i design a wall mount for smartthing hub
i need some advice to make my item better
Anybody to provide some suggestions
I thought it is recommended to keep the hub horizontal for best radio propagation.
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I think this is a great mount, let me know if you need anyone to test it… wink, wink. I was actually looking for something like this on thingverse…
Vertical or horizontal shouldn’t matter once it’s on the wall since both Z wave and zigbee use 360° propagation. ( you don’t want to stand it on end on a shelf, Which is probably what the previous positioning conversations were referring to).
However, in both positions the signal starts out narrow at the hub and then spreads as it goes, so anything blocking right near the hub can have a dramatic negative affect on signal range and quality.
In this case, your corner mounts are definitely blocking the antennas in some spots. I could not recommend the use of this design for that reason.
If you do want to mount it vertically, you need something that just attaches at the center spot on the back and preferably lifts the device up off-the-wall a bit if possible. But don’t cover the sides or corners.
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Looking at that teardown, it looks to me like the antennas are up against the long sides of the hub. An 1/8" of plastic on the corners shouldn’t make a noticeable difference on wireless signal.
A short Google search yielded a -.35 Db reduction from 7mm of polystyrene, and this clip would likely be 2-3mm thick at most.
Don’t use a plastic with an embedded conductive material like carbon fiber, and you should be fine.
The zigbee and the Bluetooth antennas are, the Z wave antenna is right in the corner on the flip side of the board.
How much difference it will make depends, as you say, on the exact composition of the case, but you’re talking low-powered signals to begin with and you’re catching them before they spread. It just wouldn’t be something I would recommend.
JMO
Isn’t sitting against a wall like this the same as sitting flat on a shelf or on the floor? Actually, I would think this would be better since drywall is a lot more porous than solid wood. This seems like it would actually get better penetration vertically since there is no obstruction in the z axis right away.
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Yes, usually, Which is why I said being on the wall is different than standing up on a shelf. But of course it depends on the architecture of the wall. “All home automation is local” – – there are lots of things that can make a particular wall more or less permeable to signal. Metallic wallpaper, water pipes in the walls, foil backed insulation, chickenwire plaster lathing, etc
It also looks like this particular mount design has a sheath underneath the hub, and then as @Edward_Niedziejko mentioned, It depends on the exact composition of the sheath as well. The plastics for electronics cases are normally selected very carefully.
I disagree. Sitting on a shelf, or resting against a wall…6 of one, half dozen of the other. And PLA isn’t radio absorbing to the degree that 2-3 mils would make a difference. I maintain, if this case causes you to lose a device, you were bound to lose it anyway and should invest in some repeaters.
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If you are concerned about possible material interference, you could alter the design into more of an upside down Y. Clips on the lower two corners and then a single one in the center for the top.
Here’s my paint mockup:
thanks for your compliment
i mean i will sell it in Amazon in the near future
i will let you know that time