Having a unique issue I think

[robandcathy1]

I moved from insteon which I may move back, I bought z-wave leak sensors before I knew there range limitations, picked up a z-wave switch wired it up stairs and connected, to sensors, could not connect had it replaced with same issue, my house is 900 sq about 25 feet to isy replaced it and wired in a honeywell switch, isy almost instantly recognized it and it would talk to the leak sensors, tried to add a second switch to improve the rf no chance the second switch which is 10 feet away will not add, tried a different brand, no luck. the honeywell which is closest seems to cut in and out non stop. I get interference, but nothing I have should interfere with signal, the honeywell populated just fine. Faster then any other device.   Either something is wrong with network or with isy but isy has been stable for years, Just amazing how the signal cuts in and out being 10 feet away from isy not their claimed 150 ft which is further then my whole house. I like z-wave but thinking of scraping it due to difficulty

[Michel Kohanim]

@robandcathy1,

It's very important to a) have a good mesh with non battery operated devices and then follow these steps:

- Make sure all Z-Wave devices have been added and placed in their desired physical location

- Do right+click Z-Wave | Update Neighbors on all non-battery devices (i.e. devices that never go to sleep)

- Do right+click Z-Wave | Update Neighbors on any devices that are still having trouble communicating with the ISY

With kind regards,
Michel

[robandcathy1]

actually my issues is not with battery operated devices any more rather adding new zwave devices, I successful linked a switch (honeywell) linked leak sensors to it, now the switch it 15ft from isy. worked well decided to add a second switch about 10 ft above it to cover upstairs mind you it a small house 25x50 ft Iv tried 3 different brands of z-wave plus including another honeywell none populate the upstairs switch is about 30ft from the isy and 10 feet from the first switch which is 10 ft from isy. The firist switch goes in and out being online then no comm. Either way second switch should add since its so close to isy. I dont have a escape room or anything, just drywall and 2x4s whwn I had this issue with insteon it was allways interference, which never ended up being the case. The odd thing is that the switch close enough to isy within 10 feet line of sight keeps dropping out.

[Michel Kohanim]

@robandcathy1,

Apologies. I was not clear. The steps above are for all devices.

With kind regards,
Michel

[robandcathy1]

so none of these suggestions worked, what did and I dont know at which point... but I reset the dongle, restarted isy,  cleared java cache, installed a new switch and was after sometime able to add it, factory reset second switch and again after about 10min of playing around was able to add it. So now both switches work fine ...  SO FAR. Did not do any programing yet ..Oh I also updated to latest beta not sure if that changed anything. Will keep adding switches on a daily basis as long as they stay online to create a better mesh. Then Ill add my leak sensors Hopefully all well, I think above solution by the GOD himself will work if you already have a decent working system not if your starting out. Alls well that ends well. A word of advice which im sure is in a wiki your first add should be closest to isy, then move slowly outwards and other forums say wait 4hours in between adding so network stables. Not sure if this is true lastly add battery powered devices. Micheal correct me if im wrong

[lilyoyo1]

11 hours ago, robandcathy1 said:

so none of these suggestions worked, what did and I dont know at which point... but I reset the dongle, restarted isy,  cleared java cache, installed a new switch and was after sometime able to add it, factory reset second switch and again after about 10min of playing around was able to add it. So now both switches work fine ...  SO FAR. Did not do any programing yet ..Oh I also updated to latest beta not sure if that changed anything. Will keep adding switches on a daily basis as long as they stay online to create a better mesh. Then Ill add my leak sensors Hopefully all well, I think above solution by the GOD himself will work if you already have a decent working system not if your starting out. Alls well that ends well. A word of advice which im sure is in a wiki your first add should be closest to isy, then move slowly outwards and other forums say wait 4hours in between adding so network stables. Not sure if this is true lastly add battery powered devices. Micheal correct me if im wrong

It's documented all over the forums on how to add zwave devices. Bring devices close to the isy, remove device, add device. That's the quick rundown. Michel's advice is the same steps and that applies whether it's an existing install or brand new. 

Personally (as do many others), I use a pigtail to add my devices prior to installing in their final location (This goes for all protocols not just zwave). With zwave now, I'd run an update neighbors after each device as it's easier to do as you're adding than all at one time. 

Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Waiting 4 hours between adding devices is not a requirement. No one would use zwave if that was the case since it would take days or weeks for a simple installation.

Insteon, zigbee, and zwave requires a strong mesh network in order to work properly. Insteon is more forgiving than zwave but depending on set-up, you could potentially run into the same issues with that as well if you don't build it out enough. 

 

[robandcathy1]

Finishing steps udi did figure this out however I was told this is not in any wiki, because I factory reset my devices one would assume your clear and good to go to add. Wrong my whole issue was that something was preventing them from being added you have to exclude device first, which paid support did then add, it worked right away on 4 devices that I could not previously add. So note to people who cannot add devices delete them first even if they are new or factory reset. My network and distance was fine the whole time and I performed all the correct steps EXCEPT removing before adding. all's well that ends well. zwave works now just need to figure out kinks and parameters

[asbril]

25 minutes ago, robandcathy1 said:

delete them first even if they are new or factory reset.

This is well known among Zwave users.  The first thing I think of when I can not add a new Zwave device, is to remove it.

[lilyoyo1]

1 hour ago, robandcathy1 said:

Finishing steps udi did figure this out however I was told this is not in any wiki, because I factory reset my devices one would assume your clear and good to go to add. Wrong my whole issue was that something was preventing them from being added you have to exclude device first, which paid support did then add, it worked right away on 4 devices that I could not previously add. So note to people who cannot add devices delete them first even if they are new or factory reset. My network and distance was fine the whole time and I performed all the correct steps EXCEPT removing before adding. all's well that ends well. zwave works now just need to figure out kinks and parameters

same advice given previously (post directly above yours) which was ignored.

Edited April 25, 2021 by lilyoyo1

[robandcathy1]

@lilyoyo1 I apologize missing the delete 1st in your post, was probably tired that day and just skimmed reply's or more frustrated. Thinking it should be plug n play and I should have known better after 10 years. Thanks for being a great host to forums.

@asbril sorry to disappoint but this is my first run with z-wave all my devices are instenon until recently I found some z-wave devices that cater better to my home automation, it was learning curve still have issues but ill play with those on my time, Thanks for all the help.

[asbril]

2 hours ago, robandcathy1 said:

@asbril sorry to disappoint

@robandcathy1 Sorry if I came over that way, because that was not at all my intention. This forum has been enormously helpful to me as I am far less techie as most here. With all the help that I have received here and continue to receive, I can only reciprocate and help anyone within my limited knowledge. I have learned a lot in the past almost 7 years being exclusively Zwave with more than 80 devices. If I can be helpful with anything, then please don't hesitate to ask.

Edited April 26, 2021 by asbril