Insteon Network, One Z-Wave Device

[TVC15]

ISY994 with Z-Wave....I have ~60 Insteon devices and want to add an August Smartlock Pro to the mix and have it controlled by the ISY. It is a Z-Wave device and I know nothing about the connectivity. Thanks for any advice, comments, etc.

[asbril]

I personally have never heard or read about this brand and I just checked it on Amazon. Only one of their locks (  https://www.amazon.com/August-AUG-SL03-M03-G03-Dark-Gray-Smart/dp/B0765DX18K/ref=sr_1_9?gclid=CjwKCAjwqqrmBRAAEiwAdpDXtE-CSOdWI02uJV_BiHaT47wrEWFGXTYLpUBFmTKg-MY-k7LKyymZMhoC1z4QAvD_BwE&hvadid=232489699110&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9051532&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=8084082527658605355&hvtargid=kwd-384090583811&hydadcr=8134_9884560&keywords=august+smartlock+pro&qid=1556818602&s=gateway&sr=8-9 ) mentions Zwave connectivity.

Unless your mind is set on this specific brand, you may want go through the ISY forum as many other brands are mentioned and people's experience with the various brands.

In general when adding a Zwave lock to an otherwise Insteon network, note that Zwave is a mesh network whereby the more (non-battery) Zwave devices you have the better your connectivity. Non-battery Zwave devices generally repeat the signal from other Zwave (battery and non-batter) devices.

As such if your lock is at a certain distance to the ISY you may have connectivity issues. The solution would be to add one or more non-battery Zwave devices in between the ISY and your lock. I always recommend plug-in devices over repeaters as they are about the same price, and with the plug-in device you can connect it to a lamp and control the lamp in your ISY.

Also when getting your lock, connect it to your ISY first close the ISY, then in the door and then perform a Healing in your Administrative Console.

[TVC15]

Thanks for the feedback, Asbril!

[lilyoyo1]

To add to what Asbril said, I would actually get additional repeaters (with beaming capabilities regardless of whether or not the isy can communicate directly. This allows the locks messages to be offloaded to the repeaters vs the isy constantly having to do the communicating to it.

This will help you because of the isy is busy you're not waiting for commands to be processed. Most likely you'll need repeaters anyway which will save you the headache of teléfono something that's intermittent or simply doesn't work

[asbril]

2 hours ago, lilyoyo1 said:

repeaters (with beaming capabilities regardless of whether or not the isy can communicate directly

What does this mean ? What are beaming capabilities  and why do you believe that repeaters are better than a plug-in device that repeats as well ?

[lilyoyo1]

3 hours ago, asbril said:

What does this mean ? What are beaming capabilities  and why do you believe that repeaters are better than a plug-in device that repeats as well ?

When I say repeaters I'm speaking of any device that can repeat. I lump them all together (I guess I should be more clear). I prefer dual use devices as well. It's the beaming capabilities that matter most.

A beaming device will continue to repeat messages to your lock until it's fully awake to receive the message. If it's the hub doing the controlling, it could be busy with other tasks slowing down the system. In a sense, you're off loading the work to another device vs having the hub do all the heavy lifting. 

 

[asbril]

4 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

A beaming device will continue to repeat messages to your lock until it's fully awake to receive the message

Thanks lilyoyo1  (is there a lilyoyo2 ???? ?).  As I never heard of a Zwave "beaming" device, can you give me an example device ?

[lilyoyo1]

2 hours ago, asbril said:

Thanks lilyoyo1  (is there a lilyoyo2 ???? ?).  As I never heard of a Zwave "beaming" device, can you give me an example device ?

There can be only 1 Lol.

Beaming is less a device than a zwave feature. When I built my house part of the reason I bought Cooper outlets was because they supported beaming whereas the ge ones did not (they do now with their zwave plus version). There was other reasons in regards to build quality too but beaming was what I looked at first. 

More and more devices have this feature but still not all do which is why I put the disclaimer. Since your whole house is zwave most likely the devices you've chosen support beaming which is required for locks to work properly. 

[asbril]

16 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

There can be only 1 Lol.

Beaming is less a device than a zwave feature. When I built my house part of the reason I bought Cooper outlets was because they supported beaming whereas the ge ones did not (they do now with their zwave plus version). There was other reasons in regards to build quality too but beaming was what I looked at first. 

More and more devices have this feature but still not all do which is why I put the disclaimer. Since you're whole house is zwave most likely the devices you've chosen support beaming which is required for locks to work properly. 

Ok thanks.  Good to know