On the fence, my C5 runs great, what would be a reason to upgrade and spend $$$ to go to the C7 model?
Mostly just the new z-wave 700 series chip in the C7, I suppose?
Excuse the ignorance on this, but what does the new z-radio chip offer me? Can it go 200 meters?
It does have a longer range than the 500 series chip in the C5 and also supports S2 security which is much faster and more secure than S0. Also, once z-wave long range devices come out, we are able to software upgrade them to support it.
In open air, yes. Aeotec has a nice comparison of 300, 500, and 700 series z-wave radios on this page:
There is also an external antenna mod that several people have done on their C-5 and C-7 hubs that increases range. Note that this mod voids your warranty. See this thread for details:
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S2 Security pairing, if that's important to you.
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The ability to run Tony Fleisher's (@tony.fleisher's) excellent Z-Wave Mesh Details Tool. It's worth the upgrade.
On the downside, there are some devices that are problematic on the C-7. Check the Compatible Devices list. And pairing can sometimes be a bit quirky with the C-7 (but it's much better than it was at introduction).
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Is there any inventory of C5s that can be purchased ?
There are a few on eBay right now.
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Is it worth it to switch to the C7 Hub from the C5? I'm just really getting going with my C5 after not really utilizing it for a while
I'd hate to get a million devices all in there and configured, and then find out I really need/want the C7 and have to do it all again
Does this mean that the C5 won't be able to support some future devices?
Well.. Yes at some point.. If a manufacturer releases a device that only supports LR, then the physical radio on the C5 won’t be able to talk to them..
Well actually this is already the case, look at ring devices, many won’t connect to C5 due to the lack of S2 security.
Is this a hardware limitation, or a z-wave stack limitation? I ask because aren't there other 500-series controllers that support S2?
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With the migration service you can move stuff over when you are ready.
Also if the plan is to have the hub in your house for a long time then it might be a good idea to have another one as a backup in case of failure. The current sale price is definitely worth it.
I migrated from 2 C-4's to 3 C-5's and then C-7 + 2 C-5's. I also have a couple C-7 hubs on my shelf. I support residential clients so this is a necessary thing to have. I may buy a few more...
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Stack.. And the implementation is complex with lots of potential issues in converting live systems.
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At which point, it makes much more sense to migrate to a C-7!!
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I realize no one really knows, but does it seem likely that there will still be plenty of new devices that don't need the C7?
I have 2 C5's and can't really justify buying a C7. Even if the price is very good.
My C-7 is used exclusively for Z-Wave devices since the ZW radio seems to be the only major difference. My 2 other hubs, C-5's, are used for Zigbee devices and Network/Cloud devices respectively. This is a little overkill of course but I had the extra hubs on hand and like the device isolation the setup provides.
I would be willing to bet that for several years, the answer is yes.
If you have a C5, and have a current need for features that only the 700 series z-wave chip can offer, or need a 2nd hub for some other reason anyway, then I can see the need to upgrade now.
But absent that, the C5 can do pretty much everything the C7 can.
Edit: or if you just need the newest, shiniest, highest numberest [fill-in-the-blank] you can get (as some people around here always do 
).
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I currently have a C5. Could I buy a C7 and then only add new devices to the C7 and them linked somehow?
I'm not a real fan of having to re-pair all my devices
Yes, you can use the built-in “Hub Mesh” feature to share devices between the two hubs.
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