I'm trying to include a new ZWave device which I know needs to go through a repeater. Its not showing up on the inclusion screen so I want to see what I may be doing wrong.
I have a simple setup with a few Z-Wave devices. Two of them have great connectivity and the third one so, so. The third one is a Zooz Zen17 relay which also functions as a repeater. Currently all 3 devices connect directly to the hub. Here's the data:
device 3 is maybe 100' away from the hub, I know I'm stretching it.
Today I tried adding device 4, another Zen17 relay which would be maybe 70' away from device 3. I tried the inclusion but the Hubitat hub was unable to see this new device.
Is this because device 3 is too far from the hub and has flaky connectivity? If that's the case I can move the hub to improve device 3 connectivity. Will that make device 4 smoothly (assuming it can reach device 3 which I'm confident it can, no obstructions in the way)? Or do you need to do something special/different when including a z-wave device that is expected to go through a repeater?
I’m not sure why you emphasize that your Zen17 is a repeater. All hardwired Z-Wave devices repeat the signal to create the mesh. Seems like you’re trying to go too far in a linear direction without enough of a mesh. Can you insert a ZAC38 or two in the mix? As a specialty device for that purpose (aided by the 800 series chip) the repeated signal will be strong.
Having one device that far away with only one good route is just asking for trouble.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to move the device close to the hub to pair it? Then move it back and try activating it a couple times and maybe do a repair. See if it will work that way.
I’m new to ZWave so I talk about the Zooz as a repeater because it’s the only line powered zwave I have so it’s the only functioning as a repeater.
With regards to the poor connectivity I plan to move the hub so it’s closer to the Zooz.
Healing is less relevant because I have an extremely simple network where there’s only one route due to the physical layout and which devices function as repeaters.
My insight from googling is that perhaps my assumption that I could do a zwave inclusion while relying on repeaters for the inclusion. Itself may be flawed. I plan to move the new device next to the hub, do the inclusion, and then move it to its final location and see if it can work via the repeater.
Does that make sense? Would I need to run a repair/heal after moving the newly included device to its final location?
No you are correct, it should work, but it might be far enough away where it is having problems. This may indicate that it wont work reliably once you move it back to that spot as well, but it could work fine.
It will try and find a route on its own if you just leave it, but with a large move I would run a repair to force it to check for neighbors and routes. Then you should try commanding it on and off a couple times. Since it will possibly be re-routing wait a few seconds between commands so you don't flood the mesh.
