Getting Started....so many things!

Configuration Z-Wave
1

Ok, so i thought i would just ask straight up here for a bit of guidance before i do anything.

I just got the zigma designs UZB stick. ive got one or two zwave devices. Where do i begin?

I assumed i should begin here https://home-assistant.io/getting-started/z-wave/, but then i started reading things about openZwave control panels and dockers etc etc. Do i need the docker first? what is a docker? which would be a good tutorial to get it set up? Should i just go with the control panel option?

I have a feeling im right that i should start with e official HA documentation first and then move from there, but i thought id at least ask. Thanks!

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What platform are you planning to use the USB stick on?

Yes it is a learning curve, and different depending on your platform & what you wish to do.

Calvin

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Ok, so full disclosure. Im a total n00b at this and i have been trying to figure it out from the bottom up. So when you say something like “platform” im not certain exactly what you are referring to.

Im doing this on a raspberry pi 2 if that helps. i used this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFDVB2H6TNo to set it up.

EDIT: I know coming into forums with little background can be annoying, i hope this isnt infuriating. Ive been picking up alot as i go on and have had alot of welcoming help from this community :slight_smile:

4

I would start with the AIO & AIO documentation and go from there. The AIO should install everything you need automatically (OZWCP,MQTT, etc). From there I would take it one component at a time. Once it’s the AIO is installed, start loading your configuration yaml and make sure you understand how everything works (proper indentation, naming, grouping, etc.). It sounds like you want to jump right into the zwave setup, but I would start slowly and make sure you understand how HA works, as sometimes Zwave can be tricky (check the zwave forum and see what I mean).

Also, @brusc has some awesome videos on youtube that can help you get things up and running. And I believe that he is starting/started a series on zwave, so that might be a good resource as well.

5

You saw the setup video - this is the video you want to watch next in Ben’s series.

1 Like
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I have learned I should have gone Zigbee… thats what I learned… lol; or custom.

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So ive been following @brusc and his videos and i did start a few months ago with the basics. Set up presence detection with my Asus router. Automated a wemo switch based of it. Set up Owntracks and MQTT (But i didnt like it). And ive been fiddling around in general with the config file to get used to the environment. So i wouldnt say im just jumping into Zwave, but im still pretty n00b-ish.

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Zwave still rules the day though, I prefer a mixed environment depending on where I have to put sensors.

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I’m planning on adding a Zwave stick in soon, so I should be armed with more experience to help.

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lol, I have both.

Zwave is buggy at best and doesn’t have any good method of presence detection. Unlike zigbee… I have both, and now I am forced to write my own solution.

Anyways, not everything is so matter of fact.