Does the hub have to be on show for signal etc?

Just bought the ST starter kit in UK. Haven’t set up yet (can’t until W/end), but can the hub once wired to my router be hidden out of the way as such? Does it need to be on “show” for a signal or anything?

Reason being is the table is getting cluttered with devices, I have my Sky router, Apple Extreme etc and another device won’t go down well with the wife!

if I can hide it, I can push it out of the way as such so not on show
thanks

I have mine (along with some other bits) in a cupboard with a door on my garage wall and so far it still works fine. It needs tidying though and wires clipping up :slight_smile:

Agreed. It should be fine as long as you don’t put it in a metal box.

or a laquer finished cabinet, right @JDRoberts? :wink:

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Do you shut the door on that cupboard as well? So the hub isn’t a broadcast device as such?

I’m going to hide the Sky router completely as well, looks like a good idea to also do the ST hub to then, then all I need on show is the Apple Extreme for the WiFI signal.

No heat issues etc then?
thanks

Yep I close the cupboard. The hub communicates wirelessly for z-wave and zigbee devices but these usually repeat signals to devices of the same type of protocol so range isn’t necessarily an issue.

The hub gives out no discernible heat so that’s not an issue.

I can’t promise you won’t have issues hiding your router away though. I tried it and it made my wifi pretty rubbish.

Edit: just saw the bit about Apple Extreme

Ah so it does use a type of WiFi then? But if you have another ST thing it uses that as a repeater? Do all ST devices have Z protocol built in? Even the sensors? News to all this sorry!

These wiki articles should help.

Supported Network Protocols:

http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Supported_Network_Protocols

Repeaters:

http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Repeaters

And to go back to your original question, I would read the FAQ on wireless range:

Note that anything that blocks signal does reduce signal strength somewhat, and therefore the range of the hub to the first repeater.

A plain wooden cabinet closed, will probably only cut strength by about 10%, so typically 4 or 5 feet less than being fully exposed. You probably wouldn’t even notice that.

If you put it inside a metal cabinet, however, or behind concrete, for inside a heavily lacquered cabinet with metallic paint, then the signal may have a hard time getting out.

But again, the FAQs should answer most questions. :sunglasses: