Firstly this is almost certainly just an issue with my linux understanding!
My ZWave USB controller is plugged into a server, and it’s com port is exposed via TCP. I’m using socat to create a virtual com port on my ubuntu install, and then pointing openhab to that. However the logs show that the port does not exist.
It is mounted as /dev/pts/9, but it creates a sym link (I think) called /dev/VPort. I have changed the permissions to ensure openhab can access it (but I might have that wrong).
I can run the command “cat /dev/VPort” and I can see what looks like junk coming in every so often so I assume it’s probably working.
The issue was the port name! It had to be named /dev/ttyUSBxx for java to be happy that it was a serial port, and I had to chown it to the correct group.
This is the issue I’m having If I stop the server com->tcp application (because perhaps I’m unplugging the stick to include more nodes) then on my openhab server I get this error:
2016/01/27 11:42:47 socat[46396] E connect(4, AF=2 192.168.1.10:8000, 16): Connection refused
I would like to integrate nice Nodon Soft Remote and Z-Wave seems to be more promising than Enocean to me. But still, my openHAB server is running in the basement of my house and I guess the RF won’t make it down there from the 1st floor. Therefore I would like to plug a Z-Wave USB stick somewhere else in my house and “socat” the serial port over Ethernet to my openHAB server.
Is this solution stable enough to be used “in production”?
Thank you. Looks like a range extender would do the job. Well, I could try first with the stick and if the range is too short, I can add a repeater somewhere. I don’t have (yet) a use case besides the Soft Remote for another “fixed” Z-Wave device (I think only non-battery powered devices participate in the routing) since my KNX system is handling most of my home automation.
Don’t bother with a range extender, just buy a z-wave socket. As long as it on mains power it will act like a relay, and at least this way you get a useful thing!
I have been using this for 3 weeks now and am very impressed by the flexibility and more importantly stability. I have it running on a RPi 2 with an AEON z stick. Ultimately i can locate this near to all my z-wave devices.