What is Z-Wave?

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Everyone’s toting the latest Home Automation products, but what makes them work?

Whether it’s a new electronic door lock or light switch, we often see references to technologies such as Z-Wave, Zigbee, or Insteon. The simplest explanation would be to say that these are technologies designed to allow regular household items to work together. It is important to note that these technologies do not work with each other (Z-Wave will not work with Zigbee, and so on). At Wilsons Security, we work with Z-Wave devices, so that’s what we’ll focus on in this blog post.

Wireless: Z-Wave is a wireless protocol, meaning that it doesn’t require running any wires to connect your devices to each other. It operates in the 908.42 MHz range.

Customizable: There are now over 1000 compatible devices, according to the Z-Wave Alliance, giving you a broad range of options when setting up your home automation system.

Strong, expandable network: One of the main features of the protocol is that it uses a ‘Mesh Network’. This means that one Z-Wave device passes along a signal to the next device until it reaches its intended destination. Essentially, this means that the more devices you have installed, the larger and stronger the network becomes.

Efficient: Another benefit of Z-Wave is that it uses very little power, making it great for door locks and other battery-powered devices.

Centrally controlled: At Wilsons Security, your security panel is typically your home automation control center. Your alarm system will send out and receive signals from your Z-Wave devices. For example, when you arm or disarm your system, it can cause your lights to turn off or on or even change the heat setting.

Cohesive communication: All products that include Z-Wave technology are licensed through Sigma Designs in Milpitas, California. This means there is tight control over the implementation of the technology and ensures better compatibility between devices. Some protocols like Zigbee are ‘open source’, which increases the possibility of communication difficulties between Zigbee devices.

The quick facts:

  • Compatible: Any Z-Wave product works with any other Z-Wave product
  • Affordable: Get started with minimum investment then easily add more devices
  • Reliable: Over ten years in the market with 20 million products in homes worldwide
  • Secure: Systems use the same level of encryption as online banking
  • Trusted: Used by 9/10 security companies, along with biggest brand names

Why Smart Connect is Smarter

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So, you’ve heard about TechReady, but what makes a Wilsons Smart Connect TechReady system so amazing? Let me explain!

The Two-Cabinet Design

Regardless of what anyone tells you, here’s a fact: You simply cannot use a single cabinet-designed system and maintain the neatness of the panel. By the time your Internet service provider finishes their part of the installation, the cabinet usually becomes a mess of wires – sometimes to the point where customers cannot get the door back on the cabinet! This is where Wilsons Smart Connect’s two-cabinet design comes in. Splitters and power bars are reserved to the lower cabinet, maintaining the neatness of the upper cabinet, giving the customer a much better user experience.

Hinged Door on the Upper Cabinet

All Wilsons Smart Connect systems have a hinged door on the upper cabinet, making it easier than ever to access your equipment. No more having to remove multiple screws and fumble with a heavy door to get access to your system.

Adaptable Outlets

For a true “plug and play” system, we design all of our outlets to be flexible. Many TechReady installers set up the cabinet in a way that leaves the homeowner without freedom to make changes. A great example is a telephone outlet; you cannot use this outlet for anything other than the phone without calling a technician to make the changes for you. With our flexible outlets, if you want to turn a phone outlet into an Internet outlet, just unplug the outlet from the phone module and plug it into your Internet module, right inside your Smart Connect cabinet (another reason you’ll love the two-cabinet design). It’s that easy!

Colour Coding Wires

It only adds to the confusion of sorting through your home’s wiring when you discover that the same colour wire is used for everything. We help our customers keep it simple by colour-coding the wires we use, so the patch cords in your cabinet match their corresponding Cat5e cable in the wall.

Pre-wiring for a Wireless Access Point

For a superior Wi-Fi experience at home, nothing provides better coverage than Wireless Access Points (WAP). They put the wireless Internet closer to where you use it, as opposed to the signal only coming from the modem. Unlike a Wi-Fi extender or repeater, WAP is actually hardwired to your main Internet connection, in a similar way to how a desktop computer would be. Most TechReady companies don’t offer this as a standard item, but the pre-wiring for one of these units comes with the Wilsons Smart Connect system, so it’s already there if you ever wish to install a WAP.

Dual Data in the Family Room

Not using a Wireless Access Point? Wilsons Smart Connect hasn’t forgotten about you! The optimal location of your Wi-Fi modem is near your Smart Connect cabinet, but we understand that this could very well be under a stairwell or in a utility room, potentially meaning a less-than-stellar Wi-Fi signal. We provide an additional data outlet on the main floor so you can still get all the benefits of your Smart Connect system, while keep your modem in a central location.

You would be hard-pressed to find any other TechReady installing company that looks after you better than Wilsons Smart Connect does!

Wilsons Smart Connect Activation Program

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The recent launch of the Wilsons Smart Connect Activation Program is the latest example of how Wilsons is defining itself in the marketplace with its forward-thinking philosophy. When we set up your system, we take a few extra steps for you, to make sure the activation process goes smoothly.

My experience has shown me there are three prevalent problems that have become a real “Achilles heel” to the TechReady industry in Nova Scotia. They are as follows:

  1. Improper connection of services to the TechReady system by an inexperienced Internet Service Provider’s technician.
  2. Lack of understanding on the part of the customer as to what a TechReady home is and how it benefits them.
  3. The absence of an Ethernet switch to distribute the Internet service to all the areas of the home that have data connections.

The Wilsons Smart Connect Activation Program deals with all these issues at one time. For us, our job is not complete until we go back to the customer’s home to make sure all these issues are taken care of.

  1. Our technicians make sure that the Internet Service Provider has correctly connected the modem to the Smart Connect system. If they have not, we correct it while the technician is there.
  2. The technician will also install an Ethernet switch for you so that your data outlets are active.
  3. Finally, the technician will go over the benefits you’re receiving from your TechReady home, and, if you like, offer assistance with getting your equipment up and running.

These extra services that all Smart Connect customers receive as part of the Activation Program help you take full advantage of your new system.

Remember to ask questions of your builder and TechReady installer to make sure you know what you’re getting.

Contact us today regarding how we can optimize your systems!

Your Vacation Checklist

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If you have a security system, you can use these steps on your vacation checklist to help you make the most of its features while you’re away.

We’ve talked about how technology can help you keep an eye on your home while you’re on vacation, so now let’s take it a step further! There are the traditional things you should do before taking off, like asking a neighbour to get your mail, or leaving an emergency phone number, but here are four things on your vacation checklist you can do at home that will help you have a stress-free trip.

Let your monitoring company know you will be away.

Telling your alarm company when you’ll be on vacation can greatly assist them in protecting your home. Suppose the alarm goes off and the monitoring station calls your house. Maybe someone answers claiming to be you, and that they’ve forgotten the ‘All OK’ word. Now, it is possible that you could have forgotten your ‘All OK’ word, but if the station knows you are away from home, they will be far more suspicious of whom they’re talking to.

Assign a separate code to the person looking after your house.

This not only prevents you from having to give out your personal access code, but also allows the alarm system to track who is coming and going back at home. Most alarm systems are equipped with an ‘Event Buffer’, which records each time someone disarms and rearms the alarm system. By giving each person a different code, the system can track each time an individual has been at your home while you’re away. When you return home you can simply delete these temporary codes. If you are using a service such as Alarm.com or Honeywell’s TotalConnect, you can also receive an e-mail notification when people come and go from your home.

Update your contact list.

If your alarm goes off for any reason while you’re out of the country, your monitoring station is going to need to get in touch with the right people. Provide your alarm company with a new list each time one of your emergency contacts’ numbers changes.

List service companies you deal with.

Break-and-enters aren’t the only thing that can happen while you’re not at home; your furnace could run out of oil, or your basement could flood. If you’re receiving notifications through a service like Alarm.com or Honeywell’s TotalConnect, you’ll know what’s going on in real time. However, if you happen to be out of range of WiFi during the time an event is occurring, you’ll want to provide the people on your emergency contacts list with a list of the companies you use for services such as your heating company, your electrician, your plumber, and your locksmith.