Improving Z-Wave Network

Community Playground General Discussions
1

So I have devices that don’t behave as well as devices near my Vera unit.
I tried adding more switches (GE Outdoor) to the network to help improve response, but things aren’t going as well as I hoped.

I ran stress tests on these devices and they did fine, but I still have more issues with these distant devices than the near ones.

Any advice?
Anyone know of good devices to use simply as repeaters?

2

What devices do not work properly for you?
If you are looking at door locks you need repeaters that allow forwarding of encrypted signals.
Also, how far are the devices that do not work properly away from Vera?

Flo

3

It’s a door sensor for my garage. It is the absolute farthest device from my Vera.
I have plenty of devices in between including a working GE Outdoor switch that controls the door.

4

Only full time powered devices will relay the signals. You can check the list of neighbor nodes to see what the target device ‘thinks’ its neighbors are.

Also look to reduce any background interference from other radios near to where you are testing

Eg baby monitors and such.

5

Isn’t a GE outdoor switch an always on node?

No baby monitors. There is a WiFi-N router near my Vera, and there’s WiFi-N repeater about 10 meters from the sensor. But it was still giving me grief before I added the repeater.

6

If its plugged into the mains, then [typically] it’ll repeat (up to max 4 hops). You didn’t mention the GE model#, so I wasn’t sure if you were referencing something like this (http://www.jascoproducts.com/products/pc/GE-Z-Wave-Wireless-Keypad-Controller-63p1051.htm) or an Appliance Module like this (http://www.jascoproducts.com/products/pc/GE-Z-Wave-Wireless-Lighting-Control-Outdoor-Module-63p553.htm) as they have a lot of different stuff.

What models of the various devices do you have? If you list them, its possible someone may have the same stuff.

7

I bought the GE outdoor because they were inexpensive and all I needed. Don’t want to ‘wire’ anymore devices.

…
So I tried healing my network tonight, and it just came out all bad.
3 devices cannot be contacted. One is likely the bridge for the other two.
I placed one of the GE switches in between the bridge device and the Vera. We’ll see what happens.
Heals seem to take a really long time because of the bugs with Yale locks that 408 introduced. :frowning:

8

There seems to be something going on with Vera and the Window / Door Sensors in general.
I tried both - Aeon Labs and Everspring -
Both see all the neighbors, however I get the feeling that those sensors are not able to use different nodes for routing.
I do not see any “routes” tab under the advanced settings for the sensors. If I look at my log files, Vera ALWAYS uses the direct connection.
If I assign a manual forced route to the sensors the Lua Engine eventually CRASHES with termination error code 139. This has been very reproducible and has been acknowledged by MCV.

I have been in contact with MCV for weeks and will post an update once I know more - however it looks like something very flaky is going on here with those sensors and Vera…

So to sum it up. I do not think that those sensors can currently use a different route rather than talking directly to Vera (at least that is what happening with my unit right now).

Flo

9

Yeah… I’m worried that you’re right… It’s gonna suck because my garage is too far from the unit for a direct connection… Which is stupid because the Aeon sensor works perfect when awake.

http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,11190.0.html

10

In my own experiment, I had one Everspring sensor at the edge of the house, and it wasn’t reliable at all; after adding intermediary zwave nodes, it became much more reliable. It seems that the sensors do not store “routes” info, but can detect neighbors

11

In my own experiment, I had one Everspring sensor at the edge of the house, and it wasn’t reliable at all; after adding intermediary zwave nodes, it became much more reliable. It seems that the sensors do not store “routes” info, but can detect neighbors[/quote]

But then it should store the routes and at least show you, correct?
Anyways, I will let you know once I get more feedback from MCV.
Btw, have you ever tried assigning a manual route to the sensor? Is your Lua Engine running fine after that?

Flo

12

Is there a report that is run to show this? When I have tried the heal before if keeps the device in question to 1. Which I understand means it is talking to Vera direct, no quicker/alternative routes?

13

[quote=“electricessence, post:9, topic:172121”]Yeah… I’m worried that you’re right… It’s gonna suck because my garage is too far from the unit for a direct connection… Which is stupid because the Aeon sensor works perfect when awake.

http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,11190.0.html[/quote]

I had similar problems then I decide to bridge using multiple Vera’s. I have a Vera in the Garage and 3 in the house. (I have a three story pretty big house). THey are all connected via my LAN and I now have zero z-wave problems. Hopping multiple times was just unreliable with the variety of devices I have.

14

[quote=“aschwalb, post:13, topic:172121”][quote=“electricessence, post:9, topic:172121”]Yeah… I’m worried that you’re right… It’s gonna suck because my garage is too far from the unit for a direct connection… Which is stupid because the Aeon sensor works perfect when awake.

http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,11190.0.html[/quote]

I had similar problems then I decide to bridge using multiple Vera’s. I have a Vera in the Garage and 3 in the house. (I have a three story pretty big house). THey are all connected via my LAN and I now have zero z-wave problems. Hopping multiple times was just unreliable with the variety of devices I have. [/quote]

I was hoping not to hear that! So lame! Should just work. Especially like I said, when it’s awake, no problem.

New sensor works better but is still unreliable. :frowning:

Another Vera is like $180! They just need to have it repeat correctly!

15

It appears that battery devices need to be near the unit and won’t repeat well over longer distances. As well as there is a maximum repeat of 5 hops.

Everything is working perfect for me now but I had to wire the garage door sensor so that it was within radio range of the Vera and used a wired magnetic switch to trigger the sensor.