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Iconnect real life wireless range
Ok let's be real about this.
As it is, I can not afford a full Iconnect kit so will have to build it up over time.
I currently have the Testo bluetooth temp/humidity probes and the range is very poor.
There is no way I can have them in a single story attic and go to the cond unit without loosing connection, whether its my Android or Iphone and with new batteries in the Testo's.
Your fairly limited to about 25' line of site.
However for the cost it's not a big loss.
My intention is to start out with the Iconnect and two temp/humidity probes.
Then I can build from there.
Due to the cost I don't want to invest and then find the same problem as Testo.
So you guys that actually have these what is the real world expectations of range without having to do a bunch of tricks to get them to stay connected?
How about a two story house with air handler in attic or @ 2nd level and condenser on the other side of house.
Can you stay connected. Is the repeater needed?
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If I carry the iConnect with me I don't lose signal ever on a residence. If I leave the iConnect at condenser I may lose connection while walking/crawling to air handler but once at the ah it'll usually reconnect. I usually just carry the iConnect in my cargo pocket so I don't lose signal.
The Bluetooth range, like Testo, is between your phone/tablet and the base station (iConnect or iManifold) the wireless probes create a zigbee network with the base station which has a far greater range (miles with repeater probes).
The iManifold/iConnect is not even in the same league, or universe as anything else on the market. Nothing else even comes close, in so many ways. Range being one of the many ways.
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If you carry the iConnect with you, you will likely never have problems as you are taking advantage of the Zigbee network and a much better wireless system, you never loose BT because you are carrying the transmitter/receiver with you. The iConnect also uses a very powerful BT with a 400+ foot line of sight range.
JLB,
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I have had no problems with probe placements in attics and basements and being somewhere outside of the house. I've even been at my van in the street watching the system run without issues. Sometimes when the batteries are low in a probe the signal will get lost then come back. I have been very pleased with the range of the probes and the more that are connected the more reliable it is.
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I shot these for a different guy and different thread from who knows where anymore but never got around to uploading.
It was about the Imperial Bluetooth wireless range not measuring up to the built in ZigBee range.
How good your smart device Bluetooth is will determine the range you get with it. The Imperial Bluetooth range is excellent and I get every bit of range the ZigBee has with my Moto X Pure and Motorola Droid RAZR M. My iPhone 5 and wife's 6 have slightly less Bluetooth range but still excellent probably due to the metal cases.
The thing about the ZigBee wireless is your smart device antenna has no effect on the zigbee wireless network so if your device has a poor Bluetooth antenna and range it had no effect on the wireless probe connections.
If your device has good wireless range this is possible real world.
This was three different ways.
ZigBee from walk in freezer (low pressure probe) to pitch pocket on roof (iConnect)
Bluetooth from walk in freezer (low pressure probe and iConnect side by side) to pitch pocket on roof (phone set on pitch pocket on roof where iConnect was in the first video.
And third was ZigBee from walk in pressure probe to iConnect on outside of the walk in cooler to Bluetooth on the phone which allowed almost no connection loss moving about this space.
I leave the trending graph you so you can see when it skips it has lost signal.
Give me a few mins.
They will need to be posted one at a time since only one video is allowed per post.
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Bluetooth to Bluetooth from same spot as ZigBee showing same range.
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Mixed ZigBee Bluetooth use for more range and freedom to move around the building.
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So when testo Bluetooth wireless barely makes it out of a residential freezer with all the plastic and thin walls standing right next to the unit the Imperial wireless system is not something that should be considered comparable IMO
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how about attics with radiant barrier stapled to the rafters? will this be an issue?
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how about attics with radiant barrier stapled to the rafters? will this be an issue?
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Originally Posted by
acguytx
how about attics with radiant barrier stapled to the rafters? will this be an issue?
No. Just carry the iConnect with you and you will virtually never lose signal. The more wireless probes you have on the stronger the zigbee mesh network signal gets.
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Originally Posted by
acguytx
how about attics with radiant barrier stapled to the rafters? will this be an issue?
if anything it would help if you are tring to send the signals down to a unit or other sensors. Like a big satellite dish.
I have foil vapor barrier insulation at my house no real issue. I can go way out in my yard and get signal from my basement.
At work it will go right through a metal roof deck no problem.
Concrete or the like material is the worst. If you can find a penitration or wireless path around you are good to go. This is where Bluetooth may actually have an advantage over zigbee cause it seems to bounce off obstructions better
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is it better to carry repeater and main unit on your person or leave on inside and one out??
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You don't even need to use the repeater. That's for a tough spot where you might loose signal to your wireless sensors that might be too far away. If you need it you would put it in-between your closest wireless sensor that you have a signal for and where you have the iConnect box. Having them together is not any benefit
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[QUOTE=itsiceman;23188511
Concrete or the like material is the worst. If you can find a penitration or wireless path around you are good to go. This is where Bluetooth may actually have an advantage over zigbee cause it seems to bounce off obstructions better[/QUOTE]
That explains it. We have some areas here that have what is called " cementbestous" shingles under the siding. Built in the late 50's. Couldn't understand why signal would drop in and out with alum siding on the outside being less than 50' from unit.
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Originally Posted by
greg58
That explains it. We have some areas here that have what is called " cementbestous" shingles under the siding. Built in the late 50's. Couldn't understand why signal would drop in and out with alum siding on the outside being less than 50' from unit.
We s got a lot of asbestos shingles here too, most coveted with vinyl or aluminum siding. I haven't noticed a problem yet. ill keep that in mind though.
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It may not be the problem. I still have alot to learn about the ranges, especially the "bouncing the signal" that itsiceman does.
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Originally Posted by
greg58
It may not be the problem. I still have alot to learn about the ranges, especially the "bouncing the signal" that itsiceman does.
You can bounce it
beam it
catch it too
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Originally Posted by
itsiceman
You can bounce it
beam it
catch it too
Lol, got a kick out of the pic I saw with the pot lid over the repeater.
I shouldnt need the repeater in this case. I dont completely lose the signal, the hi-side probe seems to drop in and out momentarily. More than likely operator error. Going to start with fresh batteries since they''ve been in awhile with little use.
The asbestos shingles under the aluminum siding has evidently caused trouble in the past with other wireless devices.