4 hours ago, Brian H said:

If you linked the two switches with the Set Button and then added them to the ISY994i. You may have issues. As the ISY994i should always do all the linking. So it has the correct link information in it. Other wise it may cause broken and half links but I believe it maybe possible. I never tried and always used my ISY994i to do everything.

Links done by your 2412N may also not be properly in your ISY994i/2413S PLM setup.

The UDI WIKI has much good information in in. The ISY Cookbook is a big help along with the other helpful information and experienced users here.

https://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

 

Now that's almost (I said almost...) worrying   So you're saying that the instructions that come with every Insteon device about linking should be ignored, and that the ISY994i becomes the alternate way of creating links. I'll have to read up on that, including the cookbook. I thought the ISY was adding itself to the links, as a controller and/or responder for different devices. It's when I see comments like "You may have issues" that makes me wonder how well linking is understood, and makes me want to learn the specifics. I appreciate the feedback guys!

In other experimentation I've been doing (hah, now I'll get spanked) I also got a factory reset 2245-222 Insteon hub responding to http commands. It's not even registered to an Insteon account. Strictly local control stuff. Like the 2412N, I manually link it to a device, and I can then turn it on and off with http commands. Also, even though officially it no longer supports X10, the embedded PLM still does. Good to know.

Remember, I'm doing all this on a test setup to learn. I don't have a single Insteon device installed in my home, other than that 2414N presently doing Alexa duty. This way, I can factory reset devices and start over easily, such as for examining how linking tables change at each experiment step. 

2 hours ago, lilyoyo1 said:

You need to decide on 1 controller and 1 method for that controller otherwise you will continue to face the issues you are having.

Well I'm not having issues. I'm just figuring out something that's new to me, and the possibilities are looking pretty good so far! I'm able to do what I want it to, once I understand it. Yes, the suggestions are more than welcome, and I think that once I have the ISY994i's link maintenance figured out, I'll be quite happy with it.

If you are using an ISY994i.

The manual linking information was to be ignored.

I don't have a HUB but I believe it is also recommended to ignore the manual linking information also.

Modules and the controller both need links to each other to function.  Some times one controller could possibly overwrite unknown links.

Some modules no longer support X10 officially but may still accept an X10 address. I have mostly older modules and have both ISY99i control and my HR12A Palm Pad controls them also. Though the ISY994i doesn't see the changes.

I have the optional A10/X10, Network and PRO firmware firmware add on's. Latest 5.3.4 firmware available for an ISY994i.

At one time until dissolved Insteon Developers Group and the developers notes all ended up as released to the public.

Edited August 12, 20241 yr by Brian H
Add stuff.

Wrapping up my Insteon link learning for the day, I checked out the links table for my test device and it looks consistent enough. The first link I see is the manual one I made with the 2412N, then the reciprocal links to and from the PLM connected to the ISY994i, followed by the manual link to a second switch (to create a 3 way circuit), then the manual link to the 2245-222 hub, and finally to a mini controller. As per the wiki, the ISY994i responder link is A2 and controller link (some are F2, others E2). The other 4 links, all done manually, appear as AA. So it appears that all manual links to devices other than the PLM are treated as the same, which would be good news.

Now when you say that instead of manually linking two switches together to make a virtual 3 way circuit, that I should use the ISY994i, are you saying that there is a way to create actual links between devices (I haven't found where), or that I should be doing that as scenes? Thanks.

10 hours ago, Guy Lavoie said:

So you're saying that the instructions that come with every Insteon device about linking should be ignored, and that the ISY994i becomes the alternate way of creating links.

Yes

 

5 hours ago, Guy Lavoie said:

Now when you say that instead of manually linking two switches together to make a virtual 3 way circuit, that I should use the ISY994i, are you saying that there is a way to create actual links between devices (I haven't found where), or that I should be doing that as scenes?

Yes, as a scene.  One thing that is often not apparent is that devices added to a scene as controllers are, by default, also responders.  Add your two switches to the ISY, then create a scene in which both switches are controllers: instant three-way.

If they are dimmers. You can also set the On level and ramp rate of each switch when in that scene.

I have my morning On scene also sounding an Insteon 2868-222 Siren Module for 6 seconds using the Siren tone not the Beep or Chime tone. Default is 30 seconds. I could also have that module in a different scene using a different set of settings. Set in the particular scene not the modules list which also has a setting choices.

Edited August 13, 20241 yr by Brian H
Make clearer

Thanks for the responses guys. Well, scenes are next on my learning list anyways so I'll certainly check that out. 

 

54 minutes ago, Guy Lavoie said:

Well, scenes are next on my learning list anyways so I'll certainly check that out. 

ISY Scenes are an integral part of the linking process.  Now is the time to play around with scenes, otherwise you are severely handicapping yourself.  Play around with controllers, responders, response (brightness, ramp rate, etc...) levels to different controllers within a scene.  You will get it quickly.

After I create a scene. I can then control that scene in a program. Where it can be set to do things like turn on or off at preset time, dusk or dawn with even a choice like dusk +- a preset offset, days to run it.

In your three way example. The scene will create the needed links and levels. So your using the switches paddles will control each other. Putting the scene in a program is not needed for it to work. Only if you wanted the scene to also be activated at a time or maybe a signal from a motion sensor.

Edited August 13, 20241 yr by Brian H
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