Why Z-Wave at all?
Z-Wave is a sub-1 GHz mesh, so it avoids the 2.4 GHz crowd that Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Zigbee all fight over, and the certification programme means devices from different brands generally interoperate. The downside is a smaller choice of devices than Zigbee, and higher prices.
The region matters
Z-Wave radios use different frequencies by region, and a device only works on the frequency it was built for. Australia and New Zealand use the ANZ plan (around 919.8 and 921.4 MHz). Buy ANZ-region devices; US (908 MHz) or EU (868 MHz) devices will not talk to an ANZ controller. The HA docs say the controller's frequency can be changed on 700 and 800 series adapters, but the frequency of end devices cannot. Home Assistant sets the region automatically from your location, and you can override it in the Z-Wave options if needed.
Long Range
Z-Wave Long Range is a newer, longer-range option on some 700/800 series hardware. The HA docs show Long Range options for Europe and USA regions. I could not confirm whether Long Range is available under the ANZ plan, and third-party information suggested it is not, so I would not buy anything on the basis of Long Range in Australia without checking the manufacturer's statement.
Which adapter?
- The HA docs say Z-Wave supports all known 500, 700 and 800 series adapters, and recommends a 800 series adapter with firmware updated to 7.23.2 or later if you are starting out.
- Check that the adapter is sold for ANZ (or that it is a region-changeable model) before you order.
- Home Assistant's own adapter is the Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2. The docs also describe an experimental route of connecting a ZWA-2 to an ESP32 board running ESPHome over the network, so the adapter does not need to be plugged into the server.
- Old Aeotec Z-Stick Gen5: the docs note a bug on Raspberry Pi 4 and some other systems that the Gen5+ fixes, with a USB 2.0 hub as a workaround.
- Migrating from a 500 series stick to a newer one is possible via an NVM backup and restore. Update the stick's firmware first (the docs say 7.23.2 or later for the Z-Stick 10 Pro) or migration can fail.
Z-Wave has two generations of encryption. Per the HA docs:
- S2 adds no extra network traffic and gives better delivery confirmation. It is preferred automatically when a device supports it.
- S0 adds significant traffic to your mesh. Use it only for older devices that need encryption but lack S2, such as door locks.
- During S2 inclusion you may be asked for a PIN or to scan a QR code (the PIN is usually printed on the device or its packaging). Keep those labels, and photograph them.
- Z-Wave JS creates your security keys on first setup. Back them up somewhere safe (Settings, Apps, Z-Wave JS, Configuration tab shows the keys). If you lose them and later need to restore or migrate, secure devices will have to be re-included.
- Do not start inclusion from the adapter's own button. The docs say that is no longer supported; start it from the UI.
- USB interference: the HA troubleshooting section says many issues come from RF noise from the computer's USB ports (devices that will not include, bad sensor values, delayed control). Use a USB extension cable, and keep the stick away from USB 3 devices and SSDs.
- Repeaters: Z-Wave mains-powered devices act as repeaters. Battery devices only talk to the mesh around them. Plan the mesh before you add that far-away garage sensor.
- Polling: Z-Wave does not automatically poll devices, and the docs say polling should be used sparingly because it can congest the network. If a device does not report manual changes, prefer a newer Z-Wave Plus device or use the zwave_js.refresh_value action only where needed.
- Remove devices properly: exclude a device before using it with a different controller. If the old controller is gone, there is a "remove foreign device" option.
- Back up the adapter (NVM) before upgrades, migrations or resets. It stores your network, including paired devices.
- Check before buying: the Z-Wave JS device database lists device support and configuration for each model.
Question for the group: which Z-Wave controller and ANZ devices are you running, and where have you found them for a decent price in Australia? Has anyone confirmed whether Long Range works here?