Z-Wave Hub Range Extender - Aeotec Range Extender 7 - Improves Performance and Range of Your Z-Wave Hub - SmartThings, Hubitat, Alarm.com, Ring, and More - Gen7 (One Pack)

At the time that I automated my last home with Z-Wave, my two largest problems were the limited range of 1st-generation Z-Wave devices, and the relatively shallow utility boxes in my walls. My house was physically large (and spread out), so I put over 100 devices in the home in order to have a reliable mesh network. When I moved into my current home, my challenges were very different. This house was originally constructed in the 1960s, and it consists of 3 floors and two add-ons. The core of the house is not wired with neutrals at the light switches (ugh). As such, I have not been as inclined to put as many switches in, as I've needed to use units that don't require neutral (or add in resistor packs). The answer to build a reliable network was to add Aeotec Range Extender 7s.I'm no stranger to Aeotec, having bought sensors, plugs, and various other peripherals from them over the years. When I wanted to get repeaters for this house, I naturally thought of Aeotec Range Extender 7s. The units are a little different from my older repeaters as the inclusion button is on the bottom. The light is a ring around the button. Inclusion was quick and painless with my Homeseer HS4Pro installation. a few full optimizations later, and the garage door opener and smart deadbolt started reporting immediately and reliably. Mission accomplished.The only gripe I really have is the presence of the screw hole "loop". I get the idea: it's meant to allow you to semi-permanently attach your repeater, keeping anyone from inadvertently unplugging it. In practice, though, it can act as an obstruction, making an outlet harder to use. Lest you think you'll just put the repeater on the top outlet, you'll find out quickly that it covers part of the lower outlet. You can tear off the loop with some pliers, but it would be nicer if there was some non-destructive alternative.Final thoughts? There's no ARGB, as in previous iterations of the product. That's fine with me, as I never used it, anyway. I guess the main question would be why you would use a repeater, as opposed to spending basically the same money (or less), to get a lamp control module. My answer to that is simplicity and aesthetics. This iteration of the Aeotec Range Extender may be a little more stripped-down, but it's more attractive (though that's subjective), and it's more useful. The new utility comes in the form of the down-firing light ring... it basically functions as a low-intensity night light. Don't want that? Turn it off with a single click - no need to mess with sending Z-Wave parameters.Though I wish the 2-pack had been available at the time I needed these, at $34 each it wasn't that bad to get the repeaters that I needed. If you need a stronger/better/faster Z-Wave network (especially when it comes to battery-powered sensors/devices), these will work well for you. For those of you that may be wondering, my setup includes 300, 500, and 700 series Z-Wave devices, and this seems to work well with all of them. It properly registers all of its neighbors and routes, regardless of protocol generation, and it passes "secure" S2 messages without issue. Highly Recommended

The product functions precisely as advertised, significantly enhancing Z-Wave coverage when connected to the Brinks Qolsys IQ 2 panel, particularly in areas previously out of range. The installation instructions provided were straightforward, with additional panel pairing guidance readily available online.It is crucial to note that this device does not come with support from alarm service providers; therefore, users must be prepared to handle installation, troubleshooting, and application independently. This product is not recommended for beginners or those lacking technical confidence. However, for technically adept individuals or "adventurous nerds," this represents a valuable investment. It not only extends the reach of your home automation system but also empowers users to expand their system's capabilities beyond standard offerings.

Worked flawlessly with my QOLSYS IQ2 panel

I have a Ring Alarm system and some of my devices were constantly disconnecting even though they were within 10 feet of a Ring range extender. It was driving me crazy.I replaced the Ring extender with one of these and the problems have stopped happening.Save yourself some money and hassle and just get one of these instead of the Ring extender.My only problem with this unit is that there is a white light on top that won't turn off. I'll probably just cover it with a piece of tape.

First, the QR code on the back of the box does not work to identify the product. So I failed to utilize the "secure" mode on the original install - first mistake. There is a QR code that may work on the box flap. Installed it w/o "secure" mode, but the hub would not turn it on. Was it working? No way to tell. But it probably would have worked better - maybe - if it was in the "secure" mode.So, I factory reset the device and tried to reinstall in the "secure" mode with working QR code on the flap. Flap QR code appeared to work. But then, the app and the hub could not find the device after several attempts and several factory resets. I had a slow blink and it appeared to be in pairing mode.Failed to install a second time. The app also said Smartthings would not utilize all the features of this device. Hub is AEOTEC and so is this range extender, so, why would it not utilize features. I have wasted enough time, will save time returning this device.

I was having some range issues with my Home Assistant setup. I paired an outdoor dimmer plug with Z-Wave JS in HA and it would only work when it was in the same room as my HA box, not when placed outside. I purchased this extender, plugged in location between HA box and back door, paired it with HA via Z-Wave JS, and now my outdoor dimmer plug works as expected. So I would definitely recommend this device. Super easy to setup and it fixed my issue.

I have a Smatthings system. My garage door opener, GoControl, would occasionally lose connection. I wasn't surprised given the distance. This extender worked great. It gives me a solid connection. It was easy to install, although there were no detailed instructions included. THis might be an issue for someone not familiar with pairing new devices.

Had 14-16 devices disconnecting and occasionally connecting back to Samsung hub. This happened after installing a stronger wifi router which caused interference with the z-wave network. Prior to my WiFi upgrade, I had no issues. I have a variety of devices that were migrated from Lowes Iris and now everything is back online thanks to this signal booster. Make sure to scan the QR code inside the box when adding the device. The QR outside is for product validation. Very easy to add. I moved it around the house to provide better range and device would connect to HUB immediately.