Will a mains powered Z-Wave device do the same as a dedicated range extender?
For all intents & purposes, yes.
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So why buy a range extender when a plug does the same thing and more?
For less Money
I didn't need a plug in all the places I needed an extender, and my extenders' form factor is smaller than a plug, so that's why for me.
Different types of extenders can have other advantages too, but if something like a plug is useful in that particular location, then it's definitely smart to go that route.
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Any powered device is supposed to do range extending, but I have a Ring Repeater that definitely grabs a lot more signals than any other device and passes them on through the mesh. I don't know what's different hardware/software wise, but it truly works great as a repeater.
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The Ring Extender v2 has an internal battery, which can keep your mesh up during power fail. Also, it can send “switch to battery” and “switch to mains” events so you can do a clean shutdown rule for your hub.
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I have several Aeotec range extenders 700 series, a couple of Ring range extenders, three Zooz ZEN15 smart plugs,two Ecolink 700 series chime/sirens and an Aeotec Gen 5 doorbell/siren. They are all mains powered and all can function as repeaters/range extenders.
When I had the C7 hub, only a few of my devices connected directly with the hub; most went though one of the repeating devices. After upgrading to the C8, everything is now connected directly with the C8 hub. The dedicated range extenders are no longer needed, but since I have them, I do not plan to remove them. Of course, ever setup is different and you might need them in your situation. My hub is centrally located and elevated which is an advantage.
It may be that I live in a condo with metal gang boxes, but I have 2 Aeotec 7 range extenders that are mounted in direct line of slight of devices and are plugged in wall sockets, and despite giving them a month in different positions and doing a Z-Wave repair so the mesh knows where they are, they have done next to nothing for me.
Likewise, I have the C-8 since April. It is centrally located and up high in my rectangularly shaped 2,500 sq. ft. condo and have even tried a 2nd set of antennas. All to no avail. Except for 2 days over the last 2 months+ I consistently have more devices running slower than faster with my C-8 then I did with my C-7. So the C-8 has been a major disappointment for me. I see others are very happy with it, so I can only comment on my experience.
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For less Money
For myselfI like the Ring Extender v2's as they have a battery in them and detect mains to battery change so I can use that in automations. They're also only like $20
I have 60-odd z-wave devices, most of which are line-powered and should work as z-wave repeaters. In my house, devices within workboxes (like receptacles and switches/dimmers) do not function effectively as repeaters, despite the workboxes being made of plastic.
Of those 60-odd devices, five are Aeotec range extenders, and as seen in the screenshot below, while most of my devices are connected directly to the hub, at least three of those five dedicated range extenders are used as repeaters. The fourth device used as a repeater (Attic Light) is a Zooz light switch in a workbox. that is close to the hub.
I will note that these range extenders are used as repeaters, whereas plug-in z-wave outlets are not. To echo what @hydro311 said, it has to do with their placement and antenna positioning.
With respect to brand of range extender, I don't have any skin in the Aeotec v/s Ring game. As @672southmain pointed out, Ring range extenders certainly offer a few useful features that the Aeotec devices do not. And @rlithgow1 noted they are quite inexpensive.
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I actually had a C8 that I wound up selling on Ebay. I went back to my C7 (with antenna mod) where everything was direct. Not so for the C8. But then again, YMMV.
Sorry the C8 did not work for you. Many people have reported direct connections between the C8 and their Z-wave devices, including me. I am glad your C7 is still doing the job for you.
Out of curiosity, did you try the antennas from the C-7 mod on the C-8 before you gave up on the C-8?
If you did, and that didn't work, do you have any idea why the C-8 would perform worse than the C-7?
Since I'm hoping Inovelli will implement Long Range on their new Z-Wave switches (which literally should be here any day now) and Hubitat does the same, I'm not ready to give up the C-8 just yet. But, Inovelli had 700 series chips in their Fan + Light and Light Strip, and, of course, Hubitat had a 700 series chip set, and neither ever implemented Long Range. So I'm not holding my breath on either.
Yes. I did a lot of testing
https://community.hubitat.com/t/testing-results-of-z-wave-antennas/118062
In most cases it doesn't. I suspect based on your past threads that there is something strange in your environment. In my own case my hub is located centrally within my home (5600 sq ft). I have no metal boxes, all are PVC. I don't have any galvanized pipe or plaster with lathe and mesh. I do have 2 steel beams but that's about it and my house is two course brick. Almost every one of my z-wave devices go straight to the hub. This includes my 2 back gate sensors (ring outdoor contact sensors) that are approximately 100 feet from the hub through 3 walls and 2 courses of brick...(though in line of sight there is a window so that may help). I have one lock that likes to route. All my devices but my blinds and my locks are at 100k (the only reason my blinds and locks aren't is because even though they're plus they max out at 40k). I run stock antennas.
The aeon extenders are much smaller as mentioned to place in outdoor covered outlet boxes.
Yes, I remember seeing that extensive testing now. I was thinking of buying a 2nd set of antennas to try, but from your test it seems pointless. I don't know how long the possibility of the C-7 mod will go on, and I hate the cost of replacing my Inovelli Red's with their new 800 series (and I see no point of doing so unless/until both Inovelli and Hubitat implement LR), so for now, I guess I'll just hang out and live with it.
It seems something very strange may be happening in my layout because I have switches that are in direct line of sight of the C-8, and between only 10-15 feet away that are not connecting directly, even after trying Z-Wave repairs, trying to do an exclude/include routine (where most would connect directly for a few days then fall back to multiple hops, often dropping from 100 to 9.6) and giving the mesh at least a week, if not 2, to settle in. As Churchill said it's: "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma" .
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