One corner of my room is a dead zone?

[codowd 7]

I have a living room 6m x 6m square, with lamps connected to Aeon labs appliance modules in each of the 4 corners.

 

To describe the problem: My HC2 is at the top edge of this square room, just right of centre, on a shelf at about waist height.  The four lamps A, B, C, D are in top left, bottom left, bottom right and top right respectively.

 

A--------- ||||||--HC2-----D

|                                   |

|                                   |

|                                   |

|                                   |

B---------------------------C

 

All worked perfectly for months - lights would work when triggered through web interface or by scenes.  Then lamps A and B would lose connection and be marked as dead nodes.  A soft reconfigure fixed lamp B just fine, but not lamp A.  However both appliance modules work just fine if I move them to other points of the room.  Lamp B has been working fine for about a month now, but Lamp A has never worked in its current position.

 

The problem may be that I have a fireplace beside the shelf (marked as ||||||| in my diagram) with a big metal gas heater in it.  This blocks line of sight to Lamp A and may perhaps block wifi connection (though (1) I have modules 30m away that work just fine through concrete walls, and (2) this configuration worked perfectly for some months and (3) isn't Z-wave a mesh network so Lamp B could talk to Lamp A anyway?)

 

I have tried moving the HC2 up a shelf so the fireplace is not blocking things, but no joy.  However, if I move it 60cm to the left, it all works perfectly... the only effect of this move is that the 10mm wooden frame of the bookcase is no longer in the way.  However my HC2 is suspended in mid-air in front of the TV at this point and I doubt my wife would like the look...!

 

Why on earth is the network so sensitive to this placement?  Any ideas how to fix?  I am not sure whether this config stopped working after a HC2 update or not (dead nodes are such a common occurrence) if so it would have been at about version 4.10.

Edited July 15, 2017 by codowd

[T.Konopka 8]

Hello,

 

What happens when you move the HC2 to the other side of the fireplace?

[codowd 7]

All is fine if I move it more than 60cm to the left.  But even above the fireplace it won't connect.

 

Line of sight should not be needed, right?  I don't see what the problem can be when every other device in my house can connect, even in the farthest bedroom.

[Lambik 194]

@codowd What kind of the devices do you use? Do they have extender capabilities and are they non-battery powered?

 

Please check if:

1 - HC2 antenna is well connected and in vertical position.

2 - Can you see what time the devices went dead?

3 - Reboot your HC2 to see if behaviour changes.

4 - If you have another extender capable devices available, place it between B and C, in line with the HC2 and see what happens.

5 - Try to move the HC2 between B and C.

 

@T.Konopka Can you please suggest your dev-team to implement a node-information screen in the HC2 webmin, where you can inspect zwave node connections and communications statistics?

[T.Konopka 8]

Hello

 

44 minutes ago, Lambik said:

1 - HC2 antenna is well connected and in vertical position.

2 - Can you see what time the devices went dead?

3 - Reboot your HC2 to see if behaviour changes.

4 - If you have another extender capable devices available, place it between B and C, in line with the HC2 and see what happens.

5 - Try to move the HC2 between B and C.

 

Exactly, try to set the modules and gateway in different positions. See when the network is working properly and when it is interfered.

@codowd, is the gas heater you use operated electronically? Is it possible that it is a source of interference?

 

52 minutes ago, Lambik said:

Can you please suggest your dev-team to implement a node-information screen in the HC2 webmin, where you can inspect zwave node connections and communications statistics?

 

Create a topic here

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Please, describe the suggestion thoroughly so that I can submit it

[Lambik 194]

40 minutes ago, T.Konopka said:

Create a topic here

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Please, describe the suggestion thoroughly so that I can submit it

Done: