What are the best practices for adding z-wave items to a network?
Can I use an Aeotech minimote as an inclusion controller or should I put openHAB into inclusion mode using Habmin2?
Does it matter in what order I add devices? Should I start with devices closer to the master controller first?
Am I correct in my understanding that it is best to add battery powered devices while they in close proximity to the master controller? Will doing so take care of the wakeup or do I need to take another step after including?
Background:
Prior to moving to openHAB on an RPi, I setup my network on an Aeotec Z-Stick Series 2 using an Aeotec minimote as an inclusion controller. On that system (LinuxMCE) it was suggested that items closer to the Z-wave master controller were added first. When I switched to OpenHAB I just brought over the Aeotec Z-Stick with all the devices already included. I’m now looking to move my OpenHAB 1.7 setup from an RPi with the Aeotec to openHAB 2 on Pine 64 with the Pine z-wave controller.
You want to include the devices into your Controller, not your Minimotes.If you include them on the Minimote only the Minimote will be able to talk to it. So absolutely use Habmin or unplug your controller and do the manual inclusion.
Doesn’t matter.
Yes and no. It is better to have the battery powered devices close to the controller when including them but you still need to wake them up (sometime multiple times) once the they are included and the zwave binding picks them up so the binding can interrogate them to figure out what they are.
In that case you should be able to just plug in the controller and then go through the wake up process for the battery powered devices. The network itself is stored on the controller. No need to rebuild the network.
Yes - you could use the minimote as the primary controller and then use the controller as the secondary. I actually think this is quite a good option - the secondary is your SUC, and is therefore static, while you have the option to move around with the minimote and include devices.
I’ve never tried this even though I’ve considered it, and if you did go down this route there may be some issues with network replication. Ive implemented a number of network replication features, but it’s possible that there could be issues so we may need some updates to the binding… Let me know if you try this though .
Sounds like an opportunity for me to be a guinea pig…I mean tester. I will try it out. I never thought of the mini mote as being the primary as I didn’t even know that could happen. I planned to retire my z-stick unless you can suggest some other use for it.
I would throw the old stick in a drawer and use it for testing if needed one day… I don’t think there’s anything too much more useful for it (I did the same with my old G2 stick).
I have ordered another minimote (v1) and I can play with the setup before moving over my existing network. Are you sure a minimote can be used as a primary? If so, do I risk anything having a battery powered primary controller? What happens if the battery runs out? Does it make a difference if I move it from place to place in my home? Will it need to remap the network?
Just for information. After I included all my devices, I found, that old ones do not show newer neighbours and vice versa. Also healing with wakeup-enabled devices appeared a bit challenging. All this resulted in low network reliability.
So it’s better if after you finish inclusion of last device you run complete heal and check node statuses in habmin afterwards. All nodes should show correct “Done” message there and correct neighbourhood.
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