zwave web interface?

[pkshiu]

What happened to the Hawking and other self contain controller boxes that offer web interface? I just want to control our zwave lighting network (vizia) with iPhone and/or Macs and TCP/IP. The only thing that seems to be "close to shipping" is the hometroller 2, which is more than what I need.

P.K.

 

[Rupp]

HomeSeer can do this if you have an always on PC.

 

[Squintz]

Frys.com is supposed to be shippping me one of the Home Remote Pro Gateways.

http://shop2.frys.com/product/5601321?site...CH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
$179.99

 

[pkshiu]

Frys.com is supposed to be shippping me one of the Home Remote Pro Gateways.

http://shop2.frys.com/product/5601321?site...CH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
$179.99

Can't wait to hear if this thing actually exists and works. Seems like there is virtually no news on it after
the announcement. But that is exactly what I am looking for. Not a dedidate PC but just something
I can add to the network and access via the web either locally or via the router remotely.
Please share your experience with it !

Thanks,
P.K.

 

[Squintz]

Can't wait to hear if this thing actually exists and works. Seems like there is virtually no news on it after
the announcement. But that is exactly what I am looking for. Not a dedidate PC but just something
I can add to the network and access via the web either locally or via the router remotely.
Please share your experience with it !

Thanks,
P.K.

Well it does actually exist. I received it yesterday. It's the HomeRemote | Pro Internet Gateway with Lamp Module and Window/Door Sensor kit. I plan to start playing with it tonight and am supposed to write a How-To for zwaveworld. It looks pretty cool.

It comes with 3 free months of Pro service. I also got a Wireless camera and Wireless Night Vision Camera as well as a PIR and a who bunch of plug-in modules and switches to try with it. So after the How-To I will probably do a review of the overall system.

Just from looking at the box it seems like a cool "Out of the Box" solution. It's probably not for the hardest of hardcore cocooners but it looks like the top of the line system for newbies. The web interface allows you to create rooms and add devices to those room. Then you can setup events and schedules. It has a built in log for telling you what has happened recently.

I'm excitied to try and control my devices through my BlackBerry. I'm wondering if it will be possible to view the cameras on the BB as well.

 

[Squintz]

I cracked open the HomeRemote Pro Kit last night and starting taking photos for the tutorial. Then I started following the instructions on the Quick Start Installation guide. It's pretty simple to get started but I ran into some issues. To get started you just plug in the power and ethernet cable. Then goto a website and enter a MAC address which is also the Product Code. After filling out some general information such as a network name and time zone you are ready to add rooms and devices.

Here is where the problems come in.

I added the room and everything looked like it went okay. However there was message that said Problem Adding Room. Since everything else looked like it worked I ignored the message and moved onto adding devices.

The next problem was when I tried to add devices. For some unknown reason the device does not want to add. At 9pm Eastern I called their help desk and was shocked to find someone actually answered the phone. The lady attempted to help me solve my problem but it was beyond her expertise. She asked me to call back between 9am and 5pm today when another department would be available to help.

What I learned while I was on the phone with here is that there are two different sites for accessing your gateway. One is hosted on their servers and the other is hosted on the gateway hardware. I was trying to add devices from their servers site per the quick start instructions. The site hosted on the gateway does not have a button to directly add devices. It does have a button to copy a handheld controller to the gateway.

So that is where I stand as of now. I will be calling Tech Support when I get home tonight.

 

[twilo123]

squintz, you probably know from your site that i am sorely dissapointed with the hawking box. had a lot of promise before the subscription based business model for a cheap DIY zwave solution but the support worse than horrible. it was pretty much non existent and when it was there most people did not know their own product. the camera was horrible too. had to put an appliance module on the outlet to recycle the camera because it hung everytime i accessed it.

i review the old box on zwaveworld.com and accessha forums as well as a bunch of zwave modules for anyone who wants to avoid some of the pitfalls i went through.

you can look at mcontrol too for webpage/iphone zwave support.

 

[pkshiu]

squintz, you probably know from your site that i am sorely dissapointed with the hawking box. had a lot of promise before the subscription based business model for a cheap DIY zwave solution but the support worse than horrible. it was pretty much non existent and when it was there most people did not know their own product. the camera was horrible too. had to put an appliance module on the outlet to recycle the camera because it hung everytime i accessed it.

i review the old box on zwaveworld.com and accessha forums as well as a bunch of zwave modules for anyone who wants to avoid some of the pitfalls i went through.

you can look at mcontrol too for webpage/iphone zwave support.

This is bad news. I knew that the box is easier to use if you just replicate your existing master controller to it. But if the product has support issues that's another story. For example, when was the last time the firmware is updated? Last bug fixed? Unfortunately I am (and would think that others) are looking for a standalone solution for getting web/network access to a zwave house. mcontrol looks interesting, but we are heading down the road of dedicated PC etc etc. All we need is a good linux driver for either the USB or the serial I/F and I can hack together the rest ! Or maybe run one of the windows solution on a EEPC ?

 

[Squintz]

I'm starting to see what you mean 123. In order to get the device to add I had to cycle power on the gateway. I figured that out on my own. When I tried to call their Tech Support at 11am yesterday I was told I was #1 in line. They never did pick up the phone and I waited about 15 - 20 minutes. I guess it's best to call at 9pm instead.

I have not been able to get the camera to work yet. Although I admit I have not played with it too much. But it seems to me that it was supposed to be plug and play. I added the MAC address to the gateway but it's a no go.

I'll have my basic Getting Started How-To ready shortly. It's pretty much done now but needs a few editorial tweaks.