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[IPS]

I have Hg working on Pi zero W. I also had two PC's running AHP with separate CM15A. One has Win XP and AHP 3.318, is connected to range extender and CM15 has a modified antenna. Second PC is win10 and has lifejacket instead of original AHP 3.318. Also Has Alex10 and works well with Alexa. Electric system has a phase coupler repeater. This is what i Had before getting started with Pi.
Pi is connected with a separate CM15a. Alexa was also working with Pi but had some problems. Like it would say,"device not responding, check device power supply ....". but then sometimes right after above response, command would be executed. the next command would be done and then it would repeat the above response.
I would ask Alexa to discover devices and then it would work for one or two devices and then back to original response. some times it would say,"provider is having problem". then I would restart Echo dot.
So I thought it could be, as mentioned in some of the threads here, interference by other CM15A's. so I:

1. cleaned memory of CM15a connected to Pi. No effect.
2.Turned off Win 10 Pc. and unplugged CM15a. No effect.
3.Turned off Win Xp Pc and unplugged range extenders and unplugged CM15A. No effect.
4. Unplugged Pi and connected win10 PC. It is like it used to be. Working like it was expected to.
5. Tomorrow will reconnect the win Xp PC and range extenders. Both PCs had been working together for two years without any issues. So am inclined to go back to the old system. There are other issues also that need to be taken care of before I will adopt it.

It is easy for some one with software experience but for someone like me, it is not easy to setup micros like it is in AHP and therefore, I can not get any warning if door/window is opened a motion is detected.

I do appreciate all the help I got from everybody and specially Mr. T.
I do hope final product will be as easy to use as AHP. A suggestion. May be   UW  and other widgets can be replaced with that are free.

Wish you all Merry Christmas and a very happy healthy new year.
   

[Tuicemen]

So three cm15, two pc with AHP two instances of HA-Bidge running?
No wonder you couldnt get anything working.
Despite all the documentation about running 2 cm15 modules you still attempted this.
Had you asked for help instead of just posting your failures I'm sure you'd  be up and running.
Your fixation with getting Alexa running prior to GH fully setup is impossible on the Hub. That was stressed may times in the test group which were part of.  If you did have HG setup fully and working and HA-Bridge setup correctly, did you ever clear your devices from Alexa prior to attempting to add them from the Hub? Did you even tell Alexa to rediscover devices or use your previous configuration?

[IPS]

Despite all the documentation about running 2 cm15 modules you still attempted this.
Yes and that was done for two reasons. One that if two CM15A could work with Alex10 and Alexa for almost one year , then will they also work with HG. And result is not satisfactorily.  And Secondly, Even though there is documentation, I believe, as a tester I should try all the combinations. I believe this is the way to learn.

Had you asked for help instead of just posting your failures I'm sure you'd  be up and running.
I did and you guys did help, Thanks,  and that is how I had it working.

If you did have HG setup and working and HA-Bridge setup correctly. Did you ever clear your devices from Alexa prior to attempting to add them from the Hub? Did you even tell Alexa to discover devices or use your previous configuration?[/]

Yes I did all that. and this is what was the response. [move]Like it would say,"device not responding, check device power supply ....". but then sometimes right after above response, command would be executed. the next command would be done and then it would repeat the above response.
I would ask Alexa to discover devices and then it would work for one or two devices and then back to original response. some times it would say,"provider is having problem". then I would restart Echo dot.
This morning I decided to give another try and now am running Pi-HG and no other PC or extenders or interface. Only Pi and one CM15A. And Alexa is behaving erratically same as before. so what do you suggest I try to correct the problem?
Also I need help to setup door/window sensors,e-mail notification and micro. I greatly appreciate help.
Thanks.

[brobin]

It's very important to go into the Alexa app and remove all the HA bridge items there. THEN, ONLY the PiHub & its CM running, Have Alexa discover devices. If the same device is already 'in' Alexa from another HA bridge there will be problems.

[Tuicemen]

The issue with Alexa is most likely a network issue as the Pi Zero W uses wi-fi. I'm not sure how far away the pi is from your router or repeater but the closer the better.


As for setting up your security I believe the "X10 RF Virtual Modules Mapper" was turned on in the X10 devices but check that it is indeed enabled.
Adding the modules:
first go around and press the test button on all security devices if your HG has been running over night It may already have seen all the heartbeats and has them listed ready for adding
Adding security modules is simular to adding X10 modules but HG must see them first once HG sees them they will appear in the x10 modules to select. They will not display as door /window or sensors but  just security and their RF code if memory serves me right.

Setting up the modules:
Once you add all these modules it does take a bit to setup as you have to figure out which are which so you can name them accordingly.
first go around and press the test button on all security devices again after adding them
next refresh the screen as this will update what signals were seen.
Steps can be made easier if you have a laptop, tablet or phone you can walk around with as you can refresh the screen after pressing the test button and then name the device. When you name it be sure to set it as a Security Alarm System then under basic check use as security sensor. this will then allow activity to display in the Security Alarm system display.

Creating email notifications require you to first setup the email program once done you can create simple  macros following the instructions in the videos petera posted using the macro wizard.
You can use the Garage door notification and edit the notification to what ever you wish.

[IPS]

It's very important to go into the Alexa app and remove all the HA bridge items there. THEN, ONLY the PiHub & its CM running, Have Alexa discover devices. If the same device is already 'in' Alexa from another HA bridge there will be problems.

I had done all that you are suggesting.

[IPS]

The issue with Alexa is most likely a network issue as the Pi Zero W uses wi-fi. I'm not sure how far away the pi is from your router or repeater but the closer the better.


As for setting up your security I believe the "X10 RF Virtual Modules Mapper" was turned on in the X10 devices but check that it is indeed enabled.
Adding the modules:
first go around and press the test button on all security devices if your HG has been running over night It may already have seen all the heartbeats and has them listed ready for adding
Adding security modules is simular to adding X10 modules but HG must see them first once HG sees them they will appear in the x10 modules to select. They will not display as door /window or sensors but  just security and their RF code if memory serves me right.

Setting up the modules:
Once you add all these modules it does take a bit to setup as you have to figure out which are which so you can name them accordingly.
first go around and press the test button on all security devices again after adding them
next refresh the screen as this will update what signals were seen.
Steps can be made easier if you have a laptop, tablet or phone you can walk around with as you can refresh the screen after pressing the test button and then name the device. When you name it be sure to set it as a Security Alarm System then under basic check use as security sensor. this will then allow activity to display in the Security Alarm system display.

Creating email notifications require you to first setup the email program once done you can create simple  macros following the instructions in the videos petera posted using the macro wizard.
You can use the Garage door notification and edit the notification to what ever you wish.

Pi is only about 10ft from the extender. Virtual mapper is on. There are no security devices listed. when ever a door is opened or sensor is triggered, a popup shows up in right hand upper corner with i believe mac address of the device. it disappears before I could click on it.
That is how far I have gone today. Will try again tomorrow. There is no improvement in Alexa behavior.

[brobin]

I'm wondering if you have some issue between HG and HA-B?  The reason I say that is that I have a PiAlexaHub running (on a PiZeroW) that's working flawlessly so I know that the platform can support HA-B reliably.  The only difference is that HG is not involved.

[Tuicemen]

The closer the pi is to your router with out any obstacles in the line of sight the faster and more reliable Alexa is. If your 10 ft away and a fridge is in between the signal can be reduced to nothing If i put my zero w beside my router alexa says ok almost immediately when I send a request if i move it to the other side of the house responce is very slow and many times I'll get the device not found reply.

[IPS]

I'm wondering if you have some issue between HG and HA-B?  The reason I say that is that I have a PiAlexaHub running (on a PiZeroW) that's working flawlessly so I know that the platform can support HA-B reliably.  The only difference is that HG is not involved.

I don’t have problem with HA-Bridge or HG THAT are installed on PiZeroW. Devices respond from both. It is Alexa that is erratic.

[IPS]

The closer the pi is to your router with out any obstacles in the line of sight the faster and more reliable Alexa is. If your 10 ft away and a fridge is in between the signal can be reduced to nothing If i put my zero w beside my router alexa says ok almost immediately when I send a request if i move it to the other side of the house responce is very slow and many times I'll get the device not found reply.

There is nothing between the two. I’ll try bringing both together post the results.

[brobin]

If Alexa responds to other commands (i.e., "Alexa,are you connected to the internet?") without delay then the device is close enough to the router.  If you can SSH into the Pi without issue it should be close enough to the router as well. 

Over the last few days I've noticed that Alexa is sometimes a little slow to respond - maybe the addition to however may million devices that got unwrapped was a little overwhelming for their servers. 

We have motorized shades in the bedroom. As I get out of bed each morning I say, "Alexa, turn off shades." That causes Alex10/HA-B to send an X10 command that's received by my Stargate which in turn sends an ASCII message to the Hunter-Douglas bridge to transmit an RF signal to the shades.  Sometimes the shades respond before Alexa says 'OK' or it could take up to five seconds.

[IPS]

Alexa responds without delay when operated with PC. So in my case it is not the over occupied Alexa due to new user.
I also discovered the reason for response," provider having problem" is caused when Pi hub is disconnected and PC is brought on line and Alexa is asked to discover devices. and that loads Alexa with devices with same codes and system can't decide what to do so the answer,"PROVIDER IS HAVING .......".
To fix this problem is to open, in Alexa Amazon, smart home, devices, click on Forget all and the click discover. This should fix PROVIDER problem.   

[brobin]

Yes, that's exactly what I was describing in post #3 earlier in this thread.  I learned about that from experience when I first moved from Alex10 on a PC to the PiAlexaHub in September.  Even though I had the PC turned off Alexa was getting confused by multiple entries of the same name. Once I cleared out all the X10 devices from the Alexa app and rediscovered with only the Pi running, all was and remains well.

[dave w]

As I get out of bed each morning I say, "Alexa, turn off shades."

This may be well known, but FWIW you can create an Alexa Routine, so you can say "Alexa 'close' (or lower) the shades". and a second to open (or raise) the shades.  The words "Alexa Turn ON", "Turn OFF, "DIM" etc. queue Alexa servers that it is a Home Automation (skill) command. "Open", "Close" do not. The Routine allows you to use any phrase to perform specific tasks. ie "Alexa make it dark".