pairing a WiFi light switch via the zWave dongle to the Almond 3

[lksseven]

Mesh network with the Almond3 master in one part of the building and a second Almond3 slave in another part of the building.  I want to control a wifi zWave light switch that will be on the wireless cover of the slave Almond3.   So, do I insert the zWave dongle in the slave Almond3, and then 'add' the device at the master Almond3 lcd screen?

[fillibar]

At this time the HA devices (such as your Z-Wave light switch) cannot be controlled from secondary (meshed) Almond 3s. They can only be added and controlled from the main one. Although secondary units (with a dongle added) should act as repeaters (due to the dongle). But that still means you need Z-Wave coverage from the main unit (and it needs a dongle) all the way (however far) to the location of the switch.

Securifi has mentioned they are looking to be able to control devices from secondary units (having them appear merged with the main one) but that is a future item. I have not seen any specific mention of when it might be possible.

[lksseven]

Hmmm. 

I have a Securifi door sensor that is positioned close to the slave Almond.  To pair it, I had to physically get the door sensor close to the master Almond, pair it, then go attach it to the door that is close to the slave Almond.  Kind of a convoluted process, but mission accomplished.

I suppose I could attempt the same 'work around' with the light switch and dongle (assuming I can figure out how to get a neutral wire pulled back to that part of the building). 

Or, I'm not sure there's a reason why I can't swap the positions of the master and the slave Almonds - all the 'smart' devices  are back where the slave is, anyway.  Maybe I'll do that, instead. 

[Ashok]

@ lksseven,

HA works only on the primary device for now, we are adding the support to make it with with secondary and third unit.

[fillibar]

It depends what you want to do. As Ashok said, they are working to provide exactly what you are looking for. Until then your options are;
1) Extend the Z-Wave mesh using repeaters.
2) Move the main Almond 3.

You mentioned the Securifi door sensor. I assume it is working? That would imply that the ZigBee mesh is working well across the distance (which you have not mentioned). Technically, a Z-Wave mesh should have longer range than ZigBee, but every Almond 3 already has the ZigBee built in so they all help that mesh model as repeaters at the least. The Z-Wave would need additional repeaters (via dongles, wired devices, or specific repeaters).

If you have time (waiting for the neutral wiring anyways) I would say wait and see if the feature becomes available in time. If it does not, and it is not inconvenient, you could always move the main Almond 3 as a temporary workaround rather than spend money on more devices to act as repeaters.

[lksseven]

It shouldn't be too much of an issue to swap physical locations of the master and the slave Almond3's.   The slave is meshed via ethernet cable (when I attempted to mesh the slave wirelessly, it struggled doing that (about half strength signal), so I just ran some ethernet cable from a switch in that part of the bldg to the slave.  Coverage is now very good throughout the bldg.

The door sensor (zigbee) is only about 8 feet from the slave router, so  no problems there.   The light switch communicating with the zWave dongle would be about 80feet from the router, so that might be problematic (although I've got a ways to go logistically before crossing that bridge).  Although the Peanut is also about 80 feet  from the router, and it connects and works fine.