Creating a device: what to fill in for Device Network ID

Devices & Integrations
1

So I found a DTH for my FortrezZ water/temp ZWave sensor. Figured out how to create a DTH and Publish it. But I’m confused about using the other website (is it called API?) when I go to Create the device. There’s a Device Network ID field that is mandatory. What do i fill in there? I assume I’m not supposed to use my iOS ST app to first add the same device, right? So if it hasn’t been added yet, where would one get the DNID info? Or is it just an arbitrary number/string that I make up? I did assign a value of 6, and it did get created. But how do I “Include”/pair this ZWave sensor with ST app?

As you can tell, this newbie is thoroughly confused :slight_smile:

TIA,
Mike

2

Since it’s a Z wave device you have to add it through a hub search or it won’t be able to communicate to the hub. Which I believe at this point means using the app to search for it. That will assign the network IDs. Otherwise you’ve just created a virtual device and it won’t send any actual messages back-and-forth.

You can use the app to add it as a generic Z wave device and then change the DTH later, that’s fine. But to add it to the network and get a network ID assigned that the hub will recognize, you have to go through the regular app process.

(Also just so you know in the future, if you do create any virtual devices, you never want to use an ID that the actual hub will use itself or things will get really messed up. I usually just put the letter V in front of my virtual devices, as that is not a format that will be used by the Hub.)

3

Thanks for the info JD! Can I ask - how does one assign a custom DTH they’ve added thru the website, using the app? Maybe it will show under some sort of “Custom Devices” section when going thru the Add Device process on the app?

4

The following community FAQ will give you the basic Terminology, concepts, and steps in the web interface. :sunglasses:

[OBSOLETE] FAQ: An Overview of Using Custom Code in SmartThings (SmartThings Classic, Groovy Code)

If the custom DTH has the right model identifier, when you go to add it the device will probably pick it up. If it doesn’t, you have to manually change it via the web interface using the process described in the FAQ after you’ve added the device to the network.

5

Thanks again JD! I deleted the virtual device, then added it normally using iPhone app. It did automatically use the custom DTH that I had created yesterday (code was from Philh30).

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