Z stick 5 installation help please

Configuration Z-Wave
21

Hi all, I am revisiting to ask for advice again as I seem to be hitting a wall with the JSUI add-on.
I am slowly learning and have set up quite a bit using guides, but cant seem to crack this one.
I have a feeling I am missing something basic as the official Z wave integration works fine.

My set-up is
Virtual box running on Windows laptop.
I am using a Z-stick Gen 5

Things I have tried.
Use a 3-foot USB extension cable in case of interference.

Using the official Z wave app finds my Zwave stick and asks - Do you want to set up ttyACM0 - /dev/serial/by-id/usb-0658_0200-if00, s/n: n/a - 0658:0200 with the Z-Wave JS add-on? Appears for configuration.
Successfully set up with this add-on, however, it is the JSUI version that I want to use.

I am only installing one Z-wave option at a time. I don’t have Z wave and Zwave js UI on the machine together. JSUI is the only one installed presently.

Searching on all hardware for the Zwave stick I see ttyACM0
/dev/serial/by-id/usb-0658_0200-if00
Subsystem:
tty
Device path:
/dev/ttyACM0
ID:
/dev/serial/by-id/usb-0658_0200-if00

The z stick is plugged into USB but none of those ports contain any information (As far as my knowledge goes, about the stick)

Allowed the z stick as a filter on the VM (Shows as Sigma designs)

Tried a USB hub.

Trawled and tried everything that looked relevant in the docs and forums, including following the documentation to switch from Z wave to JSUI
Copied the network and s keys.

When the serial port is set to /dev/serial/by-id/usb-0658_0200-if00
I have the error message I have failed to initialise the driver Zwave error while waiting for an ack from the controller

When the serial port is set to /dev/ttyACM0 I have the error message Zwave error. time out while waiting for an ack from the controller

Updated the Z stick firmware

I have spent weeks now trying and failing to get anywhere at all, hence asking for help here again :slight_smile:

I think the stick is ok, as it shows on my VM and has been working with the Zwave integration previously.

Thank you

22

My only suggestion is to simplify the environment to a mimimal test bed:

  • HASSOS - straight download, no custom VM, just the simplest image on bare metal.
  • USB extension cable or ideally a dumb hub
  • Clean install and on-boarding ONLY
  • Add just the stock Z-Wave integration (might even be auto-detected if you plug-in after basic setup)

This should test the hardware with the most basic software. If things don’t work, reinstall the base image, change the hardware, and re-test. Don’t keep testing with the same environment as you’ll tie yourself in knots, and software gets brittle (look at the bathtub reliability curve - applies to both hardware AND software).

Then, and only then, start adding more complexities.

This ‘walk before you run’ approach has worked for me troubleshooting multi-million pound projects with complex integration issues. The hard bit is keeping track of changes as you add back each bell and whistle in turn.

If this helps, :heart: this post!

1 Like
23

Thanks for the advice James. Unfortunately that’s way above my capabilities, im a hobbyist really. You’re absolutely correct though, I feel like something as simple as adding a zwave dongle really shouldn’t be such a challenge, and has absolutely tied me in knots.
Possibly time to take a break from HA for a bit. :upside_down_face:

24

Did you disable soft reset for either add-on?

1 Like
25

Hi freshcoast, I’m really not sure as I’ve done so many things, if that is recommended I’ll give it another go tomorrow.
Thanks for the reply.

26

Using port passthrough on vms is a common way to get yourself big headaches. My advice is to just not do it and instead use remote solutions capable of bridging to the vm over some network protocol.

1 Like
27

Thanks, odwide is that by using the Samsung hub or Hubitat or such?

28

Actually thinking about this, I think I may have covered those steps, James, as I have had the stick working with the stock Zwave add-on and had devices working with it.
Seems like the issue is getting it to work with the JSUI version, or the VM not playing with JSUI maybe.

29

Thanks again Freshcoast, but no difference with the disabling of soft reset.

30

You use the stick on a dedicated Raspberry Pi and send the Zwave data to the Home Assistant vm over websockets. See here. The official docs on that site have basic instructions but there are walkthroughs online.

1 Like
31

Once again just for information and possibly help other new recruits to HA, an update.
I literally started again from a fresh install, nothing else but Zwave stick and integration and mostly just hope.
I did everything by the book (as I thought that I actually already had), but I mustn’t have, as somehow the stick showed up immediately (Been here before I thought) continued following the documentation and presto!!! success!!
I immediately backed up that small step in the hope that if I was ever there again I would at least have a starting point.
From there my confidence is a little higher and I am back down the HA rabbit hole with a new purpose. Now to summon the courage to ditch the smartthings integration and go fully HA. I have an awful lot of routines and automation to replicate.
Once again thank you for your help on my way.