What is this USB dongle for?

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1

Hello everyone, I'm Rik and this is my first post. Just received my HE C5 and whilst unboxing I found this dongle(?). Windows recognized it as a "Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge". What is it? Yeah I know, probably a USB to UART bridge but what do I need it for?

Thanks and greetings,

Rik

2

If you are outside of the US that is probably ZWave radio.

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3

Ok thanks Jason. So does this mean there in no Zwave radio in the Hubitat or is it on the US frequency? Bit confused. If I want to order i.e. some nice Neo Coolcam door sensors how do I know if they are on the right frequency?

4

The built-in Z-Wave radio on the C5 hub is US frequency. So for regions outside of the US they include an external USB Z-Wave radio.

Legally you can only use devices that run on the frequency allowed in your country. I'm not saying it wouldn't work if you used the US radio with US devices, but that is not legal outside of the US.

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5

Legal or not, it's my house and as long as I'm not transmitting outside my property it's my business I guess. Anyhow, do I have to buy everything in the European frequency or can I use the internal US radio and the dongle with EU frequency together?

6

You can use one or the other, but not both.

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7

Ok thanks gentlemen! I'll stick to the EU version in that case.

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8

Unfortunately radio signals do not stick to the boundaries of your property.
I believe the US z-wave is able to use a more powerful signal as it falls in the 902 to 928MHz range.
In the UK it is illegal (Ofcom) to use the US z-wave frequency so to be compliant you should always use the frequency compatible with your location.
I'm not sure where you are located but I would use the dongle supplied with the hub and use the appropriate z-wave devices.
Have fun. :smile:

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9

bobbles I'm overseas on the eastern side of the UK. The Netherlands to be more specific and yes I'll stick to the EU frequencies. And yes I will have fun! thanks!

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10

Be careful. This is the sort of fun that can leave a dent in your wallet. I speak from experience :scream:

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11

So just to clarify, if someone in the EU purchases a C5 they also have to user the USB dongle?
Or is the built-in radio of the EU version already the specific one for the region?

I was thinking on upgrading to have less dangling cables, but if I still need to have USB I rather stick with the C4..

12

Correct. You will end up with an external zwave radio dongle and an internal zigbee radio.

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13

With the C4 you have external dongles for zigbee and zwave. With the C5, zigbee will be the internal radio. Zwave will be a dongle.

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14

thanks for the info, so if I migrate its one less cable :wink:
does someone know if the C5 has the same zwave dongle as the C4?

I am wondering that I could migrate and use my previous C4 dongle were all the devices are already paird + backup / restore..
Woul this be possible?

15

I believe this is correct, as it was asked before and confirmed a while ago.

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16

Just wondering I just bought a C5 model for a very good price and was wondering if I bought a zwave 700 USB adapter will it make my c5 like a c7? Thanks

17

No, unfortunately it will not.

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