Is the Smartstick really that smart?

[Wadenut]

So I needed to add an Everspring Z-Wave Door/Window sensor to my network to replace an old DS10.
Previously, using the Z-Troller, I'd simply press the delete button on the Troller, activate the sensor... Done. Then Add the new device the same way and then import it. I'd never had an issue doing that, ever.

Today, adding this new device, and the SmartStick being a Network Wide Inclusion device, I selected Remove Node on the SmartStick menu, activated the sensor and a device was successfully removed. The only thing is that the node that was removed was not this door/window sensor, but one of my Schlage locks on the other side of the house. I hadn't touched the lock, perhaps it woke up at that moment to report. Second try, a HS-FLS Floodlight device was deleted.

I finally did get the new sensor added, but now I need to pull the lock off the door to retrieve the master code in order to re-add it, then repair all the associated events in HS. Same thing with the Floodlight sensor, although that will hopefully be an easier process. The code for the lock had been recorded, but that information was in the old HS2 database which has been recently uninstalled. I hadn't gotten around to recording the data in HS3 as yet.

Point is, why would the Smartstick have removed the wrong node in the first place? I'm not impressed.

[Eman]

So I needed to add an Everspring Z-Wave Door/Window sensor to my network to replace an old DS10.
Previously, using the Z-Troller, I'd simply press the delete button on the Troller, activate the sensor... Done. Then Add the new device the same way and then import it. I'd never had an issue doing that, ever.

Today, adding this new device, and the SmartStick being a Network Wide Inclusion device, I selected Remove Node on the SmartStick menu, activated the sensor and a device was successfully removed. The only thing is that the node that was removed was not this door/window sensor, but one of my Schlage locks on the other side of the house. I hadn't touched the lock, perhaps it woke up at that moment to report. Second try, a HS-FLS Floodlight device was deleted.

I finally did get the new sensor added, but now I need to pull the lock off the door to retrieve the master code in order to re-add it, then repair all the associated events in HS. Same thing with the Floodlight sensor, although that will hopefully be an easier process. The code for the lock had been recorded, but that information was in the old HS2 database which has been recently uninstalled. I hadn't gotten around to recording the data in HS3 as yet.

Point is, why would the Smartstick have removed the wrong node in the first place? I'm not impressed.

Found this but I have not used : https://www.silabs.com/products/deve...oftware/z-wave
Looks like you have to register to use their software. May be for business like HomeSeer.

Have you used this : https://shop.homeseer.com/products/homeseer-z-seer-z-wave-diagnostics-software ?


Eman.

[Wadenut]

At this point I won't be messing with third party software for fear of further complicating the issue, and Z-Seer only shows the same information already available from within HS3.
Thanks anyway but I really feel this is a problem caused by the Smartstick/HS3.

[integlikewhoa]

I have never had this problem but I do tell everyone in the house not to touch anything while I'm Removing or adding devices.

Also it sounds like you wanted to "Replace" a device not remove then add. Normally for this you would remove the power source from the device or (battery or unplug) and then click replace the device, which will have you activate the new device and it will over write the old on keeping the same Node ID and such to not mess up any events or devices that are setup. After you do this you usually want to "rescan" that new device since the newer device might have other functions or children. So a rescan will update and pull all the new info from it.

[sparkman]

I'm thinking your z-wave database file may be corrupt. Shutdown the z-wave plugin, then rename \Data\Z-Wave\Z-Wave2.db to Z-Wave2.db.bak. Restart the plugin and it will rebuild the database file. If that does not make the issue go away, then I would do a backup of the stick and then restore. That way if there is something corrupted on the stick itself, then that should fix it. You may need to re-optimize the network after as this process will delete the routing info stored on the stick. As always, make sure you have a good backup of the system before attempting these types of fixes.

[Wadenut]

I have never had this problem but I do tell everyone in the house not to touch anything while I'm Removing or adding devices.

Also it sounds like you wanted to "Replace" a device not remove then add. Normally for this you would remove the power source from the device or (battery or unplug) and then click replace the device, which will have you activate the new device and it will over write the old on keeping the same Node ID and such to not mess up any events or devices that are setup. After you do this you usually want to "rescan" that new device since the newer device might have other functions or children. So a rescan will update and pull all the new info from it.

Not quite. I was trying to replace an old DS10 which is not Z-Wave, rather X10RF.

[Wadenut]

I'm thinking your z-wave database file may be corrupt. Shutdown the z-wave plugin, then rename \Data\Z-Wave\Z-Wave2.db to Z-Wave2.db.bak. Restart the plugin and it will rebuild the database file. If that does not make the issue go away, then I would do a backup of the stick and then restore. That way if there is something corrupted on the stick itself, then that should fix it. You may need to re-optimize the network after as this process will delete the routing info stored on the stick. As always, make sure you have a good backup of the system before attempting these types of fixes.

Things quickly went from bad to worse. I tried re-adding the lock (after performing a remove first of course)... Neither worked, even though I have repeater modules throughout the house.
In desperation, I did back up the database, but restored it to the Z-Troller instead so I could take that to the door. The lock did add, but wouldn't import properly. Tried two more times. No luck.
So now back to the Z-Stick with a Schlage lamp module (a repeater) right next to the lock, and of course having moved that, I'll spend the next hour re-optimizing everything because the routing tables will have been lost and then try again using Z-Tool on my Phone.

This is not giving me a warm and fuzzy about the SmartStick.

[sparkman]

Typically you need to add a lock with the lock right next to the controller and only use the "Add Node" from within the HS web interface. That was the recommended procedure on HS2 with the Z-Troller as well.

[Wadenut]

Typically you need to add a lock with the lock right next to the controller and only use the "Add Node" from within the HS web interface. That was the recommended procedure on HS2 with the Z-Troller as well.

I'll have to try that after lunch. The Smartstick however is supposed to support network wide inclusion to avoid having to do that.
All this from having tried to add a door sensor, which at the time, was right next to the controller.

[sparkman]

I'll have to try that after lunch. The Smartstick however is supposed to support network wide inclusion to avoid having to do that.
All this from having tried to add a door sensor, which at the time, was right next to the controller.

NWI works well for most devices, but typically not locks.

[Wadenut]

I wish that had been included in the sales pitch.
At any rate, removing the lock worked. Wasn't easy at 4 degrees outside today. Back at 1:30PM to where I started at 4AM (before the Door sensor).
Lesson learned however. Make a backup before attempting to add a new device.

[Charles_cz]

I have the same experience with locks. You have to be really close to include them properly. That's why I love combination of laptop with Smart Stick. I can easily bring it to the device if needed. :-)

[Wadenut]

I have the same experience with locks. You have to be really close to include them properly. That's why I love combination of laptop with Smart Stick. I can easily bring it to the device if needed. :-)

Do you mean you run Homeseer on a Laptop, or you just plug the Smartstick into a Laptop for the operation then return it to your HS machine? The former would be impossible for me as both my laptops are otherwise purposed.

[Charles_cz]

Do you mean you run Homeseer on a Laptop, or you just plug the Smartstick into a Laptop for the operation then return it to your HS machine? The former would be impossible for me as both my laptops are otherwise purposed.

Yes, I run HomeSeer on laptop.