Serious n00b who just bought a house full of smart devices in need of guidance

Welcome! :sunglasses:

Let’s start with some basics. Z wave and zigbee Devices each store the network ID of the network they are connected to in the device itself. This is so if you have to take them off power for a while, maybe just to change the batteries, when you put them back on power they still know what network they belong to.

You have to clear that information in order to connect them to a new network. And when you factory reset a hub, you’re starting all over again with a new network so yes, you have to individually get each device to clear the old network information out before it will join your new network.

With Zigbee Devices, you can usually do that just with the end device itself, there’s essentially a factory reset option.

But with Z wave devices you have to have a hub issue an “exclude“ command and then you have to manually do something to the end device so that it will accept that command, and then it will clear out its stored information. And after that it will be ready to add to your new network.

Fortunately, you could have any zwave hub issue the exclude command, it doesn’t have to be the one from the old network.

So for each of your Z wave devices you will first issue the “general exclude” command from your hub, do some kind of physical button press on the device (the user manual for that device will tell you what to do). Then once that’s done, you can then do an include.

Note that you will not see any message about the exclude succeeding because these two devices have never been on the same network. The hub and the end device are not talking to each other yet. that’s OK. Often the manufacturer will have designed the end device so that it blinks or the LED changes color or something like that when the exclude is accepted, but not always. Usually it’s going to work.

Creating a new network

now you’re ready to set up a new network. Both Zigbee and Z wave are mesh networks, which means messages get passed along from one device to another, like a relay or a pony express route. And usually only Mains power devices (plug-in or wired to your electrical system) Will pass messages along. Battery powered devices typically don’t because it would use up too much battery.

So, you want to begin by building your “network backbone“ – – the mains power devices for one protocol. (Z wave repeats only for Z wave and zigbee repeats only for zigbee.)

So you start with the mains powered devices physically closest to the hub. Exclude, include, check to make sure the device is working. Then move onto the next one. Building your way out from the hub.

Once you have all the mains power devices working, then you can start adding battery powered devices.

Read the following FAQ. Start with post 11 in that topic (this link will take you directly to that post), read that, then go up to the top of the thread and read the whole thing.

A Guide to Wireless Range & Repeaters

Once you’re done with that, you should know a lot more about your new system and be ready to set up the network.

Then if you run into any problems with individual devices, you can come back here and ask. :sunglasses:

(I forgot to mention that the Nutone is just a re-brand of linear devices. They are also sold under the gocontrol and nexia brand. All the same device, just in a different box. They will even have the same model number. So you can try searching under those, or you can just add it as a generic device if it’s just a simple on/off or dimmer.)

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