Insteon - importance of "hops"

[ENaiman]

I do apologize if I am asking a dumb question but I would like to know what is exactly the significance of these "3 hops" 

 

I know that every device between the ISY and the target device equals 1 hop and my question is - what happens when I need to have a device which would be 3 or more hops away? My house has quite a big surface spread on 3 levels and since I can't place the ISY dead in the center of everything, I will have situations where some devices will be quite distant. What will happen then?

- can I enroll a device which is more then 3 hops away?

- supposing I can have the device closer just to enroll it then move it away at it's designated place - will it work then?

 

I live in Australia and basically I have no PLM to work here (I am using a modified hub) and some other Insteon devices are not available (the only way to expand my network is by using these plug-in modules) . How can I get the system to work? Is it possible to have something like 2 ISY's working together? What can I do?

 

Thank you for your help,

[Teken]

Smartlabs designed the Insteon protocol to have a maximum of 3 hops to reach the intended target device. If you see that your Insteon network consistently requires 3 hops.

 

Then, you have a communication problem . . .

 

That can be from a lack of bridging / coupling of the two sides of the electrical feed. Or it can be from noise makers / signal suckers within the home that is impacting the Insteon signal. Lastly, it could simply be a structural issue where appliances, walls, floors, furniture are affecting the RF portion of the signal.

 

The only thing that will help your Insteon network assuming its not noise related is to have more devices in the home. This allows the Insteon *mesh* network to propagate and help repeat the signal to the end device.

[LeeG]

Hops is too complex a subject to explain in a forum post.  Go to insteon.com, Technology, White papers,  and read the insteondetails.pdf document starting on page 23.  It covers Hops and Time slots in detail.  Insteon devices are not enrolled.  They can be added to the ISY and moved at will if desired.   Physical distance is not so important.   I have several Insteon devices in a two story detached garage which is more than 300' wire feet away from the main house, all of which operate okay.

 

Devices can simulcast the same message so Hops count has not been an issue.  Do you actually have comm issues or something that may be an issue?