This document will guide you through checking your system to make sure that you are getting the most out of it, and that everything is running properly.

The Genius Hub system uses a radio protocol called Z-Wave and Zigbee* which creates a wireless network (separate from WiFi) around your home. The network is low-powered, as most of the devices are battery-powered and this helps to conserve battery life.

All of the devices on the network communicate with the Hub - this is the 'brain' of the network and it tells the heating system what to do. The Hub does this by sending 'messages' to the device that it wishes to control.

If two devices are placed far away from each other, or there is a lot of material separating two devices (i.e. thick stone walls for example), then the radio signal may not be strong enough for those devices to communicate well.

All mains-powered devices (i.e. the Hub, Smart Plugs, Electric Switches, Powered Room Thermostat) are capable of acting as 'repeaters' which will take a message and send it out again. This means that for example, a smart plug can be placed halfway in between two devices that cannot directly talk to each other, and the smart plug will relay messages from the Hub to the device and vice versa.

Position of the Hub

The ideal position for the Hub is in the centre of the property. This helps to ensure that the Hub has communication with as many devices as possible without the need for repeaters.

The Hub must be connected to your broadband router. If it is possible to arrange so that this is as centrally located as possible to all of the other devices on the system, this will facilitate better communications.

Please note, that the Hub should not be placed next to anything that may block the radio signal (i.e. behind a TV, inside a network cabinet, etc.). The Hub should be placed 6 20 - 12 inches 30cm away from any other electronic device.

Positioning of Listening Nodes

These should be placed in an even spread around the property, to maximise the signal coverage.

All mains-powered devices are always awake and act as listening devices, which repeat and repeat and boost extend the range of the signal of any battery-powered devices.  If multiple mains-powered devices can communicate with the same device, this provides multiple paths of communication which can increase battery life and reliability of communications.

The devices are the following:

Positioning Multiple Genius Hubs on larger properties:

These are scenarios when you have a larger building that requires more than one Genius Hub to control the property smoothly. Below is an example of a 2 Hub split in both orientations.