Wall of hubs

I finally got around to cleaning up my hubs. Despite reading recommendations not to mount so close I can confirm that everything is working perfectly.

This is on the wall in my workshop in the basement which is nearish the middle of the house.

The only hub I have had issue with coverage is the Yolink. I use it for some tricky outdoor sensors such as gates and mailbox. It was in the attic. I tried it on the wall of hubs but it starting losing sensors on and off. So I put it back in the attic.

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I'd have used some slotted panel trunking on that backboard. It keeps it really tidy and allows you to lose any excess cable with the wires just breaking out of the sides of the trunking to their termination point.

Good idea. If I want to post on r/rackporn I will have to do that!

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Maybe one of these can save on wall warts :smiley:

Also a good idea. However I am using a Tuya switched power strip and an older zwave switched power strip so I can shut any hub on or off remotely. This is very useful when away from the home and something acts up.

Is that a vertically mounted Dell server on the bottom left there?

It is. Running Unraid.

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So I am new to this. Less than a year. What hubs do you have and what are you using them for? Just a general breakdown. I am still trying to learn what can be accomplished and what other opportunities there are out there. I currently only have a C8 Pro and and Aqara M2.

This presumably varies quite a bit by home and individual. Currently, I have a relatively small setup:

  1. HE C-8 Pro: z-devices, virtual devices, Alexa, 95% of automations
  2. Lutron CasΓ©ta Pro: switches/dimmers/picos
  3. Bond hub: one ceiling fan
  4. Ubuntu mini-computer: Node-RED (Sonos automations triggered by HE), HA Core (LAN/Cloud integrations not supported by HE), Homebridge, zigbee2mqtt (used only to update zigbee device firmware), LAN function/monitoring (PiHole, Uptime-Kuma), Channels DVR (TV).

So far, this setup is meeting my needs adequately. And I like it for its relative simplicity.

In my previous house, I was using separate HE hubs for z-wave and zigbee. I also had many zigbee devices integrated into zigbee2mqtt, and used Node-RED for >90% of all automations.

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Thank you. I like to see what other people are running and doing with me being so new. So much to learn. I have my HE C-8 Pro running everything inside my house. My primary devices are zigbee devices. I have some First Alert Z-Wave Smoke / Carbon Monoxide detectors. I shy away from Z-Wave devices due to issues I have seen on here with people getting "ghost" devices then having such hard times getting rid of them. Probably that truly isn't a big issue but to a newbie it sounds daunting and I just am not ready to tackle it.

I had the Aqara hub before my HE and with what I have seen on here about people talking about the havoc Aqara devices can have on your zigbee mesh I just keep it going and bring what devices I can into HE via matter. I only have a couple automations in HE using those devices.

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That accurately reflects my current position as well! I am hopeful that Hubitat engineers will sort out issues with the z-wave radio/stack before I add the bulk of my z-wave devices.

That was certainly true with the older zigbee radio in C-7/C-5 and C-4/C-3 hubs. Aqara devices seem to perform fairly reliably with the new zigbee 3.0 radio in the C-8/C-8 Pro, particularly if all the repeaters in the zigbee mesh are also zigbee 3.0 devices.

But your strategy to use Matter is a good way around any potential issues with zigbee stability.

C8-Pro - all logic, rules, etc. C8 - Z-wave. C7 - Zigbee. There is a second C8 in there, I had it in the attic to help get to outlying devices but I haven't needed it much later and I am in the process of phasing it out.

Lutron - I am moving most of my lights to Lutron as it is rock solid

Bond - Fans and shades. I have a second hub at the end of the house as one hub can't reach everything.

Blink hub - phasing this out - all of my cameras are now POE.

Hue - mostly for bulbs

Home Assistant Green - When I can't integrate it directly to Hubitat I use Home Assistant.

Abode Alarm system - a good example of where I use home assistant to get it into Hubitat.

And the YoLink hub - back in the attic as it was misbehaving on my wall of hubs.

What does the HA Abode integration offer that the new 2024 HE Abode integration does not? Just curious.

There has been a few times I would really like to use a Z-Wave device but honestly have been afraid too so I went a different and probably not as good direction. Hopefully this will get this corrected soon.

I am not sure but I have an Aqara T2 relay on order and I am going to see if it will come into HE via matter. If it doesn't then I will take it straight into HE and hope for the best. This is an instance where I wanted or use a Zooz Z-Wave relay but just too hesitant to do so.

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FWIW, I have a number of zigbee relays working well with Hubitat, like this one:

I started to go to the Lutron system a while back and install the no neutral Lutron switches. However the wife doesn't like the fade on and off of the dimmer and the cost of the straight on/off switch was cost prohibitive. So to keep the wife happy I kept the dumb switches and went with bulbs.

I have had really good luck out of Inner, Singled, and the new Third Reality.

I appreciate your explanation. There is a whole new world of this stuff out there for me.

Perhaps nothing. I didn't know about the Abode 2024 so will have to check it out. I have had this running for a couple of years so that wasn't an option when I installed it.

There are a number of other things that I bring in through home assistant. Most notably are the Aqara FP-2's. In general I do try to consolidate everything in the Hubitat. Home Assistant is great for adding new devices quickly but a bit of a nightmare in all other respects.

Thanks for the tip.

I admit that the Lutron switches are expensive. But when you have a large installation you will find that reliability is the most important feature. I tend to use them in the high traffic areas where the switch has to work every time.

I also use a ton of Picos in the wall and on stands. Everyone in the house is used to them so they know that the buttons do the same thing in every room. This is very important. As you grow you want to make sure the UX is consistent throughout the house otherwise you will lose people. For example in the past I would have a Leviton z-wave controller in one room, a Cooper z-wave in another, an Aqara zigbee two button in another, and so on. And no one could figure out what to do when going from one room to the next. Switching to Picos has solved that.

I use all of my zwave and zigbee devices behind the scenes. You have to pay close attention to the mesh. With Lutron it just does it for you.

One thing I do try to do as much as possible is to avoid having to use the switches - zero touch. I strive to have the house know what to do based on the inputs - presence, PIR, mm wave, etc. The family has gotten really used to this. Very rarely do they need to turn on the music or the lights or adjust the temp as it has done it for them. Overall this is my preferred approach.

FYI - Dim levels are adjustable in the Lutron app.

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I strive to do the same in if I have buttons which I do I keep the brand consistent and the operation consistent such as press always does this, hold always does this, etc. I actually bought Lutron and installed it in one room but the wife could not get used to the fade on and off and even though you can adjust it you couldn't stop it (without buying a single switch that cost $100). I could have done relays but I didn't think. She is weird (but don't tell her I said that, lol) but she wants the immediate on when she walks in a room like you flipped the switch. Therefore I went the smart bulbs route but I have to say my mix of Sengled, Innr, and now Third Reality (depending on the application need and need for brightness) has worked exceptionally well.

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