I have been trying to migrate all my Dome door sensors from Wink to Hubitat. I was able to add some of them to Hubitat but some of them got stuck at the initializing.
When this happens, I've found that shutting down the z-wave radio, waiting 5 minutes, and then turning it back on generally resolves the issue.
@aaiyar thank you for the quick reply. Do you mean turn it off at the HE? How do I do that?
Settings -> Zwave Details, upper right corner...
Set it to disabled, click Update. Wait, per @aaiyar and set it back to enabled.
Exactly as described by @csteele. Also, you will need to exclude the Dome sensors before including them. Make sure it gives you a message that exclusion was successful.
Somehow it still got stuck at the initializing phase. I won’t register the device. Please help.
Try including with the device really close to the HE.
I finally was able to add but when I move the sensor to the location I want the status of the sensor is not updated. When I close the door it says it is open.
Sounds to me like you need to build a stronger mesh.
https://docs.hubitat.com/index.php?title=How_to_Build_a_Solid_Z-Wave_Mesh
That is what I thought but I was a Wink user and I never had the same problem, Using Wink I was able to use all this z WAve and zigbee devices a lot farther than what HE could.
Well apparently there's differences between the radios and antennas that affect the z-wave signal.
But there is another possibility - how did you move your Wink z-wave devices over to Hubitat? Did you build a robust mesh while doing so? Specifically, it would be recommended to:
- First, pair all line-powered devices that function as z-wave repeaters to HE.
- Then, run a z-wave repair.
- Finally, wait for several hours (or O/N), and pair battery powered z-wave devices in place.
The other replies are from folks more knowledgeable than me. But in your post you state "migrate all my Dome door sensors". I recall early on the ZWave gurus suggest you pair no more that 10 devices at a time, then wait a day or so for the ZWave to get "comfortable in their new home" (aka build the/a mesh).
Could this perhaps be your issue?
Also I've read others (not necessarily with Wink) had better luck turning off the other hub during pairing.
John
I’m from Aus so I’ve never seen nor used ‘Wink’ but from what I can see the hub looks to be almost twice the size of the HE hub.
More size allows for more circuitry and larger antenna’s which can transmit and receive further. BUT you can end up with a poor mesh, relying on just a single path from device to Hub. Kinda defeating the resilient nature of a Mesh and creating other problems.
The way I see it, HE kinda forces you to use repeaters to create a strong Mesh.
@aaiyar thank you much. I will have it give it a try. A few more questions
- I have an inovelli smart plug. Does this also considered as a repeater as well?
- Should I get an Aeotec range extender?
- What is the best strategy to extend signal down in the basement?
Thank you much. A lot to learn for newbie like me.
Absolutely. Only line-powered z-wave devices function as repeaters, and the iNovelli smart plug definitely is one.
That's up to you. I have a few of those, and I think they have made my z-wave network very reliable.
The best strategy would be place one repeater (eg. the Aeotec range extender) within a foot or two of the Hubitat. Then build concentric rings of line-powered z-wave devices that move outward.
You don't want too many devices (z-wave is limited to 4 hops between the hub and the device being controlled). About one device every 15-30 feet is a reasonable number. And, preferably add z-wave+ devices over z-wave devices.
You can also try factory-resetting the Dome motion sensors. The instructions that came with the devices, as well as the network-management instructions available in the official catalog of Z-Wave-certified products at https://products.z-wavealliance.org, explain how to do this—I think you hold down the button for 10 or 20 seconds (see instructions).
Yes, in my experience, having a second Z-Wave hub (in my case, my old SmartThings hub) on while attempting to pair devices with my Hubitat has seemed to cause some pairing issues.
Is there a reason why you would get a range extender instead of any other plugged-in Z-Wave device, such as a smart plug or a light bulb? I don't understand the value proposition of a standalone range extender.
I believe some range extenders support ‘secure Pairing’ where most lamps and plugs do not. Otherwise there’s not much value difference. Just what works for your needs.
Choice Is good.
Most Z-Wave plugs that are currently available support secure pairing; however, whether secure pairing is worthwhile for devices other than barriers (locks and garage doors) is a separate question. By default, Hubitat doesn’t use secure pairing for non-barriers because securely paired devices communicate more slowly with the hub and place a greater burden on the Z-Wave mesh network. Just another point to consider.