does the zstick come with the micasaverde? or is it a separate item that has to / should be purchased?
The Aeon dongle used to be included with the V1 which is now obsolete. The V2 however has the dongle internalized and therefore no need for an external dongle.
The V2 can still be configured to use an external dongle though… This used to be a requirement for Australian V2s (and may still be) I think where the internal dongle doesn’t support their frequency.
I read everything I could find on the AeonLabs ZSTICK (S2) and it is still unclear to me how I can use this. Here below are some of my assumptions, I would appreciate if anyone could elaborate, corroborate or tell me if some of these assumptions are simply wrong;
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I think I can use this zStick as an independent controller, plugged into a laptop with running a special software (like zVirtualScenes) and it could replace my veralite altogether (ie.: I could get rid of my veralite and use only this zStick to build a home-automation network and control my devices) Actually this is NOT AT ALL what I want to do but out of curiosity, is my understanding accurate?
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The zStick could potentially be used as a ?secondary? controller within my existing network, I guess for example in my case my veralite is starting to choke a bit, I think I?m starting to reach the limit of too many devices (80?) for the veralite, so I guess maybe somehow, this zStick could be used as a secondary controller to potentially reduce the load on my veralite? Again, not really what I?m looking for since I ordered a vera3 which is bigger and faster so it should handle a bigger network.,. but out of curiosity, is my understanding accurate?
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I could use this zStick to include/exclude devices in my existing veralite network. Actually, this is what I hope to be able to do; Although carrying the veralite [battery mode] is an acceptable solution when you have one or two devices to add, when I have several devices to add, I don?t like to be disconnected from the internet to do that. For example, at a new client?s house I am installing 5 motion-sensors with the veralite in [battery mode] but in the end, when I plug the veralite back on power and back on the internet, then all the devices show up at once and I don?t know which one was installed in the Basement vs the living-room etc.,. so to circumvent this annoying problem, I usually have a long 50 feet network cable and 50 feet extension cord and I carry the ?connected? veralite with me in the house as I include several devices (while my assistant sits at the PC and identifies each devices one by one as I include them in the network). Now I hope that somehow with this zStick, I could carry only the zStick with me (instead of the veralite) to include several new devices and they would somehow communicate directly to the veralite (the veralite that remained plugged in and connected). Am I dreaming or is this feasible (and how do I proceed?)
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Finally, anything else I can do with this zStick?
By the way, I have the latest firmware , UI5 etc…
Thanks in advance for any help
Claude
[quote=“fouclo62, post:3, topic:168429”]I read everything I could find on the AeonLabs ZSTICK (S2) and it is still unclear to me how I can use this. Here below are some of my assumptions, I would appreciate if anyone could elaborate, corroborate or tell me if some of these assumptions are simply wrong;
- I think I can use this zStick as an independent controller, plugged into a laptop with running a special software (like zVirtualScenes) and it could replace my veralite altogether (ie.: I could get rid of my veralite and use only this zStick to build a home-automation network and control my devices) Actually this is NOT AT ALL what I want to do but out of curiosity, is my understanding accurate?[/quote]
This is correct.
2) The zStick could potentially be used as a ?secondary? controller within my existing network, I guess for example in my case my veralite is starting to choke a bit, I think I?m starting to reach the limit of too many devices (80?) for the veralite, so I guess maybe somehow, this zStick could be used as a secondary controller to potentially reduce the load on my veralite? Again, not really what I?m looking for since I ordered a vera3 which is bigger and faster so it should handle a bigger network.,. but out of curiosity, is my understanding accurate?This is correct.
3) I could use this zStick to include/exclude devices in my existing veralite network. Actually, this is what I hope to be able to do; Although carrying the veralite [battery mode] is an acceptable solution when you have one or two devices to add, when I have several devices to add, I don?t like to be disconnected from the internet to do that. For example, at a new client?s house I am installing 5 motion-sensors with the veralite in [battery mode] but in the end, when I plug the veralite back on power and back on the internet, then all the devices show up at once and I don?t know which one was installed in the Basement vs the living-room etc.,. so to circumvent this annoying problem, I usually have a long 50 feet network cable and 50 feet extension cord and I carry the ?connected? veralite with me in the house as I include several devices (while my assistant sits at the PC and identifies each devices one by one as I include them in the network). Now I hope that somehow with this zStick, I could carry only the zStick with me (instead of the veralite) to include several new devices and they would somehow communicate directly to the veralite (the veralite that remained plugged in and connected). Am I dreaming or is this feasible (and how do I proceed?)No, this is wrong. You can only use the primary Z-Wave controller to include/exclude Z-Wave devices to the network. You could only use the Vera Lite to do the include and exclude when the Z-Stick as the secondary Z-Wave controller.
4) Finally, anything else I can do with this zStick?Unknown. I use mine as an additional means of backing up my Z-Wave network(homeID and Device list.) Mostly pointless when Vera is backed up, but I already had a Z-Stick before Vera cam along.
The Aeon Labs Z-Stick is a USB device that emulates a serial interface. It allows a host device(PC) to send text commands through a serial interface which are then translated and sent as Z-Wave commands via its built-in Z-Wave radio. The Aoen Labs Z-Stick also includes a small amount of memory where it stores the Z-Wave network information including homeID, device ID database, and encryption keys. It has a small internal battery that also allows it to be used independently to include/exclude Z-Wave devices(provided that Vera is not the primary controller).
If you are using a Vera Lite with the built-in radio at the appropriate frequency for your area, there is zero need for a Z-Stick.
Thank you z-waver
I’m not sure that I understand one portion here… When you write:
exclude when the Z-Stick as the secondary Z-Wave controllerdo you mean that if my zStick is my secondary controller (with my vera being the primary controller) the zStick CAN be used to remove devices from my vera network? anyway even if my understanding is accurate, it is still not much help... so I guess as you put it
there is zero need for a Z-Stick:-\
But surely I’m not the only person here that sometimes needs to include several devices at once??? what’s the best way to proceed? (so far for me it’s the long 50 foot cables and carrying the vera with me everywhere in the house)
When the Z-Stick is secondary to Vera it cannot include or exclude devices. It can only issue commands(through the previously mentioned software) to devices that is has been made aware of by Vera.
For includes, I usually attempt a full power include first. For mass includes around the house, battery mode with the Vera Lite.