I wanted to relocate my C8 hub for better Z-wave coverage. It's been ethernet connected, but I figured I could locate it at a better spot using Wifi.
But, when I tried setting up for Wifi with a hotspot, the device became non-responsive. I don't see a unknown client on 2.4Ghz Wifi and it's no longer reachable on the original (wired) IP.
I tried rebooting the hub, but no luck.
Am I stuck with doing a factory reset and starting over?
That doesn't help if the location of the hub can't reach any devices reliably, or at least ones that are there permanently (not just during Xmas season).
(Too much metal in the rack where all my networking equipment currently resides).
I found an ideal place to locate it--there's just no RJ45 for ethernet there. But, everything is fine with the wifi interface.
I wouldn't say that Wifi is problematic, just that it is less reliable in most cases than hard wired like ethernet is. It might only be the difference of something like 98% reliable to 99% reliable (example only, not actual uptime numbers) but over the course of months and years that is a huge difference in uptime.
The Wifi from routers, the interference from the metal, and just the heat in most of these racks is a terrible location for the hub.
At the very least, run a 6 or 10 foot cable out of the rack and put the hub on the end of that.
Just a thought - and I can't speak from direct experience - when switching from hardwire to wifi, you're on a different interface on your device and the MAC addr may be different - be sure to check your router to verify the assign IP if DHCP, or override and assign your IP in the HE if it supports that...
...MAC address will be different...the Ethernet and Wi-Fi network interfaces each have their own MAC address. The hub's Ethernet MAC address is listed on the back of the hub. The hub's Wi-Fi MAC address can be found by looking at the attached devices list on your router after the hub is connected to it via Wi-Fi.
Yes, getting it out the equipment closet helps a lot. It's not worth the trouble to route an ethernet cable to new location of hub. Throughput required over the WiFi link is truly miniscule.
Of course mac address is different...
No issue with WiFi and new location is much better.
I use a wired connection. When I originally setup my C8 I did enable wifi long enough to identify and reserve that IP address in the router. I've had occasion to need to get a device close to the hub to properly pair it. It's convenient to be able to take the hub for a walk to a device and use the WiFi connection for that purpose. Easier than uncoiling my 100' Ethernet cables.