FAQ: why would I need another beaming repeater if my zwave lock is already close to my hub?

There are subtitle differences between each device and consequently how they will behave on the mesh.

The 11995 is a zwave device and conforms to the Routing Slave specifications and is based on the 4.54 development kit which supports Beaming. (Random Note: Beaming (FliRS) was supported starting 5.02 kit with the Series 200/300 chipset however the 4.5x kit was released after 5.x so it does support Beaming, however older kits such as 4.3 dont support Beaming).

The 15654 is a Zwave plus device conforming to an Enhanced 232 Slave (which is like a routing slave but can support a routing table of upto 231 devices vs 4 devices for a routing slave). It is based on the 6.51.07 kit and it supports Beaming.

The 27481 is a Zwave plus device conforming to an Enhnaced 232 Slave. It is based on the 6.51.08 kit and supports Beaming.

Having said that each implementation differs slightly based on how the developer implements it. So if Monoprice is saying that the 15654 doesn’t support Locks there may be something to it even through the device is certified as a Beaming repeater. We have also seen that the 15654 doesn’t work great with locks here in our labs. (Random Note: FliRS or beaming devices like Locks partially wake up between 4 times to once every second. The frequency depends on the lock developer. The beaming device needs to be able to match that frequency and hold / buffer messages until the lock is ready to receive them. ZigBee on the other hand doesnt have a FLIRS mode but a rather more complex timing mechanism it which makes it more expensive for Locks. Locks based on the latest 500 series zwave plus chipset if designed properly can last upto one year on a set of batteries)

The IRIS 3210-L plugs is an Enhanced 232 Routine Slave based on the 6.51.06 kit and supports beaming. However it is NOT suited to working with locks. The implementation of the zwave repeater functionality on this lock is very poor and does not work well even as a normal repeater. You can search the forum for the many issues reported by people. We weren’t able to get this device to work reliably in our labs. It is a good ZigBee repeater by the Zwave repeater functionality is impaired for some reason.

RECOMMENDATION: The Monoprice 11995 and 27481 seem to do well with Locks. We recommend the 11995/27481 if you have older ZWave Locks and the 27481 if you have newer zwave plus locks.

Hope this helps.

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Not to hijack this thread but one quick question:

Since in my particular instances, I am dealing with outdoor repeaters between the two buildings, would something like the GE/Jasco Z-Wave Plus Outdoor Outlet or the Inovelli work with locks?

And people wonder why some folks pay big $$$ for Control 4 :slight_smile: Let someone else sort out this mess.

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@RBoy Can we tell by looking at anything in Smartthings if a repeater is doing the repeating for a lock?

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might just need to turn hub 45 degrease especial if hub and device on on the same wall

Was going to respond to your PM but through about sharing this for the community’s benefit. Having to change the direction / height / location of the hub to get it to work is a classic sign of mesh trouble. These devices are supposed to have omni directional antennas but most aren’t effective, because of which you have dead spots and all kinds of signal reflection/isolation issues.
Another likely issue is if there are any wires running close by through could be causing interference issues with the hub.

It’s best to keep the hub away from corners and other wires/devices. Especially WiFi Routers and laptops with USB 3.0 ports.

The optimal solution is to blanket cover the area with repeaters to form a strong and even mesh.

Dose a repair get the optimum path from a strength or signal quality?

Strength is one aspect of signal quality. It’s a fairly complex algorithm that takes many factors into account.

I can certainly verify that there are indeed several factors that cause mesh issues. I’ve been having a problem with my Kwikset 912 periodically dropping off the network for a while now. It’s only 17 feet from the hub (I just measured it) and there are (5) Z Wave switches (all repeaters) between the hub and lock. There are many more Z-Wave switch/repeaters throughout the house. Nevertheless, the lock was dropping. Nothing else in the house. Just the lock.

About 2-3 months or so ago, I decided to replace the Z-Wave module in the lock. This reduced the lock dropping off the mesh, but it didn’t end it.

About a three weeks ago, I decided to move my hub 16" further away from my upstairs wireless access point. Previously, it was about 5" from the access point. Again, this helped but didn’t completely solve the issue, reducing the drops to once every 2-3 days or less.

About 10-14 days ago, I added a Z-Wave Plus fan controller on the opposite side of the house and ran a Z-Wave repair like always. The lock hasn’t dropped since then. So, Z-Wave mesh is certainly touchy - at least where locks are concerned.

It certainly would be beneficial to have some Z-Wave mapping tools!

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I am having a horrific time trying to keep my August pro connected to my ST hub. It is paired but only works if I very recently opened the August app and controlled it through there. But 10-15 min later and the ST hub won’t control it at all. This problem started about 2 weeks ago. Prior to that, never had an issue.

I’ve followed the suggestions on this thread - bought and installed a beaming repeater next to the lock, repaired the zwave network, rebooted the hub, rebooted my Google wifi mesh network, even removed and reinstalled the August lock. Nothing seems to work. Any suggestions?

Since March they have made multiple unannounced changes to the Z wave platform in the cloud, and there have been many reports of strange Z wave problems. If you look in the announcements section of this forum for recent announcements you can see multiple reports there of zwave devices that had been working just fine and now are flaky, Particularly in the hub firmware update threads.

At this point, I think you may just have to contact SmartThings support and let them look at it from their side. It’s typically best to call in rather than use email. And you may have to get the problem escalated twice before you get to someone who really understands it.

Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you. :disappointed_relieved:

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hi is there any uk type repeaters ?

Almost all Zwave mains powered devices act as zwave repeaters, so for the U.K., you just get Devices on the U.K. zwave frequency. These are typically inwall micros like Aeotec or Fibaro or plug in pocket sockets.

If a device supports beaming, it will be noted on the official “conformance statement” on the Zwave Alliance site.

https://products.z-wavealliance.org/regions/1/categories

For example, here is the one for the Aeotec pocketsocket

And here is the Fibaro dimmer micro

So you will have lots of choices. :sunglasses:

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@JDRoberts I talked to Aeotec at CEDIA this year and asked them why they still make a repeater. They said their repeater is actually an amplifier and repeats further than other mains powered devices. Thoughts on that?

They can only amplify up to the maximum transmission power allowed by local laws. And most, although not all, zwave plus devices already do that.

They make it because it sells. :wink:

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Kinda what I figured…

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Each of my two Schlage locks have several z-wave light switches (not z-wave plus) near them that are clustered within inches of each other or sharing the same gang box. I Recently replaced one of the switches near my front door lock with a z-wave plus switch (GE/Jasco brand) and I assume this will beam, etc. I’ve done many a z-wave repairs since but I still get missed events with this lock. Is it possible the lock communication is routing through one or more of the non-plus switches that are just as close to the lock and practically in the same location as the plus switch? If so, is there any way to ‘force’ the routing through the plus switch?

It’s possible but the only way to tell is to add a secondary controller stick which can read the routing tables. The tables are updated automatically. The best way to figure it out would be to start removing devices and do a Z-Wave repair to update the tables and see which one was causing the issue. It also helps to reboot the hub and internet router sometimes.

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Sorry to reply to this old thread, but it’s relevant I guess so I’d rather not clutter the forum with another similar post.

When I first installed it I read this thread, and even looked up my GE switch that was next to it to see if it supports beaming.

Fast forward two months and I’m suffering from bad battery life so I look again at my devices.

The switch is a GE 12722 (Non-Plus, but does support beaming). Would I be better served to replace it with a Zwave Plus 14291?

I think that’s going to be the case, but want to verify before throwing more money down the hole. :slight_smile:

You’ll get better range from a Z wave plus device, so it’s almost always a good idea to upgrade if you can afford it. :sunglasses:

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