Has Anyone Remote Mounted the ZMatter Antenna Assembly and PLM using USB-Ethernet Converters?

[mbking]

I'm upgrading my equipment room and have installed a UPS system for all the equipment.  I'd like to move my Polisy (and eventually the eisy replacement) into the equipment room to take advantage of the UPS backup, but want to keep the PLM and ZMatter antennas where they are.  I already have two ethernet connections in the area where the PLM and antennas will be and these run back to the equipment room.  Has anyone used USB to Ethernet converters to remote a PLM or Zmatter module?  If so, any recommendations on a recommended brand?

My Zmatter board is mounted internal to Polisy right now, so I can't just give it a test.

Edited May 2, 2023 by mbking

[Michel Kohanim]

@mbking,

For the PLM, you can use the connector/pinout in this link and use the Ethernet cable in between (but don't make it longer than 50 feet). For the antennas, if you have the internal ZMatter dongle, then you need coaxial cables (not Ethernet). I have not seen USB to Coaxial. 

With kind regards,
Michel

[mbking]

6 hours ago, Michel Kohanim said:

@mbking,

For the PLM, you can use the connector/pinout in this link and use the Ethernet cable in between (but don't make it longer than 50 feet). For the antennas, if you have the internal ZMatter dongle, then you need coaxial cables (not Ethernet). I have not seen USB to Coaxial. 

With kind regards,
Michel

Thanks, @Michel Kohanim.

I'm afraid I left out a few of the details. If I do this, I'm waiting until I move to eisy.  I have a USB PLM, so I'd be connecting that to eisy as well as the USB Zmatter board.  With eisy mounted in my equipment room, I was planning to use something like the OREI USB-EX165-K USB over Ethernet to connect the remote mounted PLM and USB ZMatter board to eisy over an existing ethernet cable.  The OREI comes with 2 modules that are connected via Cat 5 or Cat 6 cable.  One module connects to the host(eisy) via USB and the other device module has 2 USB ports that I can connect to the PLM and ZMatter assembly.  The device module has a power supply that can power the devices.  This system is not supposed to require any drivers and is compatible with all OS's (yet to be seen if that's true).  Before I move to eisy, I could try this out with my existing Polisy system to see if the USB PLM will work.  

My current Polisy location is above the kitchen cabinets which is great for RF coverage, but if I have to power cycle Polisy, I have to grab a ladder to get on top of the counter to reach it.  The older I get, the less popular that sounds :).  That's why I'm looking at this to see if it's possible.  It's not a big deal if it doesn't work.  I can run a cable with a switch through the cabinets to power cycle Polisy or eisy if need be.

[mbking]

Update on this Project

To recap, I want to eventually mount eisy in my cabinet room where an existing UPS can provide uninterrupted power and it will be easier to power cycle when necessary.  I want to keep the PLM and ZMatter antennas in their current location because they are on top of the kitchen cabinets with a good RF connection there.  I have ethernet between the 2 locations.

So, I purchased the following USB Over Ethernet equipment:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRPQQ77T?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

One of the USB ports on eisy plugs into the transmitter, the transmitter connects to the receiver via ethernet cable, and the ZMatter dongle and the PLM plug into the receiver via their USB cables. I chose this unit because unlike other brands, the transmitter, which will be located with eisy, provides power to the system including devices attached to the receiver.  Since the transmitter will be on UPS power, I'll be able to maintain power to ZMatter during a power outage.  Only the PLM will need to restart after power is restored.  Since eisy will continue to run with power off, I'll need to write some recovery programs to insure all equipment is in-sync with easy's current state.  I plan to use ELK's AC status attribute to determine when AC is lost and restored.

This is in a test setup right now with all equipment above the kitchen cabinets since I need to finish installation of my Unifi system before the needed ethernet connection is available, but I plan to run it like this to watch for any unusual behavior and test some power lost scenarios.

So far so good.

[Dr. Q]

I have the same scenario and I am watching this thread. Keep us posted on how it goes.

[mapeter]

Hi @mbking - How is the USB over Cat 5/6 extender working for you?  I have a similar situation and thinking about using extenders as well.

[elvisimprsntr]

So to extend both the USB PLM and USB ZMatter dongle, you add a pair of OREI USB-EX165-K devices, one of which needs to be plugged into an AC outlet, requiring an additional UPS.  Seems like it adds complexity and multiple points of failure.  

Maybe the first step is to "fix" the reason you have to power cycle the Polisy rather than adding a Rube Goldberg (Heath Robinson, for those in the UK) contraption.    For example, my ISY994 is powered off a serial PLM.  If there is a power interruption, the ISY994 automagically reboots itself, eliminating the need to manually reboot if it were on a UPS and locks up when it looses comm with the PLM.

 

 

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by elvisimprsntr

[mbking]

14 hours ago, mapeter said:

Hi @mbking - How is the USB over Cat 5/6 extender working for you?  I have a similar situation and thinking about using extenders as well.

@mapeter, so far so good.  i haven't experienced any issues with the extenders.

[mapeter]

22 hours ago, mbking said:

@mapeter, so far so good.  i haven't experienced any issues with the extenders.

Great to hear.  Appreciate the response.

[junkycosmos]

curious here too as I am in same boat for cabinet vs where my PLM is located .. great idea on the USB extenders

[Dr. Q]

@mbking, the link you provided above takes me to a HDMI extender. I did some digging and found what I think is appropriate. I don’t know how to post Amazon links, but it’s a AV Access USB Extender w/Power Over Cable (There’s an 8% off coupon for it now). I ordered one and I’ll report back on it.

But I can’t get eisy to see the Z-matter dongle unless it’s plugged directly into the eisy. I was using a 6 foot USB extension cord, so it may have to do with voltage drop. In which case the Power Over Cable feature might overcome that. I’ll have to try it and see.

‘Stay tuned…

 

[mbking]

3 hours ago, Dr. Q said:

@mbking, the link you provided above takes me to a HDMI extender. I did some digging and found what I think is appropriate. I don’t know how to post Amazon links, but it’s a AV Access USB Extender w/Power Over Cable (There’s an 8% off coupon for it now). I ordered one and I’ll report back on it.

But I can’t get eisy to see the Z-matter dongle unless it’s plugged directly into the eisy. I was using a 6 foot USB extension cord, so it may have to do with voltage drop. In which case the Power Over Cable feature might overcome that. I’ll have to try it and see.

‘Stay tuned…

 

@Dr. Q,

Apologies on the link.  I believe you got the same one.  The corrected link is:

https://www.amazon.com/AV-Access-Extender-Extension-Operating/dp/B0C5R4DVRF/ref=sr_1_4?crid=285K6WROJD9WO&keywords=av%2Baccess%2Busb%2Bextender%2Bover%2Bcat5e%2F6%2F6a%2F7%2B196ft%2F60m&qid=1691285946&sprefix=%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-4&th=1

The reason I like this particular one is because the power supply plugs into the transmitter and then supplies power over the ethernet cable to the receiver with the antenna and PLM USB connections.  Since that transmitter will be located in the equipment room with eisy, it will remain powered along with eisy.

Again, looks like you got the same one.  I verified this link and it takes me to the one I bought.

Let me know how it goes.