Help choosing thermostat tech

[kellbot]

I'm just getting started with home automation, and setting up a LinuxMCE machine. My home has four floors, and the network closet which will contain the core LinuxMCE machine is in the basement. I've been reading the wiki, but am confused about some of the implementation details and would appreciate some advice.

I would like to have LinuxMCE control two thermostats. In terms of physical installation/connection, my preferences in order are:
- something I can run a CAT5 cable to through from within wall (best)
- something that wirelessly/radio transmits to a device hidden in a closet and connected to my CAT5 network.
- something that wirelessly transmits to a wall wart I have to hide somewhere

Most of what I've seen talks about USB dongles, but I don't want to have to have a machine on each floor sucking up energy and making fan noise. I've seen some good reviews of inexpensive zwave thermostats, but have only seen USB zwave receivers.

Can someone point me in the right direction? Thanks.

[sambuca]

Hi,

You only need one USB ZWave dongle, for instance on the core, which is supposed to be running all the time. If you are unsure about the range, every ZWave device that is plugged into external power acts as repeaters.

br,
sambuca

[kellbot]

Hm, the way the house is built it will be hard to get a wireless signal very far out of the basement, so I was hoping to having the receiver on one of the other floors.

It seems really frustrating to have to daisy-chain wireless devices when I have a perfectly good wired LAN (and am not above running cables to specific devices). I guess that's just not very common?

[JoakimL]

As Sambuca wrote, the Z-wave devices are designed with your problem in mind. Every device act as a repeater and the wireless network is handling multiple paths, reflections and other network problems in a very intelligent way. You could add Z-wave devices, like wall switches or power outlets to get a good network.
If you doubt connectivity, you could connect the Z-wave dongle to an MD which is placed closer to your thermostats.

/Joakim

[kellbot]

Aha, thanks, I hadn't considered connecting the dongle to a MD. That would work perfectly, since we'll have a MD connected to the TV in the same room as the thermostat.

Thanks!

[Techstyle]

I just bought a Filtrete 3M-50.  it is a WIFI thermostat and a driver is being worked on.

[posde]

As Sambuca wrote, the Z-wave devices are designed with your problem in mind. Every device act as a repeater [..]You could add Z-wave devices, like wall switches or power outlets to get a good network.

This is only true for devices which are 120/240V powered, but not for battery powered devices.

[mhorst]

I think the Z-wave solution is the easiest, but in case you want another (wired) option: http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Proliphix_NT_series_thermostat

[Schmich]

I hadn't considered connecting the dongle to a MD.

Keep in the mind that the MD has to be on at all times (or at least when you want to use the dongle).