without a gateway |
Bluetooth is what makes a lock work in a building with no usable Wi-Fi. That is also why a Bluetooth-only lock is the right answer for some sites and the wrong answer for others.
What 2.4GHz Wi-Fi adds
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| Standard | 802.11 b/g/n |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 2.4 GHz only; 5 GHz is not supported |
| Data rate | Up to 72 Mbps, far more than a control command needs |
| Typical use | Remote unlock, status push, temporary codes, access history |
A Wi-Fi lock has to be given the network credentials during commissioning, which is the step that most often goes wrong on site. It needs a 2.4GHz network, and many modern routers default to 5GHz or to a combined SSID.
Which function needs which radio
| Open the door from your phone at the door | Bluetooth | Faster, and no network needed |
|---|---|---|
| Unlock the door from another city | Wi-Fi | Bluetooth cannot reach |
| Push lock status and low-battery alerts | Wi-Fi | Needs a live connection |
| Timed or one-time codes | Wi-Fi to issue, lock to enforce | The code still expires without a network |
| Read the access history | Wi-Fi | Or a gateway on a Bluetooth lock |
| Enrol a fingerprint | Bluetooth or the panel | Usually done locally |
Why a gateway exists
A gateway gives a Bluetooth lock the remote functions of a Wi-Fi lock. It sits between the lock and the router, so the lock keeps its low power draw while the site still gets remote control and a history.
- Choose Wi-Fi locks where each door has a 2.4GHz network that holds up
- Choose Bluetooth plus a gateway where the doors are far from the router
- Choose Bluetooth only where remote management is genuinely not needed
- Do not mix ecosystems across a site: a Tuya gateway does not manage a TTLock lock
What to confirm before ordering
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| Network at the site | 2.4GHz available and not locked to 5GHz |
|---|---|
| Radio in the model | BLE, Wi-Fi, or both, confirmed per model |
| Gateway requirement | Whether the remote functions need one |
| Ecosystem | Tuya or TTLock, chosen once for the whole site |
| Firmware and app version | Recorded on the sample you tested |
Test the radio in the building rather than on a desk. Concrete, metal doors and risers change the answer, and the site is where the answer matters.
Buyer Questions
Three questions this guide usually raises.
On this topic
Does a Bluetooth lock need Wi-Fi?
No. It opens from the phone at the door without any network. What it cannot do without a gateway is be managed from somewhere else.
Why does the lock not connect to my Wi-Fi?
Almost always because the network is 5GHz or a combined SSID. The lock needs a 2.4GHz network during commissioning.
Is Wi-Fi or Bluetooth better for a hotel?
Neither on its own. Hotels usually need a gateway or Wi-Fi for the management side, plus local entry at the door, which is why the gateway count belongs in the quotation.
Related Reading
Active Unlock vs Request-Based Unlock in Smart Locks
The single most expensive misunderstanding in app-connected locks, and how to avoid it.
Read the article →Choosing a Mortise Body and Door Thickness for a Smart Lock
The four measurements that decide whether a smart door lock order works.
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