Phasing out Fibaro

[Bob6 (Bob)]

Hi,

Does someone has the experience of phasing out Fibaro HC2? I’m only using it (HC2) from now on for the devices itself. No automation and scenes anymore. I’d like to buy a Aeotec z-wave stick.

Thanks in advance

BR,

[FloatingBoater (James Derrick)]

Hi,
I’ve used a Fibaro Z-Wave devices for years with Aeotec USB coordinators, and only bought a HC2 Lite to update broken firmware on FGD-212 as Fibaro deny users the right to update their devices without HC hardware.

There’s probably a lot other than Z-Wave a HC2 can be used for - but as you don’t mention any use-cases…

Unable to add Fibaro Z-Wave devices -> DEAD

Hi, I migrated from openHAB a couple of years ago, and have a few posts up discussing tips on the journey. ISTR there were issues with the Gen7 chipset, but also remember reading all was fixed. I moved tens of Fibaro Z-Wave devices across with a Gen5 Aeotec stick, and whilst some worked, factory resetting a few was needed to get them to reappear on the same coordinator, with the same S0 and same hardware. (My Gen5 is a hacked version with a hardware fix for the stupid USB design mistake that …

If this helps, this post!

[Bob6 (Bob)]

Hi,

All my home automation is right now in HA. (I started years ago with HC but switched to HA). I’ve only approx. 30 z-wave devices which are now connected via HC2 to HA. There is no reason anymore to keep up HC2 anymore alive

[k8gg]

This thread was a while ago, but someone has even installed HAOS onto the HC2 box, which is really a x86/x64 box:
My road trip from Fibaro to Home Assistant - Hardware - Home Assistant Community

Regardless you are repurposing HC2 box or not, the last post in that thread is key - you will want to exclude your zwave devices from HC2 first, or factory reset them, before you could join/include those devices to your HAOS + zwaveJS UI + Aeotec stick combo.

[wimjanse]

I moved from a HC2 box to HA last year, migrated 60 Fibaro devices.

Search this forum for a thread on HC2 migration, there is some discussion on how to migrate devices (first use Fibaro integration for HA, you can then migrate devices one by one).

If I may give advice for an Aeotec zwave dongle, buy a Gen5+, not a Gen7. Again, search and read this forum for the problems people have with the Aeotec zwave dongle.

[Bob6 (Bob)]

Hi WimJanse,

Thanks for you’re answer.

How stable is the new situation?
During migration can aswell as the FIBARO active aswell the Aeotec?
Do you also have a Gen5+

BR,

Bob

[wimjanse]

Hi Bob,

System is very stable, no issues at all. I’m happier with the HA dashboard (configured for my own needs) than with the rigid HC2 one. Also, scenes (automations in HA) are much easier to create and adapt.

If you use the Fibaro integration in HA, you still control all devices (and scenes, if any) from your HC2, but can also control those devices from HA. This is how I started, and then removed ZWave devices one by one from my HC2 and added those directly to the HA system, until all devices were migrated, after which I switched off the HC2.

I started with an Aeotec Gen-7, had serious problems with stability of the ZWave network (one or two “hang-ups” per day). I then bought a Gen-5+ stick and transferred the ZWave network from the 7 to the 5+, since then, no issues at all, system works great. (See this forum for the issues with the Gen7 (or better, the 700 chipset from SiliconLabs)

[Bob6 (Bob)]

Thanks Wim,

Wish you al the best for 2025. (I order a 5+)

Br,

Bob

[Bob6 (Bob)]

Hi,

Does someone has a helpful tip. I want some Fibaro devices (ie FGS-222) excluding from Fibaro. I’ve tried everything but no succes. Also forcing won’t help. I have Aeotec 5+ and Fibaro both running. others are working fine and are wel migrated. Help!

Some of them are already out of Fibaro (on worked well) and are as well as not to import

BR,

Bob

[wimjanse]

I had similar issues with some devices.

Solved this by bringing the device close (within few meters) to the HC2 (or better, as some devices were installed in ceiling or wall, brought the HC2 close to the device, nothing that an extension cord and a long Cat5 cable could not handle).

For few others (like wall plug) I did a factory reset for the device.

And …. some I just tried and tried, and finally could exclude or include the device.

[Bob6 (Bob)]

Hi Wim Janse,

Closeby isn’t the solution. Also not a reset. Could it be an error in the Fibaro database ?

Or still the fact that I have 2 Z-wave networks together ?Strange is that the others normally function.

[k8gg]

Maybe consult the manual? Per the manual, you have tried method 1:

… so maybe try the other method

If that does not work either, reach out to Fibaro tech support and ask them how to factory reset the device.

(… and I hope Fibaro would not say: “sorry your device is mal-function and that was why you cannot reset.”)
(… because, googling around indicated that the FGS-222 is indeed rather difficult to reset…)