So, I own a large home (over 4000 sq. ft.) and currently have, among other devices on my Indigo network, 4 Insteon KeypadLincs controlling multiple lights each, and 15 Insteon ToggleLinc Dimmers. The ToggleLincs have been progressively failing (some are more than 10 years old), and apparently SmartHome is no longer manufacturing ToggleLincs. By failing I mean the switches take multiple (sometimes 5-10) tries to complete a command or answer a status request, and in some cases they just stop answering any commands from Indigo. Before anyone suggests switching to paddle switches, I'll mention that the house had over 70 toggle switches when built in 1999 (of which the above 15-20 are now a mix of KeypadLincs and ToggleLincs), so there's no way I'm switching out all our switches, and there's no way my wife would allow a mix of switch types (and I agree).
Before I decide to add a Z-Wave controller and start replacing the ToggleLincs, I want to know how close the Z-Wave toggle switches need to be to my Mac / Z-Wave main controller to be reliable, and how closely spaced they should be? I know the specification is 30 ft. indoors, but what is the real world experience that folks here have seen. Note I have several Insteon RF repeaters on different legs of the power (two 200 A main breaker boxes, so 4 arms of 110V power through the house), and I have still always had some reliability issues with commands to Insteon devices throughout the house.