Features:

  • Works with Windows / Mac / Linux (including Raspberry Pi) to create a Z-Wave gateway for control of Z-Wave and Z-Wave Plus devices.
  • Tiny but powerful; 1.1 x 0.4 x 3.5 inches in size and capable of controlling up to 232 different Z-Wave devices. package: 1x Z-Stick Gen5, 1x Manual, the others are not included.
  • Can be used to upgrade the firmware of compatible Z-Wave Plus devices that can accept OTA / wirelss firmware upgrades.
  • Compatible with Z-Wave enabled, home automation software including Home Assistant, Home Seer, Indigo 7, OpenHab, and OpenHab2. No software included.
  • Z-Wave Plus certified. Certification number: ZC10-15060006
Perfect for DIY home automation projects!

I've been considering a home automation project since I moved in April. After quite a bit of research around the current and upcoming turnkey solutions like Samsung's SmartThings, Apple's HomeKit, and others, I decided a more home grown solution was more to my liking. I'm a bit of a tinkerer by nature and have some programming skills so settled on an open source automation platform that included the ability to automate "meat space" things using ZWave. All I needed was a ZWave controller that would work in Linux. The Aeotec Z-Wave Z-Stick, Gen5 seemed to fit the bill from my research so I placed the order and have not been disappointed. This device is perfect for my needs and has been a ton of fun to play with. Pros: + Plug and play compatibility in any current Linux distribution + Decent range as far as Z-Wave goes (easily 100ft through walls and floors) + Works with all Z-wave devices I've tried so far - Switches, dimmers, wall plugs, thermostats + Perfectly supported by the automation platform I'm using (Home Assistant) + Blinking disco style light can be disabled with a simple command to the controller + Inexpensive way to jump into the Z-wave world Cons: - None so far!

Home automation without home internet.

So far it's been flawless with InControl. I've used InControl for years with my original zstick. We moved and left the old one at the old house. I did bring the PC it was connected to though. The lag has been reduced significantly with this new version but still a second or two left. At least it's better than thirty seconds. The good part was being able to remove the devices from my old network with this zstick that we're still associated with the old zstick. I then reestablished a new network on the original InControl I've had for years. My main reason for going this route is that we don't have internet and I use GE secondary controllers to control rooms that are missing 3-way switches. This generation stick has helped me get my house up to par with my expectations by allowing me to use what I'm familiar with and working more reliably. Home automation is almost impossible without internet, but I found this way and it works for me. I did have to use my phone as a hotspot to do setup for the InControl years ago. But I've not needed it since.

Fantastic device to break into Home Automation

I'll start by saying that in my experience setting up your own Z-Wave system is not for the faint of heart. As others have said it is NOT turn-key and requires elbow grease to get it going. This shouldn't really factor into a rating of this stick but if you're expecting to plug this into your PC and have something to automate your house immediately, forget it. This device will ONLY serve as a Z-Wave adapter for your PC. In terms of how this device does its job? Fantastic. I prefer to leave it plugged into the PC when I include devices but I really like that if I wanted I can take it around to the devices and include/exclude them remotely. The latency from the node (motion sensor, door switch, siren) to the USB stick is very minimal. Any perceived lag may be introduced by the software you're using to control the device. Physically the device is built well and feels solid. It does protrude from the port quite a bit but it's located in a rear USB port so it presents no issues. This has no bearing in my score for the device but I want to say I'm using Domocitz (free/open source) to manage my Z-Wave network. Please look into how you're going to manage your network and try multiple software before coming to the conclusion this device is to blame.

Has all the features I need for a master controller - especially ability to back up

There are 3 things that make this the perfect Z-Wave master controller for me: 1. Small, portable, standalone. Makes it easy to include devices into your network. 2. Can be used as a USB dongle for a smart home hub. Supported by Raspberry Pi (as well as others). 3. Can be backed up, so that if the stick dies, you don't need to recreate your Z-Wave network. I got this because I lost my original master controller (which requires an app running on a Windows computer to use). Mine came in a pinkish colored box that, together with the shape and circle in the middle, reminded me of a pregnancy test kit. So far it has worked flawlessly for including my existing Z-Wave switches, remotes, and a SmartThings V2 hub.

The On-Board Battery Makes It The best Z-Wave Controller I Have Found!

This is the handiest Z-Wave controller that I have ever used. Worth comment, it has a battery so devices can be included and excluded without dragging the whole piece of equipment around. You can just un-plug it and use the integrated button (unless you're dealing with locks or secured devices). Additionally, I like that this model integrated a multi-color LED that indicates data transfer and inclusion/exclusion/mode status.

Works great!

Works great! Easy to add and remove z-wave devices.. I did notice that it took a couple of attempts for a few of my devices (it wouldn't grab the extended zwave info and I'd have to remove and re-add), but for the most part it worked great. Note that the flashing of the LED between blue/orange/red is normal when plugged into a USB port.

Here is how to disable the annoying disco light (Was: Amazing Z-Wave Stick for Rasperry Pi)

Folks, here is how you disable the annoying flashing disco LED light: Step 1: Get a Windows machine - Note: if you only have a Raspberry Pi / Linux, please read Fred's comment below. He explains how to send the command on Raspberry Pi. Step 2: Download Drivers for the USB stick from the official website and follow their instructions Step 3: Download CoolTerm (it is free) Step 4: Plug-in the USB stick. CoolTerm should immediately recognize it as a COM-port. Mine is COM3 Step 5: In CoolTerm, click "Connect". Now you are connected to your USB Z-stick via Serial interface Step 6: In CoolTerm menu: Go to "Connection" -> "Send String..." Step 7: Pick "Hex" radio button and copy/paste the following command 01 08 00 F2 51 01 00 05 01 51 Step 8: Click "Send" Step 9: Disco is over! If you want to re-enable the Disco send the following command on Step 7: 01 08 00 F2 51 01 01 05 01 50 This solution is taken from Domoticz forum [...] Below is my review of the stick itself: ------- Works great with Home Assistant + Raspberry Pi 3 (with Raspbian) + Minimote and SmartSwitches A few notes for Raspberry Pi hackers: * follow the installation instructions on the home assistant website carefully. You should be comfortable with command-line at the very least. There are a few places where they recommend setting up `hass` inside python `virtualenv` instead of root. I would recommend doing that. Worked well for me * it is trivial to add SmartSwitches and almost any device you can think but there is one device that will be more tricky: * minimote: both the Z-stick and minimote are controllers. The stick would need to become the primary controller and minimote must become a secondary controller. Please google for it: there are instructions in the internet (see homeassistant.io) that work with Home Assistant. It worked for me.

This stick is much better than the "Series 2" stick (seriously

This stick is much better than the "Series 2" stick (seriously, Aeon Labs, your product naming is confusing and your site doesn't help). The range seems better, and it supports Z-Wave Plus, so I can add compatible devices from a pretty good distance. I'm using this with InControlHA and it works great. I almost didn't give it five stars because of the confusing light codes. When the stick is working properly, it will cycle through every color the LED supports. As a long-time gadget user, this looks more like some sort of error state or at best a boot-up state, so it was a little alarming at first. I thought I did something wrong. After contacting customer support I was informed that this is the proper behavior. The Series 2 stick would just show a solid blue LED, which is more in line with what you'd expect from your consumer electronics. But overall, this is a great product. Highly recommended.

Had my ZStick for a Year so far

I jumped into Home Automation a little over a year ago and started with a ZStick on a Raspberry Pi 3 running Home Assistant. It works great and I've had no problems. I've since upgraded to an Intel NUC running Home Assistant in Docker. Still works great and the transition was pretty painless. Everything is really controlled by software so all I needed to do was transfer my Home Assistant installation to the new server and plug my ZStick in. Extremely happy!

One of the best home automation purchases I've ever made.

Incredible device! Pair this with a PC or Raspberry Pi running openZwave for an incredible DIY hub. Outperforms every store bough hub on the market. This device has revolutionized home zwave networks!

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