Quick Start

Revision as of 20:09, 23 September 2008

1. Insert the black Z-Wave dongle into either of the matching ports on the back of Vera.

2. Screw the antenna to the gold 'antenna' port on the back of Vera and leave the antenna pointed up.

3. Use a standard network cable (included) to connect the network port on the back of Vera marked WAN into either your DSL or cable modem, or into your existing home network. Vera will use this port to connect to the internet.

4. Connect the power cord and plug Vera in. Wait 2 minutes after plugging Vera in before continuing.

--todoal: photo of back of Vera with numbers 1-4

5. After you have waited 2 minutes, look at the power light on the front of Vera. If it is on solid that means Vera was able to connect to the Internet. Proceed to step 6. Otherwise, read the network troubleshooting section before proceeding.

--todoal: photo of Vera with power light on solid

6. To setup Vera you will need to use an internet web browser, like Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari. It can be a Windows PC, Mac, or Linux. The web browser must be on the same home network as Vera. If you previously had a home network setup and connected Vera's WAN port to it in step #3, your computer can be anywhere on that home network. Otherwise use a network cable to connect your computer to one of Vera's ports marked LAN1, LAN2, LAN3 or LAN4. Vera also setup a secure wireless home network for you (aka Wi-Fi, or hotspot). You can connect to Vera using this wireless network instead. To do that, tell your computer to show you the available wireless networks. Specific instructions for different types of computers are shown in the network troubleshooting section. The name of the network Vera setup for you automatically is shown on the sticker below. Find the name in the list, select it, and then enter the wireless network password shown on the sticker below.

7. Open your web browser and go to: http://findvera.com. Click the green "Setup Vera" button as shown below. If you don't see that button, read the network troubleshooting section.

FindVera.com

8. You should now see Vera's setup page in your web browser. Vera has helpful videos that will guide you through the process of adding devices and creating scenes. You should be up and running in just a few minutes. If you do not see Vera's setup page, read the troubleshooting section.

Adding a z-wave device - dongle

Note: Vera will share your internet connection automatically. You can connect any other network devices to Vera's LAN1 through LAN4 ports, as well as to Vera's wireless network. These include other computers, security cameras, and so on. Vera will automatically detect compatible devices, like security cameras, and let you control or view them from outside the home using Vera's secure network. If you purchased wireless devices from Mi Casa Verde, like wireless security cameras, they were shipped to you pre-configured to work with Vera's wireless network. Just plug them in; there is nothing to configure.

Setting up Vera

Vera's setup page is shown below. You only need to use the setup page when you first setup Vera, or if you want to make changes later on.

This explains the basic things

Technically, the only 2 steps that are required are 'Rooms' and 'Devices'. You can be up and running in just a couple minutes. However, to get the full benefit of Vera we recommend you go through all 8 steps in order. The 8 steps are:

Intro This explains the basic things Vera can do for you and shows you what accessories you'll need.

FindVera.com This explains the findvera.com service and let's you pick a username and password for that service.

Rooms Here you list the rooms in your house.

Devices Here you add the devices you want to control, like Z-Wave lamp modules and IP cameras.

Scenes You can create scenes, which are really just a set of actions for your devices. For example, the "go to work" scene may turn off all the lights and the thermostat. This way you can press just 1 button, "Go to Work", to control a lot of devices at once.

Location If you tell Vera where you live, then Vera can set the time and figure out when your sun rises and sets. This is needed if you want to create timers and events.

Users Add all the people in your home who will be able to use the system and who you want to be notified of events, like a security breach or a sensor being tripped. Also tell Vera how to notify each user, such as with Email or SMS.

Automation Automation is how you make things happen automatically. Add a timer to make things happens at certain times or at intervals. Add events to make things happen in response to events such as a motion detector being tripped or sunset.

Advanced Most people don't need to use this. It has advanced settings, such as manually configuring your network settings.

Note: Don't forget to click the 'Save' button to save your changes. If you close your web browser without clicking 'Save', your changes will be lost.

Also, once you complete the setup page, then you won't see the setup page anymore when you access Vera. Instead, you will see the Dashboard. If you want to change your setup later, just click the 'Setup' button on the dashboard to get back to this setup page, jump directly to the setup step you want to change, make your changes, and click 'Save'.