With many people deciding to swap out their insteon for zwave or simply adding zwave support to their Polisy, I decided to do another write up to focus on the 700 series/Polisy than wade through Isy 994 boards.
Much of the same information applies but those who never used the old boards or ISY994 (future newbies) may not think to look there.
Zwave Boards
UDI officially supports the Zooz 700 series zwave USB stick. Unoffically, the Silicone labs Uzb7, also works with Polisy.
There's been ongoing debate as to whether all devices need to be 700 series to take advantage of the benefits it offers. I talked to my contact at Qolsys and was told that as long as the path goes through all 700 devices, you'll realize the benefits. The flip side is that you do not control the path that something takes which is why they recommend all devices be part of the same series. His answer is specific to the iq4 panel but I'd assume it's the same for all zwave controllers.
If you have a house full of zwave, the range is irrelevant as the greater device density builds a stronger mesh than fewer devices with longer range. The current iteration of polisy (with 3rd party usb boards) does not support S2 security nor will this functionality be added. You will need to purchase the ZMatter board for that functionality and future features as well.
Choosing Devices
There are many caveats when choosing zwave devices. I won't touch this but will answer questions if someone has any. The main thing is to choose zwave plus devices at a minimum. The amount of 700 series devices being released has grown a lot, though you'll still find standard zwave plus devices in abundance. Starting with a new install, I'd focus my energies only on 700 series devices. If there is something specific you want that's not available, I'd settle for 500 series. Anything lower, you'll be upset from a performance standpoint.
The 700 series stuff is backwards compatible with older series so you don't have to swap out devices to get them to work with polisy. There's a big performance gap between 300 and 700 so that may be worthwhile depending on finances. However, the gap narrows between 500-700. It's there. Just not worth the money IMO. That's up to each person to decide on their own though.
As with the last write up, I'd still stick with well known manufacturers such as Zooz, aeotech, fibaro, homeseer, and ge. Quality issues aside, you'll find more help and support with them than some fly by night no name company. Saving money is great. However ask yourself if those few dollars are worth the hassle and no help.
Mesh Network and Repeating
700 series touts greater range (just like 500 before it and 800 after). However that's open range. Great if you want to go from the back door to your barn 250' away but not so great if you have lots of separate spaces in your home. Save yourself frustration and assume you'll still need some type of repeating device or 3. No, battery powered devices do not extend range.
If you only have 1 or 2 devices for your network, there is really no point in asking for help in regards to why the isy won't talk to them or intermittent communication issues. The advice from everyone will be the same. Add more devices. This can be in the form of a repeater such as those from aeotech. You can also use in wall receptacles or plug in modules. I prefer in wall receptacles since plug in modules can be unplugged or moved to a different location by someone. Keep in mind embedded devices such as receptacles will not have the range of external devices so you will need more if you go that route.
Range
This ties in with building out your mesh. 700 series touts longer range but that's generally open air testing. Performance/range may vary depending on your home. An all 700 series install will have greater overall range than 3 or 500 series but thats not something I'd depend on. I'd still invest in repeating devices to ensure everything works exactly the way i want it to every single time. While anything can happen, I want to be able to trust that my doors will lock/unlock the way they're supposed to vs having to double check every single time due to uncertainty.
While range is great, additonal repeating devices also allows for self healing. This is especially important for small installs such as those where one is trying to control some locks. Obviously a large install or zwave only install makes this a moot point. By adding extra devices, you are potentially adding a secondary path for the signal to route through should a device fail or something interferes with your path. Remember, what works today may not work tomorrow as you busy new furniture etc.
I've said this before and I'll say it again. Do not fall for the range hype. Some will argue about greater range of zwave plus (and now 700 series)...However, all tests are done in open air under perfect conditions. The increased range will help if you have a modern home with an open floor plan. HOWEVER- older homes with doors and walls everywhere will still suffer from range issues that any other wireless device suffers from. This is made worse once devices are installed in metal boxes, behind fish tanks, etc. Save yourself the headaches and simply buy extra devices
Beaming
Tis is geared towards those who may look to save money by buying older devices. Finding specific devices that support beaming isn't as big of an issue with 700 series the way it is for 300 (especially) & 500 series devices.
Controllers make poor repeaters. Their job is to send a signal to a device and move on to the next task. If they have to wake up a device, wait for it to wake up, send a signal (especially if it's encrypted), wait for a response....what happens to the rest of your devices/programs in the meantime? Another reason for have an extra device or 2 to repeat.
Beaming devices can hold that message until the device wakes up, send it to the device, and wait for the response. During this time, the controller can handle its other duties and get the message when ready.
Adding Devices
All 700 series devices support NWI (Network Wide Inclusion). Even with NWI, I still add my devices within a few feet of the system. This is generally a requirement of security devices (such as locks) but it's one I follow with all my devices (including insteon and my hue with the hue hub). This allows me to verify the isy can control things without issue before installing in it's final location. This way, if there is an issue, I've taken the isy out of the equation. I add devices in the order I'm installing from closest to farthest. While this isn't necessary, I still do this from when zwave first came out. With secure devices such as doorlocks, you should have them within a few feet of polisy when adding to the network to ensure everything works properly. Once done, verify functions, move to permanent location, Install, and heal.
Both my test polisy and house polisy units had NWI prechecked. I'd go into your zwave settings panel and verify that it's turned on. The proper way to use NWI would be to include devices that are closest to your polisy and work your way out. To exclude devices it's the opposite. Work your way from the farthest reaches to the closest.
For the most part, most devices can only be added to one controller. Yes, there are some variables such as primary and secondary controllers but for a newbie, that's advanced information that can cause confusion. Should more detail be needed, ask and I will explain.
Exclude/Include
The best way to add a device is to exclude it first and then add it. This process wipes out any potential links which could prevent a device from being added. Once im done adding devices, I'll run a heal (update neighbors). Those using NWI while devices are already install can probably skip this process.
For those wanting to use polisy/Isy as a secondary controller, it must be added to the primary controller before you add your zwave devices to the Isy.
While an exclude is not necessarily needed for new out of the box devices, I still do it before including. Devices can come from the factory with test links still there which will prevent inclusion. For me, it's easier to simply exclude and move straight to include than break my rhythm because one doesn't include. Its your choice however.
If moving from the Isy or another controller, you'll need to exclude first then include. The good thing is that you can use polisy for that. You don't have to run the exclusion on the Isy (or other controller) before trying to add it to polisy.
Nodes
You'll probably notice a zillion different nodes will show up when you add a device to the Isy. The zwave code supports those nodes though the mfg. of your device may not be using them for your product. Because the admin console shows everything, they are there. If it's a small install, you can create a folder for them and call it a day. If it's a larger install, I recommend deleting the ones you do not or will not use as they count towards your node count. It's easier to do this as you add each device vs once you have 40+ devices in there.
If you go to the mfg. website, you'll find their full owners manual. That's where you can find the parameter settings for your device. Some of those extra nodes will populate once you set the specific parameter for it. Once you've verified what you'll need to keep, feel free to delete the additional nodes. You don't need them for anything.