Hi, I’m probably one of many longtime Wink users who are making the switch to SmartThings. I got my V3 hub Saturday and immediately started switching over some of my smart devices, but I’ve already run into an issue. The two devices I tried switching over were GE Z-Wave switches, one dimming and one non-dimming.
I deleted both switches from my Wink Hub and then tried connecting them to my ST Hub. Here’s the problem—the ST app asked me to scan the QR code for my GE switch, but the switch was installed 3 years ago and I no longer have the box with the QR code on it. So then I tried skipping the QR code scan and the ST app asked me to entered a number code. Again, it’s a switch that was installed 3 years ago, so I don’t have the code. I don’t even know the exact model number of the switch. In the end, the switch did pair with the ST hub and seems to be working fine, but I got a warning that the switch was not paired securely with the ST hub and may not always work correctly.
So my question is this: How can I securely connect my smart devices when moving from Wink to ST if I don’t have the QR code or the number codes for all of my existing smart switches/devices? And how much risk is there in not connecting those devices securely if I don’t have the option to connect them securely using the QR code or the numerical code?
Hmmm…if the switches are that old, it’s unlikely that they supported the S2 security protocol anyway. You may have selected the wrong model in the app when you went to add them. Do you know what the model number is for the switches? (If you’re comfortable removing the face plate, it should be stamped on the metal part of the switch itself)
The model number is stamped into the metal as circled in this picture. Newer models will also have a label with the QR code, but older models will not have that label.
Select install by brand and select GE, then switch/dimmer. When the app says it’s ready, select the top toggle.
I’m using the new SmartThings app by the way.
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Ah, I’ll have to pull of my switch plate cover and see if my smart switches have the QR code on them they way it appears in your photo. The box looks pretty much exactly the same, at least going from memory.
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dhrandy—that’s exactly what I did, but then the ST app asked me to scan the QR code. This is new to me because the Wink Hub app never asked me to do that. It just recognizes the switch automatically, I guess.
Not really any risk for light switches. 
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If you have sensors which are part of a security system using the S2 protocol, like Ring, then it’s possible some alerts would be ignored if the device wasn’t using S2. But that doesn’t apply to the ST hub (which is rated a Home Automation Hub, not security), it would still process the Older sensor messages.
If the GE switch does support S2 with a QR code, they will be on the front of the switch body like below. But like JD said, 3 years ago is probably pre-S2. Unfortunately in the ST app all the GE zwave switches are grouped together, so there’s no way to pick a specific model.
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Thanks for all the help, everyone. When I get home from work I will pull the switch plates off and see if I have a QR code on the front of the switches.
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In either case, get the model number, that’s useful to know. 
Sure, I’ll do that. But someone mentioned that all GE Z-Wave switches are grouped together and I can’t choose a specific model number. Is that correct?
That is correct. But the pairing process starts the Z-wave join first, so it should know at that point if the device is S2 compatible or not. So there’s 1 of 2 things happening:
- Your devices really do support S2.
- The ST app and/or hub have a bug where it thinks S0 devices are joining as S2 and this prompts the QR code scan.
I will say, I re-paired a very old GE z-wave outdoor outlet about 2 weeks ago and it did not prompt for a QR code.
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I’m not that familiar with the new V3 app as it is not voice friendly. So that’s entirely possible, @Automated_House would definitely know. But it’s still good to know your model number, if only because I’m going to ask you for it every time you post a zwave question to the forum. LOL! 
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