ST Multiple buildings on one property setup?

Wiki Projects & Stories
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I just purchased a ST hub and will be integrating it with Echo, smart power plugs & switches for the most part. I’m deploying it in a single family home and have 6 acres. About 200 feet from the house, I have a metal building shop that is on a different power supply from the electrical company, and it’s connected via cat5 ethernet for internet access in the shop.

The questions I have are…

Are z-wave switches 200 feet away with the wireless going through masonry and a metal building wall going to communicate? It seems unlikely as wifi will not reach the shop (hence the hardwired cat5)

Assuming they won’t connect that far with those materials, is there an easy way to repeat the z-wave out to the shop via ethernet?

I understand I can’t add a second hub unless I make a new second location, which I’d prefer to avoid if I can manage it all in one place the other way.

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I’ve moved this to projects so you can get answers specific to your own setup.

The short answer is that no, Z wave won’t go that far and no, you can’t send it over ethernet.

That said, many people have faced similar challenges, and there are a lot of alternatives. There’s a how to article in the community – created wiki on how to automate an outbuilding that should give you some ideas. :sunglasses:

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

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I would think there would also be the option of using outdoor Z-Wave products, bulbs or plug in outlets to repeat the signal without the masonry/metal wall interference. @JDRoberts link is far more detailed about that option and describes hop limitations. In any case, I would agree that wifi would most likely be more reliable.

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