Program the Z-Wave Device
This process is pretty much the same whether you’re programming
a lamp module, an in-wall switch or dimmer, or any other Z-Wave
device. Once you’ve installed all the Z-Wave switches, receptacles,
and wall-mounted controllers you intend to deploy, use a compatible
remote to establish a network. First, to ensure you’re working with a
clean slate, use the remote at each device: Press the Exclude button
on the remote and then press the Activate button on the device.
Once you’ve done this with every device, go back and build your
network one device at a time by pressing the Include button on the
remote and the Activate button on the device. The InTouch CA5500
remote we’re using in this example fl ashes a blue LED to inform you
when an action is successful.Install and Confi gure Your Control
Software
As much fun as it is to control lights and other devices using a remote
control, you won’t realize the full benefi t of a home-automation sys-
tem until you add soft ware that will enable you to control the system
with your PC. We use ControlThink’s ThinkEssentials in this example
because it’s simple and inexpensive and comes with a USB Z-Wave
adapter —all for $50.
Click the Home tab in ThinkEssentials and click the Draw Rooms
button. Using the mouse, draw your home’s fl oor plan. Once you’ve
included all your Z-Wave devices in your master remote, you’ll
transfer the information about them to your PC via the USB adapter.
Click ThinkEssentials’s Advanced Settings tab and click Join Existing
Network. Press the button on the remote that you use to include Z-
Wave devices in the network.
When the data has been transferred, an icon representing each
Z-Wave device will appear on your fl oor plan. If the icon is a question
mark, click it to send it a command. The icon will then change to a
plug (for a receptacle or switch), a light bulb (for a dimmer), or what-
ever is appropriate. Once you’ve determined which icons are linked
to which devices, drag the icons into the appropriate rooms.ThinkEssentials is great for getting your Z-Wave feet wet, but a more
powerful option is HomeSeer’s HS2 Home Control Software ($200).Because Intermatic’s CA5500 remote control lacks an LCD, you have
to guess what its single LED is trying to tell you.LESSONS LEARNEDTHE^ DIGITAL
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46 | MAXIMUMPC | JUN 08 | http://www.maximumpc.com
Tips for Working
with Z-Wave
Before you buy a second Z-Wave
remote control, make sure it can oper-
ate as a secondary remote. A Z-Wave
network can have multiple second-
ary controllers but only one master.
A master controller can include or
remove devices from the network;
secondary controllers cannot. If you’re setting up a large Z-Wave
network, you’ll want an assistant to
help you identify which icons repre-
sent which devices. Ask that person to
call out which lights and devices your
mouse clicks are activating, so you
can drag the icons to the appropriate
rooms on your fl oor plan. If no one’s willing to help you sort out
your Z-Wave devices, set up the net-
work incrementally: Add just a couple of
devices to the master remote at one timeand transfer them to the PC as you go.
Ð Make sure your master controller is
equipped with the most up-to-date fi rm-
ware—just as you would keep your router
up to date or your videocard equipped
with the latest drivers. Using ThinkEssentials ($50, http://www.
controlthink.com/thinkessentials) and a
remote-control program such as LogMeIn
(free, http://www.logmein.com), you can control
your home-automation system from any-
where you have Internet access.