Z-Wave Binding..."Issues" with Aeotec Z-Stick Gen 5 [Z-Wave] #1415

[bf8392]

This topic should discuss the GitHub-issue here:

Z-Wave Binding...Issues with Aeotec Z-Stick Gen 5 [Z-Wave]

Hi community =),

I’ve maid some tests with the Aeotec Z-Stick Gen5 and discovered some issues. Here are the main problems.

Current Bugs

1. Issue with the usb-port on raspberrypi (not resolveable as this is problem from the aeotec z-stick -> https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=245031
2. Devices get automatically added on search to the z-wave controller (You don’t need to add as thing, they get automatically added as soon as discovered to the controller, which is not very convenient, especially on the following problem ->
3. Not able to delete z-wave devices from controller (option set as failed and delete from controller don’t have effect)
4. Learning mode does not work
5. Secure inclusion doesn’t work on the first inclusion…you have to reset the device first to make it work on the second try…(tested with Aeotec dimmer/switch which have a dedicated button for secure inclusion)

To summarize: All advanced options don’t seem to work on the aeotec z-stick gen5 with openhab 2.5.7 in docker (privileged) and pi. The controlling works perfect

Steps to Reproduce (for Bugs)

1. Install openhab in docker on pi with hypriot os and traefik reverse proxy
2. stick in usb-hub and aeotec z-stick (hub to resolve connection issue, see above)
3. setup the z-stick as controller
4. put a z-wave device in inclusion mode
5. start discovering with the inbox on paper-ui
6. see the issues

Sadly I have no Idea how to resolve this issues, but I can help testing, as much as possible! If you need logs or something else, I’ll be here =)

For now I get around all issues, by plugging the z-stick to a windows pc, and delete the failed nodes with the silab software…which is very complicated…

Your Environment

Raspberrypi 4 B+
hypriot os 1.12.3
docker: 19.0.3
openhab-docker 2.5.7

[Bruce_Osborne]

@bf8392

Issue with the usb-port on raspberrypi (not resolveable as this is problem from the aeotec z-stick -> https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=245031

The problem is the stick in a USB3 port the workaround is to usea USB2 hub between the USB3 port & the stick.

@bf8392

Not able to delete z-wave devices from controller (option set as failed and delete from controller don’t have effect)

This is supposed to work but many of us end up using other tools to accomplish this.

@bf8392

Sadly I have no Idea how to resolve this issues,

Issue 1 is an issue with the Aeotec stick. Nothing in the OS or openHAB can resolve this.

@bf8392

• start discovering with the inbox on paper-ui
• see the issues

I see devices fine showing up in the Inbox. I use the recommended HABmin to manage Z-Wave but the Paper UI should work too.

[yab (Marino Schwedhelm)]

@Celaeno1 did some succesfull investigations on topic 1): there is some info in the (newer) aeotec docs.

Aeotec Z-Stick Gen5 V1.01 firmware update. (Z-Wave SDK version updated to V6.51.10 )

I also did further investigations: According to the following data sheet there are the following firmware versions on the stick: Version__ Name on Sticker___________ Firmware SDK API SmartStart RPi4 compatible____________________ Version 1 Z-Stick Gen5 1.00 v6.51.02 3.95 no Not without unpowered USB Adapter Version 2 Z-Stick Gen5 1.01 v6.51.10 4.54 no Not without unpowered USB Adapter Version 3 New Z-Stick Gen5 1.01 v6.51.10 4.54 no Yes, works without USB adapter Version 4 Z-Stic…

[bf8392]

@Bruce_Osborne

The problem is the stick in a USB3 port the workaround is to usea USB2 hub between the USB3 port & the stick.

Confirmed working with usb 3.0 hub also
It seems to be an electrical problem inside the stick…

@Bruce_Osborne

I see devices fine showing up in the Inbox. I use the recommended HABmin to manage Z-Wave but the Paper UI should work too

Yes they show up properly and you can include them BUT:

1. I had the problem that as soon as you set the device in learning mode, and the OpenHab in search mode, the thing (z-wave-devices) gets added to the sticks z-wave network…you don’t have to approve it…in combination with not being able to remove the device of the stick wothout plugging it off, it’s extremely inconvenient to add new devices -> if you’re to slow, you end with a ‘dead device’ which keeps showing up as ‘discovered’.

All other “advanced” settings regarding z-wave (suc, learning mode, remove device) don’t seem to work with the Z-Stick gen5…maybe someone has a Z-Stick gen5 lying around and can test it too

[Bruce_Osborne]

@bf8392

You end with a ‘dead device’ which keeps showing up as ‘discovered’.

The Network Exclude function does not work for many of us so we either endure zombie nod3es ot use another tool.
I think this binding is incredible, especially considering it was made by reverse engineering i look forward to an improved binding based on the standard after SiLabs freely releases it.

[bf8392]

@Bruce_Osborne

I think this binding is incredible

Completely agree I love the z-wave binding! Especially the reaction-times on controlling and rules are amazing!

@Bruce_Osborne

use another tool.

I use the silab developers pc controller…it works very well

I just wanted to share my experience about the Z-Stick gen5 to help improve and contribute to the opensource community :-). Maybe someone comes up with a solution :-). If I can be of any help, let me know

@Bruce_Osborne

after SiLabs freely releases it.

Do you know when that will be? Are there any plans of silabs?

[Bruce_Osborne]

@bf8392

Do you know when that will be? Are there any plans of silabs?

I have not heard much since their rpress announcements last December.

Z-Wave is making a huge change so it doesn’t get left behind in the smart...

[bf8392]

Oh okay thanks :-). Yes I think Corona slowed down everything a bit…

[Bruce_Osborne]

@bf8392

I think Corona slowed down everything a bit…

The beer or the virus?

[bf8392]

@Bruce_Osborne

The beer or the virus?

Nice one!

[chris (Chris Jackson)]

@bf8392

I had the problem that as soon as you set the device in learning mode, and the OpenHab in search mode, the thing (z-wave-devices) gets added to the sticks z-wave network…you don’t have to approve it

This is normal - there is no way to “approve” devices at that stage - the controller will always allow them to join. This is simply the way Zwave works.

@bf8392

if you’re to slow, you end with a ‘dead device’ which keeps showing up as ‘discovered’.

I’m not sure I understand this. Too slow at doing what exactly? If the device joins it should work - if you don’t want it then you can exclude it again.

[bf8392]

@chris

I’m not sure I understand this. Too slow at doing what exactly? If the device joins it should work - if you don’t want it then you can exclude it again.

I experienced with Aeotec devices that were set to inclusion mode, that they join to the z-wave network as soon as you click ‘discover’ on the paperui…when meanwhile the device times out (exclusion mode over on aeotec) it seems added to the controller, but can not be provisionised sometimes (which seems strange…maybe this is only an issue with Aeotec which has nothing to do with the binding)

@chris

you can exclude it again.

At the moment I was only able to forget a device with silab pc software…mark as failed (when device plugged off) and forget from controller does not work in OpenHab. I’m not deadly sure if I have tried exclusion mode to…

[chris (Chris Jackson)]

@bf8392

I experienced with Aeotec devices that were set to inclusion mode, that they join to the z-wave network as soon as you click ‘discover’ on the paperui

This is correct - it’s nothing to do with Aeotec - this is the way ZWave works. Once the controller is put into learn mode (which happens when you click discover) it will add devices. This is done automatically by the controller - the only thing the binding can control is putting the controller into learn mode.

[bf8392]

@chris

This is correct - it’s nothing to do with Aeotec - this is the way ZWave works. Once the controller is put into learn mode (which happens when you click discover) it will add devices. This is done automatically by the controller - the only thing the binding can control is putting the controller into learn mode.

Ahhhhhh okay I think I get it now! So ‘discover’ means device learning mode in OpenHab okay… Thanks for the explanation . It was a not clear to me as in other bindings you have to actively add the thing…But this makes sense to me so I also would not consider it as a bug…but I have an Idea…Maybe you can put a banner in between when discovering devices on paperui that you have to click (like when you have to add the controller first) which explains, that you start the learning mode by clicking there…I think that would help a lot of people which are new to OpenHab . But I totally understand if this is too much effort…I don’t consider it very important…just for usability it’s nice to know

[chris (Chris Jackson)]

@bf8392

But I totally understand if this is too much effort

It’s not necessarily too much effort, but there isn’t really any way to do this. The UI is for all bindings - so I can’t add text like this just for ZWave.

This is a pretty common approach though - when you click on discover, the binding tries to discover the devices - this is true of many bindings. Not all bindings support discovery, but this is how it works for those that do.

[bf8392]

@chris

It’s not necessarily too much effort, but there isn’t really any way to do this.

In some bindings you have to define a bridge before using them…if you haven’t done, you will be redirected to some banner that says “include bridge” in paperui…maybe this is a way to go? -> with this option it would also be possible to start secure and non-secure inclusion from paperui…

When you add the z-wave binding, and haven’t defines controller yet, paperui prompts you to do so you know what I mean?

[bf8392]

I’ve edited my first post with a point 5. As a possible bug if someone want to take a look at it

[Bruce_Osborne]

@bf8392

Secure inclusion doesn’t work on the first inclusion…you have to reset the device first to make it work on the second try…(tested with Aeotec dimmer/switch which have a dedicated button for secure inclusion)

1. You always need a reset device before secure inclusion
   2, NEVER use buttons on the controller for inclusion, especially secure inclusion. The security key is in the openHAB binding, not the controller.

[bf8392]

@Bruce_Osborne

NEVER use buttons on the controller for inclusion, especially secure inclusion

I meant the buttons on the aeotec dimmer NOT the controller

@Bruce_Osborne

You always need a reset device before secure inclusion

Okay so it’s not a bug…

[chris (Chris Jackson)]

@bf8392

In some bindings you have to define a bridge before using them…if you haven’t done, you will be redirected to some banner that says “include bridge” in paperui…maybe this is a way to go?

Again though, this is not a zwave issue - the UI is for all bindings. If the workflow is not right in the UI, then you an create an issue in the appropriate repo on github.