Z-Wave is a powerful and energy-efficient smart home technology. It can offer a lot to both smart home newbies and pros, most importantly, its excellent range, extended by mesh networking.
Minimal direct range
Homey is a Z-Wave Plus certified device. This means that Homey is independently tested to have a direct, bi-directional Z-Wave range of at least 40 meters in an open space. Note that walls and ceilings may impact the direct range of Homey negatively.
Extended range through the mesh network
However, Z-Wave is a meshing technology. This means that each Z-Wave device that uses mains power (like a wall plug or built-in dimmer) can repeat signals from other devices in the Z-Wave network. Each signal can make up to 4 'hops'. This makes the effective range of Z-Wave much bigger, especially when you have several devices throughout the home.
Limited range during pairing
Warning: While pairing, a signal cannot 'hop' across the network. Also, for security measures, some devices pair in a special low-powered mode. This makes the range of that Z-Wave device temporarily small, to prevent malicious actions.
Always pair Z-Wave devices close to Homey, then place them in the right place. Within 30 minutes, the new network routes will be automatically established, and the device will become active.
