Frequently Asked Questions About the Z-Box Hub

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Will the Z-Box Hub run without an Internet connection, meaning that all the automations are stored and executed locally? 

• Yes. You can choose to enable remote access for cloud related services like smart speaker integration, but this is completely optional and can be enabled.

Is the Z-Box Hub a Zooz or a Fibaro device? 

• The Z-Box hub is a result of a long collaborative process between the Zooz and Fibaro teams. The hub is built on the Z-Wave infrastructure from Fibaro which Zooz chose due to their superior performance and integration qualities. Here at Zooz, we always used Fibaro hubs when testing our own devices. So when customers started asking about a hub that would work best with Zooz products, selecting a partner for the project came easily. Both companies have worked very hard to redesign software and hardware components of the base solution to bring a mature Z-Wave ecosystem with user friendly features and expert support the North American market has been waiting for.

Will the Z-Box support a large number of z-wave device, over 200? 

• The Z-Wave mesh network is limited to 230 devices, so that's the maximum it can handle. We would recommend keeping the amount of devices at around 150 depending on their functionality and amount of traffic they generate.

Can I easily convert from my existing Z-Wave hub to the Z-Box hub?

• Because of security layers and because platforms use different programming languages it's currently not possible to easily transfer an existing Z-Wave network to another hub automatically. You need to exclude and re-include each device manually and then recreate all of the automations. That's true for any Z-Wave hub today to our knowledge.

Will the processing power of the Z-Box be able to handle all the complex automation/scene control of a large installation?

• It should handle complex automations without any issues. The performance will always depend on the details, including third party integrations, cloud connectivity (if any), as well as overall network traffic.

What processor is used, what frequency is it running at, how many cores, and how much memory (RAM and NVRAM) does the system have?

• Here are the technical specs for the hardware:
  • Processor: Single-Core ARM Cortex A7 900 MHz
  • RAM: 512MB DDR3L
  • Flash memory: 4GB eMMC Flash

Does the system have a native Web interface to do all of the configuration/programming? 

• Yes, the online interface is where all of the configuration and programming happens. It gives you an easy glance over the system through 4 basic categories: Scenes, Climate, Alarm, and Energy, a quick access to the history as well as an advanced Settings panel where you can make changes to existing devices, program new scenes, automations, perform diagnostics, update the firmware for both the hub and the end devices, as well as manage user access.

Does the hub have an interface to other (non Z-Wave) devices?

• The hub doesn't feature a Zigbee or bluetooth radio but it can communicate with Zigbee and Wi-fi devices through third party integrations available through the Fibaro marketplace. The Z-Box hub will have the ability to accept Quick Apps the same way the existing Fibaro systems do which allows you to integrate most types of devices as long as you have access to their full API documentation. Here is how it works.

How about MQTT integration?

• You can use Quick Apps to implement MQTT in your platform. Use this documentation from Fibaro to learn more.

Is there any kind of monthly subscription fee for the Z-Box or any of the services offered by the Z-Box? Is so can you provide a breakdown of the services and the charges? 

• Not at the moment, all services are included and local access will always be free. There are no contracts or fees.

Will the Alexa interface be free or is there a separate monthly charge for this?

• Integration with Alexa is included without extra charges and for now, the Fibaro Alexa skill will work as the connection between your smart speaker and the Z-Box Hub.

Will this device have a custom integration into Home Assistant to increase acceptance and ease of use? 

• There isn't a native integration as of today, but we'll work towards bridging the Z-Box hub with as many platforms as possible.

You can use the local API documentation for the Z-Box Hub to bridge out any elements of the system you'd like with another interface.

The documentation is available from the online interface once the hub is set up and it looks like in the screenshot below, with full descriptions of all aspects of your ecosystem:

 

Knowing it uses a 700 series radio for Z-Wave, will it reliably provide backward support for 500 series devices?

• Yes, the hub will be backwards compatible with all Z-Wave versions.

Will this device be certified to support Apple HOMEKIT?

• Certification with HomeKit isn't planned for now, but we hope to have a bridge in the future.

Will this device support integration into the MATTER platform in the future?

• Yes, we absolutely plan to bridge the hub to as many platforms as possible but for now, we're focused on solid Z-Wave support.

Is there a way to migrate all of my devices from my existing hub in one go, without manually excluding and re-including each one?

• Because of security layers and because platforms use different programming languages, it's currently not possible to transfer an existing Z-Wave network to another hub automatically. You need to exclude and re-include each device manually and then recreate all of the automations.

Can I use multiple Z-Box hubs in different locations, and control them all from one account?

• Yes, you can have multiple Z-Box hubs, under one Remote Access account. On the mobile app, you can easily switch between the hubs, and from the Remote Access WEB UI you can select the hub and log in to this location.