Serving a "remote" building

I have a small outbuilding on my property and would like to include it in my Z-Wave network. I have searched high and low for some elegant solution, like extending Z-Wave over IP, but no such solution seems to exist. I have tried carefully placing Z-Wave devices, and range extenders, but I cannot get a reliable connection. This is probably due to trees and hedges blocking the path.

I am down to one last option, buying a VeraEdge and using the VeraBridge plugin to control it from Indigo.

My questions for the forum...

1. Will the VeraBridge plugin work with the VeraEdge or will I need the VeraPlus?
2. Has anyone implemented a Z-Wave controller on a RaspberryPi (or similar) and then figured out a way to interface to it from Indigo?
   (I.e. use an RPi in place of the VeraEdge)
3. Am I really down to my last option, or have I missed something(s)?

Any ideas, comments, suggestions, etc. welcomed.

EDIT: I just found this thread with similar issues. Note I have already tried the AEON range extender.

Is the Homeseer Z-NET supported in Indigo? I ask because I remember an earlier Homeseer-branded Z-Wave interface being supported, and I remember seeing some networking configuration options for the Z-Wave interface in the Indigo config options. Sorry this doesn't really help and just adds more questions to the pile, but it would seem that the Z-NET would be exactly what you need - if it's supported...


Terry

[jay (support)]

I'm pretty sure the Z-Net won't work though I'm not 100% positive.

In berkinet's case, however, it wouldn't help since you can only have one Z-Wave interface in Indigo.

The VeraEdge *should* work (and has for some users in the past) - the only issue is if the firmware has been updated such that it breaks the API the plugin uses to communicate. Since it's a public API, I'm somewhat certain they wouldn't have broken the API but again I don't know for sure.

Is the Homeseer Z-NET supported in Indigo?...

Based on this post by @marcomark, and as alluded to by @jay, the Z-Net Z-Wave bridge would not work. @marcomark suggested the Homeseer A2Z-Link (now replaced by the HomeTroller Zee S2. See this announcement) as a solution. However, the Zee S2 costs $200 (on sale at the moment for $180) and someone (me ) would still have to write a plugin to use it with Indigo. A lot of work and money to control a couple of lights.

If I had the energy, need and interest, it looks like the way to go is to build a DIY equivalent of the Zee S2 out of a RPi and design a simple text based interface protocol to talk to Indigo to support it. In fact, it seems that is exactly what the Zee S2 is. (Se this Homeseer forum post)

Heh, I had forgotten I asked that question so far back. The Zee S2 includes a limited install of Homeseer so you definitely don't want that. It sounds like the Vera is your best bet; unless the building is lights-only, in which case you could try the Lutron Caseta Pro and plugin, but that's also $200 hub investment, plus a different switch technology.

Terry


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Heh, I had forgotten I asked that question so far back.

Yeah. I hate it when that happens. Worse is when I find I had already answered my own question .

... It sounds like the Vera is your best bet; unless the building is lights-only, you could try the Lutron Caseta Pro and plugin, but that's also $200 hub investment, plus a different switch technology. ...

I hadn't mentioned it, but this install is in France. So the options are, different. I have had semi-success with X10. But, the distance is on the edge of reliability, and the modems seem to fail at a frequency I can't afford. Besides being one-more-technology, it is expensive and... not available here.

So, unless someone has some great ideas, soon, it is looking like VersaEdge is the way to go. I can get one here for around 120€ (It's a lot less expensive in the US and is available for EU Z-Wave... but figuring out how to order it may take forever

I hadn't mentioned it, but this install is in France.

Well, that certainly is ...remote... Are you trying to control France from Cali, or a secondary outbuilding from the primary France location? Either way, it seems like the Vera will be the simplest/cheapest route. Good luck!

Terry

Another option which has been discussed somewhere is two copies of Indigo with a plugin designed to talk between them.

This plugin would be more beneficial than trying custom plugin for device/solution 'x'.


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Another option which has been discussed somewhere is two copies of Indigo with a plugin designed to talk between them.

This plugin would be more beneficial than trying custom plugin for device/solution 'x'.


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Have used Vera edge for 2 years now and it works perfect, have the latest update on Vera and it works...

//jens

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Another option which has been discussed somewhere is two copies of Indigo with a plugin designed to talk between them....

...Have used Vera edge for 2 years now and it works perfect, have the latest update on Vera and it works...

I can see the benefits of linking two instances of Indigo for sophisticated situations. However, for a few lights and plugs, the Vera route, while not low-cost, would be substantially less expensive than an additional Indigo instance.

[jay (support)]

However, for a few lights and plugs, the Vera route, while not low-cost, would be substantially less expensive than an additional Indigo instance.

Right, because it's not just the Indigo license but also the cost of another Mac...

Just out of curiosity, have you tried a serial-over-ethernet controller with an X10 interface (like a cheap CM11)? That might work well enough and might be cheaper than a Vera (though I don't know for sure since I've never really looked at those),.

If techie Mac users are anything like techie Windows users, they'll have multiple PCs or Macs around the house. A second hand MacMini is £100 ($130) on eBay.

You wouldn't need the Pro or Reflector subscriptions on the second instance if it was just lights/basic non-plugin devices (though... you might need the plugin that links the two instances....)

Maybe a special "additional instance" license level Jay?


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...Just out of curiosity, have you tried a serial-over-ethernet controller with an X10 interface (like a cheap CM11)? That might work well enough and might be cheaper than a Vera (though I don't know for sure since I've never really looked at those),.

ThanksJay. That is actually an interesting idea... though, I probably won't pursue it since by the time I find a 220v CM11 (they are getting rare) and buy/build the serial over ethernet device, the cost is approaching that of the VeraEdge, and I'd still be locked into X10.

Still, it is an intriguing concept I will file away for the future. BTW, in case you haven't seen this, there is a nifty little bit of software called VIRTUALHERE that lets you turn almost anything (MacOS, Windows, Linux) into a remote USB server (and, by extension, a serial server). I have been using it to remotely manage an old Motorola radio that can only be programmed locally by a serial connection.

... you might need the plugin that links the two instances....)...

You probably wouldn't need a plugin on the remote/auxiliary unit. You could just use the web interface. The RESTful API would work too, but I am not sure if that is supported in the basic license. This could be an interesting winter project for someone with time on their hands (I.e. not me )

I've tried the virtualhere product. The Mac client is a little finicky. The Windows version works well, but that doesn't really help us. I'll have to try it again with a RPi 3 as the server, the initial effort was using a RPi 1, which should have been enough horsepower, but maybe not.

Terry


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