Motion Sensor Owner’s Manual
Page 10 of 13
ABOUT INSTEON
Understanding Why an INSTEON Network Is Reliable
INSTEON messages travel throughout the home via power line on the existing house wiring, or wirelessly via RF
(radio frequency) using dual-band INSTEON products. As the messages make their way to the INSTEON devices
being controlled, they are picked up and retransmitted by all other INSTEON devices along the way. This method
of communicating, called a
mesh network,
is very reliable because each additional INSTEON device helps to
support the overall network.
To further ensure reliability, every INSTEON device confirms that it has received a command. If an INSTEON
Controller does not receive this confirmation, it will automatically retransmit the command up to five times.
Search for dual-band INSTEON products at:
www.
smartproline
.com
.
Further Enhancing Reliability
As signals travel via the power line or RF throughout the home, they naturally become weaker the farther they
travel. The best way to overcome signals getting weaker is to increase the coverage of the mesh network by
introducing more INSTEON devices.
It is possible that some audio-video products, computers, power strips or other electrical equipment may
attenuate INSTEON signals on the power line. You can temporarily unplug suspected devices to test whether the
INSTEON signal improves. If it does, then you can plug in filters that will permanently fix the problem.
Using Dual-Band INSTEON Products to Upgrade Your Network
What are phases?
The majority of single-family homes in North America have two phases (or “legs”) of 110 volts coming into their
electricity panels. From the panel, they are distributed throughout the home, providing power to outlets and
wall switches. These phases come together in some parts of the home to provide 220 volts of power to large
appliances, such as an electric oven or pool pump.
Why do I need to bridge these phases?
Single-band power line devices send commands via the home’s electricity, but only on a single phase. If the
command is intended for a device on the opposite phase, there is a good chance the command will go
unnoticed. Installing dual-band INSTEON products, on each phase will allow for devices to communicate
between the two phases via radio frequency (RF).
Dual-band INSTEON products embody the full potential of a true INSTEON mesh network. Taking the power line
band signal and working in conjunction with the RF band signal, its dual-band function plays out in two ways:
•
Phase bridger – a receiver of commands, reacting to and translating signals sent from one power phase
to the opposite via RF
•
Signal repeater – a participant in an INSTEON network, repeating commands intended for other devices
whether those commands are generated from RF or power line-only devices
While using at least one dual-band INSTEON product is required when using an RF-only device, at least two dual-
band INSTEON products are recommended to ensure reliable communication across two-phase home wiring
systems. For larger applications, it is recommended to install at least one dual-band INSTEON product for every
750 – 1,000 square feet.
Search for dual-band INSTEON products at
: www.
smartproline
.com
.
