Yes, those are Z-Wave node IDs in hex notation, e.g. ‘1A’ is 26 decimal.
No, the device cannot be attached to two Z-Wave networks. However, Z-Wave provides for multiple controllers on the same network. In this scenario the hub is the primary controller and the remote is the secondary. The only difference between the primary and the secondary is that only primary can include and exclude devices. Other than that, any controller can control any device as long as it knows its node ID. The device does not care who sends a command to it.
Also, you may already know this, but for clarity just to make sure people understand what they’re getting with this type of device…
When you use the minimote or the SmartenIT three toggle switch or the Securifi key fob any other device that can act as a “button controller” to SmartThings, the command is sent to the end device by the hub, so there’s no issue of matching protocols. That means you can do the following:
turn a group of devices on or off, whether they are Z wave or Zigbee or Lifx or a mix of anything else that works with Smartthings.
Control devices that are several hops away, for example on a different floor.
change the mode or disarm/arm smart home monitor
initiate one of your routines
toggle a fan from low to high
So basically pretty much anything you can do in SmartThings you can assign to a button on the “button controller” devices like the Minimote. In addition, because the command comes from the hub itself, the hub status is always up-to-date. This also makes it possible to use “follower” smart apps like “dim with me” or the big switch.
A secondary Z wave controller like the handheld GE remotes works in an entirely different way. These devices send a Z wave command directly to a set of zwave devices that are within one hop of them. you can control the devices as a group, but they all have to be zwave, they all have to be relatively close to the remote, and you can’t change modes, arm/disarm/ smart home monitor, or initiate a routine.
In addition, because the commands go directly between the remote and the end device, the hub doesn’t know about them which causes the status to get slightly out of sync and prevent the use of follower apps.
There are still people who find them useful, especially given the price and the fact that it’s a very familiar form factor. It’s just important to understand what you’re getting when you go with one of these. And how they differ from the Minimote.
So the GE 45600 is a secondary controller only to the SmartThings Zwave network, not to the SmartThings installation as a whole.
My conclusion and advice for other users is : DON’T BUY IT !!!
I still havn’t been able to use it.
If the remote only control Z-Wave devices directly, I don’t see the point of “registering” it to the hub too…
So, that’s all I want it to do… run a few lights or devices, for under $10… I love one on my desk just to turn printer on or adjust a few local lights.
The issue is not the 32 device problem, that was with the old wall mounted unit that GE made a bad descision on to save space inside the electrical box.
The 45600s worked great for everyone right up to the point they migrated to v2, thus it could only be a new devicetype, v2 firmware or ST just blocking these old secondary controlers. I pulled my v1 back out and it set back up fine, so?