Thank you for the clarification. I understand how to add cloud links such as this, but everything I had read before, seemed to indicate things would only work if inside the LAN. Thank you for clarifying this is possible outside the LAN. Another HA forum that I frequent had mentioned improvement in documentation and this would be a big one.
When I get home I'm moving the hub, a "central" location is difficult in the way my house is laid out, but I"ll try to get as close as I can. I have AT&T fiber and a modem update killed my Eero setup, and I've been using their AirTies. I'll see if I can't get Eero up again to help. Last looking at a Ubiquiti setup to solidify my network.
I like being in the middle. Not an expert, but not a total newb either. Helps to draw out things that aren't quite as obvious to the less experienced with a product.
Keep in mind you could always get a set of powerline ethernet adapters, if a switch or hub with an ethernet port is not convenient. That makes for pretty flexible placement...
The following is my device of choice, whenever I have to move my hub close to the device being paired. It has a built-in ethernet port.
(P.S. to the new people: Don't forget to run a zwave repair, after you put back the Hub):
My HE hub is not even close to being centrally located in my house. While I agree that centrally locating the Hub would be ideal, for many of us it is not practical. So, instead I chose to build solid Zigbee and Z-Wave mesh networks using about 6 Iris 3210-L outlets. These repeat both Zigbee and Z-Wave. Once I added these strategically throughout the house, everything has been very reliable and performance has become very consistent. I have also standardized on Lutron Caseta for all of my Smart Light Switches and Dimmers. I am amazed at how much faster and more reliable the Lutron Clear Connect technology is compared to my old GE/Jasco Z-Wave switches.
I forgot those had both radios in them! When I was on ST, I was using a custom DTH that exposed the Z-Wave repeater as a device. Do you have a driver that does that on HE by chance?
I don't personally, but @srwhite does... (Note: I personally am only using the built-in drivers for the 3210-L for both the Zigbee and Z-Wave portions of the 3210-L)
I use the stock drivers. The zigbee portion gets added as a generic zigbee outlet and the zwave portion gets added as a generic zwave repeater device. No 3rd party driver required.
As @ogiewon mentioned, there is also @srwhite's driver that includes additional power reporting and zwave status reporting. Both great additions if you need them but not necessary for basic functionality.
I had to pair the Z-Wave side of these devices in the same room as my Hubitat Elevation. Then I moved them to their final location. After all were paired, I ran a Z-Wave Repair.
This plug is in my office, about 2' from my hub, fortunately. I've had problems with this plug in the past (mostly due to it getting splashed with saltwater a couple times when it was serving as my saltwater reservoir pump controller which I replaced with an outdoor GE/Jasco plug). So now, it's regulated to being just a Zigbee repeater and nothing more. But, now it will be both a Zigbee AND a Z-Wave repeater.
Thanks for the link. I was already using a TO-Link adapter at a desktop and ordered two more last night to help me locate the hub more centrally. I'll move it when I get home on Friday and see if that helps the devices in the garage.
I used to do the same thing with a range extender, but I've heard everything should be paired in place because repairing doesn't always choose the best routes or something. I never want to misquote somebody like Mike Maxwell, but I'm pretty sure he said something to that affect for both Z-Wave and Zigbee.
Repair does a pretty good job of route selection. Is it perfect? No, but it works way more than it doesn't.
The guidance to pair in place is more about making sure that it will actually work in place AFTER pairing.
Typically (except some locks and garage door openers) if you can't pair it in place, it won't work in place either (at least not reliably) - so there is no good reason to pair it anywhere except where you are going to use it.
(Note: I personally am only using the built-in drivers for the 3210-L for both the Zigbee and Z-Wave portions of the 3210-L)
But, now it will be both a Zigbee AND a Z-Wave repeater.
