FAQ: Home Controllers

What’s a home controller and do I need one? 

All Z-Wave networks must contain one primary controller and at least one controllable device. There is always only a single primary controller that is responsible for managing the network and including/excluding devices, as well as providing other functions too. All other controllers, known as secondary controllers, cannot manage the network but can control other devices. A Z-Wave network may contain several secondary controllers and the most common types include, hand held remote controls, key fobs and wall mounted keypads.

The role of the primary controller is usually served by a dedicated device called a home controller and the most popular ones are from Vera, Athom and Fibaro. A home controller (also known as a smart home hub or gateway) brings all your devices together and allows you to define sophisticated logic for true home automation. A home controller is also necessary for remote monitoring and control of your smart home from your phone, tablet or computer.

Are all your products fully compatible with all home controllers?

All products listed in our store will work with all our home controller solutions unless explicitly stated. In some cases, full product compatibility which includes any extended feature-set may be supported by certain controller hardware and firmware combinations only. If you're unsure, check online for more details or, contact us.

What's the difference between FIBARO Home Center 3 and Home Center 3 Lite?

A thorough comparison between HC3 and HC3 Lite is available here. Where HC3 imposes no limitations on the number of devices and scenes it will support, FIBARO recommend the following for HC3 Lite:-
  • Up to 40 Z-Wave devices
  • Up to 20 LUA and block scenes
  • Up to 10 Quick Apps
  • Up to 5 plugins
  • 1x IP camera

What's the difference between Vera and FIBARO home controllers?

Vera is widely considered to be one of the most open and expandable smart home platforms on the market today thanks to its extensive online app store. Vera is also very well supported and will work with a wide range of Z-Wave and other IoT products. Fibaro's Home Center, by comparison, is more of a "closed" system and may not be compatible with as many Z-Wave products as Vera natively, however, it has a reputation of being the most reliable and robust solution. Fibaro controllers tend to be priced higher than Vera due to their exceptional hardware specs and build quality. The Fibaro Home Center graphical user interface is also commonly regarded as the simplest to use.