[alias_neo]

Agreed, I started with XBee radios, they do secure networking and full mesh but they're relatively expensive, a single radio cost about £40 a few years back.

To add an MCU and peripherals brings a single device cost up considerably.

I'd hoped, some years ago when I first started my IoT endeavours that the cost would come down but ZigBee has not, and sadly things like ZLL (ZigBee Light Link) that companies such as Philips use for Hue, perpetuate the propriety nature.

My entire home is Hue (ZLL) but for anything non-Hue I use Z-Wave devices which are relatively cheaper and support secure mode.