If you are interested in playing around w/antenna changes...this made my C8 Z-wave better than stock, devices connected directly that were routed before:
I tested both the L-com HG903RD-RSP (linked above) and the HG905RD-1-RSP on the C-7 with very good results. FWIW, the HG905RD probably isn't a good idea for multi-story. YMMV.
I have tested both on the C-7 and also the C-8. On the C-7, the HG905-1-RSP was better in that more devices connected directly to the hub.
On the C-8, I prefer the HG903RD-RSP for esthetics because it "matches" the 2.4 GHz antenna I use for zigbee. In terms of performance, it is a little better than the antenna the hub was provided with, but the difference is small enough that I don't think it matters.
I am actually using the HG905-1 on my production hubs. I was using C-8s, but unfortunately had to revert to C-7s due to ongoing issues with 300 series devices.
I live in a one floor condo on the top floor and in the SW corner. So I only physically share my floor with the unit below me and one wall with the condo north of me.
I will first try resetting all the Inovelli switches all one right after the other, as the ones I've done so far seem to then connect at 100 (but then have been falling back to 9.6 unexplainably). I don't know if I do the their Fan + Lights if I would then have to reconnect it to the receiver in the fan canopy, so I might not do those.
If that doesn't work I may go for the other antennas. As of right now, having done the antenna swap as was suggested on 04/24/23 I am actually worse than the pre-antenna swap and therefore much worse than the C-7 with no antennas (I had held off on the C-7 mod hoping for a C-8. I guess be careful about what you wish for).
The # of devices with my C-7 at 100/40/9.6 speeds were 39/3/7
Pre-Antenna swap on 04/24/23 they were 29/4/16.
Now, 2 1/2 weeks later it is 28/3/18.
So while the speeds had gotten slightly better when I first did the Z-Wave repair and exclude/factory reset/include routine, within a few days not only have they fallen back, but things are getting worse than ever. So, I don't have much hope doing all of them at the same time (as fast as I can do each one) will help much, but I'll give that a try. I'm not sure if I want the giant antennas, but can I have them pointing straight down so I could hide them behind my wood cabinet? (I posted a link to a picture of it in a post above).
I understand evey situation is different, but right now I'm not a happy camper for paying $160+ for something that not only didn't help, but actually made the situation worse.
The only 300 series devices I have are Leviton scene controller and Somfy RTS gateways. Based on the testing I was able to do before the WAF went to zero, I believe that my issues were particular to migrated Z-Wave. The only thing left for me to do (with current firmware) is to exclude all the devices and re-include them natively on the C-8. That is a very expensive time requirement (double if I have to back out and re-add everything to the C-7), so I can only consider that when my wife is out of town.
Are the 300 series devices on your C-8 from a migration? Or did you add them natively?
All through migration. They are Leviton outlets, a bunch of GoControl contact sensors, about a dozen Aeon Labs leak sensors, and two in-wall Enerwave dual-relays. About 30 devices in all.
My 100-series device is an old Monster z-wave plug, made by Leviton. It is behind a heavy dresser. And I have no enthusiasm to get to it. Still works.
Interesting. Do you control them frequently? Are any of them generic/static controllers? Both my problem device types are controllers.
The behavior I was seeing is that when attempting to send commands to these devices the hub sends the command packet after a substantial delay (5-30 seconds), or frequently not at all. Further, following the attempt to send a command the hub's Z-Wave system appears to lock up for a minute or so. No other commands can be sent, or updates received.
Unfortunately, one of my problem devices happens to be the one my wife uses the most, every day, and she is always standing there waiting for the result.
I control the Enerwave relays frequently. With no issue. The Leviton and GE outlets are controlled just a few times a day. Can’t say I’ve noticed any delays. But I will specifically test for this over the weekend.
Sorry for the delay; I just got home. No - none of them do. So that is indeed a key difference between my setup with 100/300-series devices, and yours.
I have this one, has been good for me. Downside is its size/mounting, which is not discreet. However, if you want to have your antenna a little away from your hub location it allows that very easily. You get two antennas (both do Zigbee and Z-Wave) so you could replace both your C8 antennas if you wanted to.
I haven't tried/tested the other two below, so you'd have to go w/the experiences/reports from those who actually tried them out:
Note the comments from @dennypage about multi-story...
Antenna pattern info: More DB = flatter/wider pattern.
As I said before, I'm in a one story condo, so the multi-story part doesn't concern me. What I don't get from the diagram is that if the 5 dbi and above antenna's are so directional how does that work for a rectangular unit? Would I have to put the hub in a far corner and angle it out say about 45 degrees to get the maximum coverage? It seems that if the hub is centrally located, with the 5 dbi and above, anything that was off axis won't get any signal, which would be a vast swath of my place. And how does one determine which direction those cones are formed? (i.e. which is the front and which is the side?) Should the 2 be mounted 90 degrees from each other to get the best coverage? Sorry to be such a noob, but I've never had any experience with how these work or shoudl be set up.
As I understand it, if you're looking down at the antenna from above with it pointing up at you (or down away from you) the broadcast is shaped more like an apple for the 2db antenna, and more like a wide/flat donut w/the 9db.
So the 2db "apple" shape gets you more coverage between floors, but less coverage laterally across your house. The 9db flat donut shape gets you less coverage between floors, but wider coverage across the lateral distance in your house. Best position for the antenna is usually at or close to the center of your living space, and the antenna should always be positioned vertically, pointing up or down (doesn't matter if it's pointing up or down).
Said a bit differently, the pictures are a vertical plane slicing through the antenna. Rotate those pictures about the axis of the antenna to get a 3-D coverage pattern. All of the antenna patterns are axially symmetric.
LOL on the space antenna. I think I'm getting it a bit more, and explains why higher dbi is worse between floors.
So next question: I have 2 plugs that sit on the floor about 2-3 feet to the right of my being directly beneath the hub. (The hub is on top of a (mostly) wood cabinet which I would guess is about 7 feet tall). Would those 5+ antennas then see the plugs or would they have to be further to the side of the hub?
While the hub improved today in the # of devices at 100, it is still up and down and a very significant (10 of 49) devices are still at 9.6 vs the C-7 and most went from 100 to 9.6 while only 5 of the 49 are connecting faster than they were on the C-7.
So I am thinking of trying a different antenna. Given the mysterious ways of Z-Wave should I see results almost instantaneously or still expect a couple of week wait? And, it was never really answered, when people say it can take a couple of weeks, is it a gradual improvement or it suddenly happens mostly all at once?
However, if you want to have your antenna a little away from your hub location it allows that very easily. You get two antennas (both do Zigbee and Z-Wave) so you could replace both your C8 antennas if you wanted to.
