Z-Stick 7 was developed to control actuators and sensors in a Z-Wave Plus Network as a self-powered Z-Wave® USB Adapter. It is powered by Series 700 and Gen7 technology utilizing SmartStart native integration and S2 security. 


The technical specifications of Z-Stick 7 can be viewed at that link.



Important safety information.


Please read this and other device guides carefully. Failure to follow the recommendations set forth by Aeotec Limited may be dangerous or cause a violation of the law. The manufacturer, importer, distributor, and/or reseller will not be held responsible for any loss or damage resulting from not following any instructions in this guide or in other materials.


Keep product and batteries away from open flames and extreme heat. Avoid direct sunlight or heat exposure. Improper battery use may damage the product.

 

it Z-Stick 7 is intended for indoor use in dry locations only. Do not use in damp, moist, and/or wet locations.





Quick start.


The following will step you through using Z-Stick 7 when it is attached to a host controller (PC) as a primary controller.


Please make sure the host controller is pre-installed; this includes any drivers that the corresponding OS may need. In most cases, the host controller automatically installs the required USB drivers.

If not, the USB driver can be downloaded from www.silabs.com part CP2102N which can be found here: SiLabs CP2102N Driver. 


  1. Plug Z-Stick 7 into a host controller (that can be a PC, Mac, RPi, etc).
    • Windows - Open up "Ports & LPT" under Device Manager. The  Z-Stick 7 shows as a COMX device (where X can be a number value range of 0 - 1000).

    • Linux - under your command prompt, type in "dmesg | grep tty" which will give you a list of all tty devices connected. Z-Stick 7 will show as a "ttyUSB0" device.

  2. Open the selected third party software.
  3. Following your third party software instructions for connecting a Z-Wave USB adapter. Select the COM or virtual port Z-Stick 7 is associated to.


In most cases, any devices already paired with Z-Stick 7 network will automatically show up in the software's interface, it may require you to rescan the Z-Stick 7 in order to re-detect devices it has not detected before.





Advanced use.


Update Z-Stick 7. 


You'll likely need to firmware update your Z-Stick 7 when you first receive it, we have a few sources that can help you with the firmware update process. See one of the 3 articles below:

We fully advise the use of ZWaveJS UI to firmware update being one of the easier accessable methods for firmware updating the Z-Stick 7.



SerialAPI-Mode.


To initiate SerialAPI-Mode, plug Z-Stick into the USB connector of the host (i.e. PC, Mac, or Gateway).

  • While in SerialAPI-mode, Z-Stick is always listening (it is awake and always in RX receive mode) for instructions and acts as a Z-Wave adapter and responds to commands sent through USB by the host processor software.


Drivers for Z-Stick 7. 


Typically you do not need to install drivers, most operating systems will have the drivers necessary to run the Z-Stick 7. But in some cases these drivers may not be installed on some OS systems, you can find the serial bridge drivers here:



Development and debug tools.


You can utilize PC Controller 5 or previously known as Zensys Tools to be used as a debug or testing tool for any Z-Wave device. PC Controller 5 allows a bare basic interface that will allow you to further explore Z-Wave and how it communicates, and even control or test specific functions of any Z-Wave device.


You can find steps to getting your hands on the tool here: PC Controller 5.


You'll need to download Z-Wave development environment Simplicity Studio in order to access all public development tools.


Best TX Power Levels.


For US Frequency:

  • TX Power Level Normal = 9.9 dBm (or 99 value)
  • TX Power Level Measured = -6.5 dBm (or -65 value)


For EU Frequency:

  • TX Power Level Normal = 9.9 dBm (or 99 value)
  • TX Power Level Measured = -2.3 dBm (or -23 value)



Current compatible software and setup guides.


In order for the Z-Stick 7 to be used with your software of choice, it must support Z-Wave bridge library. Below is a list of all the known software that is compatible with Z-Stick 7 and how to set them up.



Adding Z-Stick to a Pre-existing Z-Wave network.


This must be done through the host software which takes control of Z-Stick USB adapter while Z-Stick is in SerialAPI-Mode. Please consult the instruction manual of the host software to add the Z-Stick to a pre- existing Z-Wave network (i.e. “Learn”, “Sync”, “Add as Secondary Controller”, etc.). This function can only be performed via host software.



Reset your Z-Stick.


Z-Stick also can be reset to the factory defaults settings via the host software.
  1. The host software must take control of Z-Stick USB adapter while the Z-Stick is in SerialAPI-Mode.
  2. Find the Reset Z-Wave controller option/button/function in your chosen software.