I was originally having some coverage/range problems in my stone ranch house with interior plaster & lath walls, particularly with a few switches that were off by themselves in the farthest bedroom and a few more switches in the garage. I added some more switches in between my controller and those more remote locations where I really didn’t need them and a couple of more range extenders. Everything pretty much took off working and I am happy with the performance of my network.
A few days ago node 29, one of my 3 extenders, after a nightly heal, showed all by itself, only connected to the controller, as in the image above. Now node 31 a second one of my range extenders has done similarly. The remaining range extender is node 27.
Is the graph telling my I should consider removing nodes 29 & 31 from the network?
What would be a good place to start learning the ins and outs of how Z-Wave is adjusted nightly when the “network heal” happens (currently at the 2am default time)?
I am using:
openHAB 3.1 (openhabian on Pi4)
Aeotec Gen5+ controller (quantity 3)
Aeotec Smart Switch 7 (quantity 17)
Aeotec Range Extender 7 (quantity 3)
The zwave network map is a wonderful programming accomplishment but is of little diagnostic use (IMO).
The best way to diagnose routing, speeds and traffic is with a Zniffer. Before I flashed a Zstick with the Zniffer I wasted some money putting repeaters in places I thought would help the mesh, but once I started Zniffing I realized they were not being used at all. Again, you can’t conclude that from the map, but it is possible. If you are happy with your network (and it sounds like you are), I wouldn’t do anything (except maybe flash a Zniffer).
Another discovery of mine with the Zniffer is that a “heal” scrambles the routes based on what is happening during the 10 - 20 minute heal process. It then takes a day or so for the routes to go back to where they were before the Heal. If you haven’t added (or removed) a powered node the heal is at best redundant. I have that disabled.
Thank you very much for pointing me in a direction. I’m reading up online on the Zniffer and look forward to playing with it.
I realize in copy pasting I accidentally put a 3 next to Z-Wave controllers. I really have only 1 of those. I had previously considered picking up a 2nd Aeotec Gen5+ z-stick controller in order to have backup hardware on hand and may now do so depending on what I can figure out on Zniffer flashable z-sticks. To that end if I may please further impose on your generosity in answering my questions:
Do you happen to know if that, the Aeotec Gen5+ Z-Stick would work as a flashable z-stick use with the Zniffer?
So far I have only found reference online to people using the ACC-USB3-U-STA with Zniffer although the documentation implies that there may be several Zniffer flashable z-sticks. Silicon Labs no longer recommends it for purchase although I can quickly and cheaply buy one on Digikey. Is this the only sure way to go for a compatible z-stick?
Silicon Labs now seems to generally reference the SLUSB7000A UZB7 although I have not seen it specifically referenced as flashable to Zniffer. It is also on at 10 week backorder on sites I have checked so far. Do you happen to know if it would likely work with Zniffer?
Do you happen to know if that, the Aeotec Gen5+ Z-Stick would work as a flashable z-stick use with the Zniffer?
---- no it can not
So far I have only found reference online to people using the ACC-USB3-U-STA with Zniffer although the documentation implies that there may be several Zniffer flashable z-sticks. Silicon Labs no longer recommends it for purchase although I can quickly and cheaply buy one on Digikey. Is this the only sure way to go for a compatible z-stick?
-----there are other sticks that will work but if you are USA frequency then that is the easiest to get hold of.
Silicon Labs now seems to generally reference the SLUSB7000A UZB7 although I have not seen it specifically referenced as flashable to Zniffer. It is also on at 10 week backorder on sites I have checked so far. Do you happen to know if it would likely work with Zniffer?
