Z-Net range?

[DC]

What is the range of Z-wave using Z-Net(s)? I am planning to use Z-wave for a few things I can't use UPB for. I hooked up a Z-Net but was unable to discover a HS HSM200 sensor about 40 feet away. Moved it to about 15 feet and still couldn't discover it. Moved it within 2 feet and discovered it. I know that each device serves as a repeater to enhance signal coverage but surely the range between two devices is more than 2 feet!

[Pete]

but surely the range between two devices is more than 2 feet!

It is.

Here have no issues with a RPi2 / GPIO combo in the attic in my two story brick home. In the basement section (where everything is at) I have test Zigbee, Z-Wave controllers that also see anything connected to them. I have recently made a Leviton VRCOP serial controller a secondary to the HS3 RPi2 GPIO controller and really it is a primary for my OmniPro 2 controller and it sees everything that the attic controller sees.

[rmasonjr]

I think it is the communication, not the range. Your interface might have been busy with other traffic and you hit it just right.

Sent from my SCH-R970X using Tapatalk

[randy]

What is the range of Z-wave using Z-Net(s)? I am planning to use Z-wave for a few things I can't use UPB for. I hooked up a Z-Net but was unable to discover a HS HSM200 sensor about 40 feet away. Moved it to about 15 feet and still couldn't discover it. Moved it within 2 feet and discovered it. I know that each device serves as a repeater to enhance signal coverage but surely the range between two devices is more than 2 feet!

What do you mean "discover"? If you are referring to add/include the device in the controller, the device needs to be closer to the controller for inclusion than it does for pure communication. Also, the HSM200 has proven to be a quirky beast for me, I wouldn't trust its behavior as the norm.

I ge easily 40-50 feet for direct communication and Z-Wave plus devices will go out to 75 feet without a problem. Other than the HSM200, Z-Wave plus devices can usually be included much further from the controller, I have been able to make it work 30 or more feet away. Older Z-wave devices are hit or miss on their inclusion range, depending on the ZDK version. It is always best to try to include a device within 6-10 feet of the controller, especially if it has a lot of interrogation for child nodes.

The HSM200 should include within 6-10 feet and communicate directly out to 30-40 feet.

[DC]

rmasonjr, I wouldn't think my interface is busy. There are no devices associated with it. I was trying to associate the first one.

rprade, by "discover" I mean add it to the network. I don't remember the exact error message but, basically, Homeseer couldn't see it until I moved it very close to the Z-Net. I thought a device shouldn't be moved after it's added to the network to preserve the "routing" information.

Also, after I added the Z-Net and one device, HS got VERY slow. Like 3-5 minutes to display a filtered list of devices. I have a lot to learn about Z-Wave but, so far, I'm not impressed.

I'll keep working with it for a couple of days but if it doesn't get better, I'll send it all back and punt on Z-Wave. I don't really enjoy tinkering with HA. I want it to work reliably after I set it up. I'm investing a LOT of time rebuilding my HS environment since I can't move my devices and events over from HS2 to HS3. With 525+ devices and over 300 events, that's a LOT of rework.

[randy]

rmasonjr, I wouldn't think my interface is busy. There are no devices associated with it. I was trying to associate the first one.

rprade, by "discover" I mean add it to the network. I don't remember the exact error message but, basically, Homeseer couldn't see it until I moved it very close to the Z-Net. I thought a device shouldn't be moved after it's added to the network to preserve the "routing" information.

Also, after I added the Z-Net and one device, HS got VERY slow. Like 3-5 minutes to display a filtered list of devices. I have a lot to learn about Z-Wave but, so far, I'm not impressed.

I'll keep working with it for a couple of days but if it doesn't get better, I'll send it all back and punt on Z-Wave. I don't really enjoy tinkering with HA. I want it to work reliably after I set it up. I'm investing a LOT of time rebuilding my HS environment since I can't move my devices and events over from HS2 to HS3. With 525+ devices and over 300 events, that's a LOT of rework.

I don't think the problem is Z-Wave, though your Z-Net might have a problem. It is not unusual to have to be close during inclusion. If you include a device then move it, just "Optimize" twice and "Full Optimize" once. The Optimize finds neighbors and the Full Optimize builds the return route. I have had the best success trying to make my devices route directly to the controller whenever possible and manually optimizing those that need routing. Once it is done, it need not be done again unless you add,move, delete or replace a node. 95% of my devices communicate directly with a controller.

What are you using to run HS3 on?

I currently have 110 root Z-wave nodes and 1662 total devices. I have 1351 Events and 27 plug-ins. It is running on Windows 10 with a Xeon E3-1230 (3.30ghz) processor and 8gb of RAM. It takes about 2-4 seconds to build a new a filtered view. When running on a VM it takes about 50% longer to load a page.

[donstephens]

Good god Randy; 110 Z-wave devices?

I currently have 110 root Z-wave nodes and 1662 total devices.

[randy]

Good god Randy; 110 Z-wave devices?

Yes, it has gotten a little silly. I can defend *most* of them, some are probably superfluous.

[donstephens]

Gotta go big, or go home!

[DC]

I'm running HS3 on a Lenovo PC, AMD 64-bit, 3.7 Ghz processor, 4 GB RAM, Windows 10 Pro. Not the beefiest computer but it ran HS2 extremely well. Very responsive and reliable. In fact, it's the fastest (for HS2) computer I've had, including a HomeTroller several years back. I'm going to add RAM if I can. Or I may replace it with a MUCH more powerful PC. You can get so much now for ~$500, there is no reason not to have a really good machine on which to run HS.

My Z-Wave network is one Z-Net, two HSM200s and one Fibaro multi-sensor. I'm just starting to experiment with Z-Wave. So far, I'm not impressed. The HSM200s aren't even usable. They don't detect motion in real time. I can poll the status and they send the motion status. Or I can unplug them and plug them back in and they send it. But if they are plugged in, I can walk right in front of them, or stand 4 feet away and wave my arms and ... nothing.

I'm sure I just don't have something configured correctly because HS couldn't sell them if they are that horrible. But, I haven't figured out what yet.

[randy]

I'm running HS3 on a Lenovo PC, AMD 64-bit, 3.7 Ghz processor, 4 GB RAM, Windows 10 Pro. Not the beefiest computer but it ran HS2 extremely well. Very responsive and reliable. In fact, it's the fastest (for HS2) computer I've had, including a HomeTroller several years back. I'm going to add RAM if I can. Or I may replace it with a MUCH more powerful PC. You can get so much now for ~$500, there is no reason not to have a really good machine on which to run HS.

My Z-Wave network is one Z-Net, two HSM200s and one Fibaro multi-sensor. I'm just starting to experiment with Z-Wave. So far, I'm not impressed. The HSM200s aren't even usable. They don't detect motion in real time. I can poll the status and they send the motion status. Or I can unplug them and plug them back in and they send it. But if they are plugged in, I can walk right in front of them, or stand 4 feet away and wave my arms and ... nothing.

I'm sure I just don't have something configured correctly because HS couldn't sell them if they are that horrible. But, I haven't figured out what yet.

You probably don't *need* more RAM. HS runs fine with 2gb, so 4 is fine, unless you are running other programs on the server. I run HS3 and Vivotek VAST for a few HD cameras and it never utilizes more than 3gb of RAM.

Your computer should be plenty powerful. I chose the E3 Xeon and Supermicro server for low energy ~35-45 watts and IPMI remote management. Otherwise it is probably functionally about the same as yours. An SSD system drive made a big difference.

With regard to the HSM200, I don't have much confidence in them. I had an original from December 2014 that never worked right. It was difficult and unreliable to include, failed to report motion and luminance. It was replaced with a newer version a few months ago, it was difficult to include and doesn't report motion. I have had dozens of Aeotec multi-sensors that have all worked reliably.

You might take a look at the resource monitor and see if HS3 or HSPI_ZWave.exe are using a lot of resources.

[DC]

Thanks for the information. I don't use my HS "server" for anything else.

I just ordered two Aeotec multi-sensors from the HS store. If they work better, I'll return the HSM200s. What I liked about them is they plug in so I don't have to worry about dead batteries. But, if they don't work, they're as worthless as if they had dead batteries.