brianp6621 Posted July 18, 2015 Posted July 18, 2015 (edited) I have a zwave door lock that seems to not be 100% reliable. I have 2 repeaters and am still working on communication but I want to make it more robust. Right now I have a program that says if the door is closed (sensor) and the door is unlocked then lock it. I'm concerned sometimes the comm might fail. What is the most elegant way to make sure the door is locked. Create an infinite loop between 2 programs that will check the status and lock if the conditions are met? Will that even work? Is this detrimental to isy/network performance? Better approach? Edited July 18, 2015 by brianp6621
stusviews Posted July 18, 2015 Posted July 18, 2015 The best workaround can fail if you don't have good communication, so that should be your first line of attack. The Aeon siren is considered one of the best repeaters by several posters including myself. In the interim, you can try using repeat. You can get complex. For example, call a second program such that if the conditions are met disbles the repeat program. And a program that enables the repeat program when the door is unlocked. Lock Program If door is closed and lock is unlocked Then repeat x times lock the lock run disable program Disable program If door is closed and lock is locked Then disable lock program Else run lock program Unlock program If door is unlocked Then enable lock program
MustangChris04 Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 Most zwave door locks use the encrypted protocol? The Aeon repeater doesn't support repeating of encrypted communication. Does the siren support this?
Teken Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 (edited) Most zwave door locks use the encrypted protocol? The Aeon repeater doesn't support repeating of encrypted communication. Does the siren support this? I believe its best to reach out to the vendor to confirm 100% instead of guessing. While the advert loosely indicates the siren uses 128 bit encryption and since its using the generation 500 chip set its assumed that it does. It would defeat the whole purpose if it didn't and by default its a repeater so it can't be a repeater if it doesn't repeat secure connections? Clear as mud? Edited July 19, 2015 by Teken
brianp6621 Posted July 19, 2015 Author Posted July 19, 2015 This is what Aeon tech had to say Hi Brian, The Siren is a Gen5 device and is also a repeater, All of our powered Gen5 devices can handle encrypted signals such as our Smart Switch Gen5, Siren, Heavy Duty Smart Switch, Smart Switch 6. It is also the case that they handle beaming, which is used to wake up devices that utilize FLiRs such as door locks. 1) Determine if the door lock supports FLiRs. 2) The device to repeat the signal will need to support beaming, it doesn't need to support encryption, all the repeater needs to do is pass the message along between the door lock and controller. Our repeater should work under this assumption and many of our powered Gen5 products. I'll be honest, I don't fully understand it all but with 2 sirens installed the door lock is responding near flawlessly. Overall though the zwave RF communication seems pretty weak to me.
hutchyx Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 The only way I was able to get my zwave door lock to be reliable was to replace my zwave antenna on the ISY.
brianp6621 Posted July 19, 2015 Author Posted July 19, 2015 The only way I was able to get my zwave door lock to be reliable was to replace my zwave antenna on the ISY.replace it with?
stusviews Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 (edited) No matter what I did including trying a high-gain antenna, communication to a Schlage lock was undependable. Installing a Gen 5 siren in place of the repeater made communication fully reliable. Edit: I used the L-com HG905RD 900 MHz antenna. Edited July 19, 2015 by stusviews
MustangChris04 Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 This is good to know, especially since the Aeon repeater specifically states that it doesn't repeat encrypted communication. Looks like I'll be buying a siren to extend the signal to my locks!
hutchyx Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 replace it with? Universal Devices used to sell a Z-Wave Antenna Assembly (Item# 50005004). I don't currently see it on their site though. It worked perfectly. No matter what I did including trying a high-gain antenna, communication to a Schlage lock was undependable. Installing a Gen 5 siren in place of the repeater made communication fully reliable. I was also working with a Schlage. None of the repeaters I bought worked although I didn't try the siren. I like the idea of having a siren in my system.
Michel Kohanim Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 Hello everyone: Most zwave door locks use the encrypted protocol? The Aeon repeater doesn't support repeating of encrypted communication. Does the siren support this? This is absolutely incorrect. Please review this article: http://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=Z-Wave:_Configuring_Range_Extenders_and_Door_Locks In short, range extenders must be included when close to ISY, then move to the destination and then a Heal Network. This has been proven to work 100s of times. With kind regards, Michel
MustangChris04 Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 Then why does the product description of the Aeon extender state "It will NOT repeat the signal for door locks which use encrypted Z-Wave protocol" ?
MWareman Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 To add to this, my three range extenders did not help my locks at all. I replaced then with the sirens (same locations), and I now have 100% reliable communication with my locks. Now, maybe I didn't include my range extenders when they were close to my ISY then move them. That could explain it (too far to be able to exchange keys). However, I also didn't do that with the sirens.
stusviews Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 Then why does the product description of the Aeon extender state "It will NOT repeat the signal for door locks which use encrypted Z-Wave protocol" ? That's the Amazon description, not the manufacturer's. There is no such statement on the http://aeotec.com/z-wave-repeater'>AeonLabs web site.
brianp6621 Posted July 19, 2015 Author Posted July 19, 2015 Universal Devices used to sell a Z-Wave Antenna Assembly (Item# 50005004). I don't currently see it on their site though. It worked perfectly..I looked into that. They discontinued it because they said overall it didn't really help and even made it worse in many cases as it made the signal much more directional.
hutchyx Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 I looked into that. They discontinued it because they said overall it didn't really help and even made it worse in many cases as it made the signal much more directional. oh wow.. I'm glad I got it when I did. It worked perfectly here.
Michel Kohanim Posted July 19, 2015 Posted July 19, 2015 Hello everyone, I must stress that there are a few steps that have to be followed for range extenders to work with door locks the most important of which are: 1. Include the range extender when close to ISY 2. Move the range extender to its destination location and do a Heal Network 3. Repeat 1 & 2 till such time that Heal Network works for ALL range extenders and door locks With kind regards, Michel
brianp6621 Posted July 20, 2015 Author Posted July 20, 2015 3. Repeat 1 & 2 till such time that Heal Network works for ALL range extenders and door locksI don't understand what you mean by this. How do you tell that heal "works" for all extenders and door locks. I thought you just do it and it completes.
Michel Kohanim Posted July 20, 2015 Posted July 20, 2015 Hi brianp6621, Open the Event Viewer, change the level to 3. Make sure heal completes (without failure) for each device. With kind regards, Michel
brianp6621 Posted July 20, 2015 Author Posted July 20, 2015 Hi brianp6621, Open the Event Viewer, change the level to 3. Make sure heal completes (without failure) for each device. With kind regards, Michel Got it!
fryfrog Posted July 20, 2015 Posted July 20, 2015 Can a lock have repeater neighbors that won't pass along encrypted communication? Logically, it seems like the only repeater neighbors for a lock would be ones that it could communicate with. Looking at the output from one of my locks, I can see that it considers both of my dedicated repeaters, both of my sirens, both of my usb powered multisensors and both of my thermostats to be repeaters. The other locks show up, but since they're battery powered they are obviously not repeaters. Unlike most, adding the sirens has *not* increased my communication reliability, I think my Yale locks just aren't the best. Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] Node 3 - Front Lock has the following neighbors Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] - - Node 1 - [This ISY] Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] - - Node 4 - Back Lock Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] - Repeater - Node 6 - Repeater #1 Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] - - Node 8 - Laundry Lock Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] - Repeater - Node 9 - Repeater #2 Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] - - Node 11 - Garage Lock Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] - Repeater - Node 12 - Thermostat Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] - Repeater - Node 13 - Thermostat Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] - Repeater - Node 17 - Sensor #1 Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] - Repeater - Node 18 - Siren #1 Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] - Repeater - Node 19 - Siren #2 Sun 07/19/2015 09:02:40 PM : [ZW-SHOW ] - Repeater - Node 20 - Sensor #2
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