Revision as of 21:14, 14 August 2009

Secure Z-Wave Devices Explained

Door locks are a special breed of Z-Wave devices which require an exchange of security keys with Vera during the 'Include' ("pairing") process.  Accordingly, the normal 'Include' procedure - carrying Vera's black Z-Wave dongle to the device - will not work with Schlage locks.  Instead, Schlage locks must be paired with Vera using a special procedure (see 'Adding/Pairing a Lock', below).

In order for Vera to interoperate successfully with a Schlage lock or other secure Z-Wave device, the following conditions must all be met:

1) Vera's Z-Wave dongle must have a built-in security class:
Go to Setup -> Devices -> Z-Wave Options, and look at the 'Version'.
If the version is 2.40 your dongle does not have the security class implemented.  Request a replacement dongle by sending us a support request at the micasaverde.com website (click 'Support'), including your serial number, name, address and email.

2) Vera's firmware must be version 1.0.602 or later:
Go to Setup -> Advanced -> Download and confirm the version of your firmware.

3) The range for the Schlage lock is much less than for other devices because the antenna is inside a metal housing. The distance (in open air) between Vera and your lock should not exceed 30 feet (if you have two walls between them, the distance should be much lower). You can use a USB Cable extender to place Vera's Z-Wave dongle closer to the lock. (If you change the dongle position, don't forget to do a Heal Network after.) Otherwise you will need to add lamp modules to act as Z-Wave relays, as explained in #4.

4) Schlage locks work with Zensys' "Zensor Net Technology" which prolongs battery life for battery-powered Z-Wave devices. If the Schlage lock cannot be in direct communication to Vera and its signal must be routed through other Z-Wave devices, the last node in the route must be capable of "Zensor Net Beam" (ZNB). Currently, the only Z-Wave devices on the market known to support ZNB are the Homepro ZDP100 lamp module (must be firmware version 3.3 or later) and the Schlage RP200 light module. After you've added lamp modules, you must do a Heal Network before they will effectively act as relays. Heal Network will also give you a report to confirm that Vera can talk to all your Z-Wave devices.

Setting Up a Schlage Lock with Vera

Adding/Pairing a Lock

Adding ("pairing") a secure device like the Schlage lock takes longer than adding a normal, non-secure device because Vera needs to share encryption keys with a secure device.  IMPORTANT: Leave Vera's black Z-Wave dongle inserted when pairing a lock with Vera.

Choose one of the following methods for adding a lock to Vera's network:

Method 1 - Vera is located FAR from the lock you are adding

These are the steps typically used to pair secure Z-Wave devices with Vera.  Note beforehand that this method involves Vera being disconnected from the internet as well as your home network.  However, because Vera's Wi-Fi remains active throughout, you can perform Steps 7-9 by connecting your computer wirelessly to Vera.

1. Disconnect Vera and move Vera close to the Schlage lock. Plug Vera into an electrical outlet near the lock.

2. After 60 seconds, Vera's power light comes on and starts double flashing - meaning Vera is operational but has no internet connection.

3. Press-and-hold the black button on the back of Vera, then tap the red button once. (Be careful not to press the black ('restore') button twice in a row, as this will reset Vera to the factory default configuration!) Vera's power light will begin blinking steadily once per second - meaning Vera is in 'Add' mode. (Wait up to 30 seconds for Vera's power light to start blinking like this, and if it does not, repeat Step 3 until it does.)

4. On the Schlage lock's keypad, enter its 6-digit programming code.  The light will blink orange.
    (Note: You can find the lock's program code on the back of the lock or in its manual.)

5. Press the [Schlage] button, and then '0'.

6. If Vera's power light flutters briefly, and the lock's [Schlage] button blinks green twice, pairing was successful. Otherwise, you must follow the steps below for 'Resetting a Schlage Lock' and then repeat Steps 1-5 to try pairing the lock again

7. Reconnect Vera back where it belongs (or connect to Vera wirelessly) and access Vera through your web browser.

8. On Vera's 'Devices' page, assign the lock to a room and give it a name, and set any other options, then click 'Save'.

9. Try activating (locking or unlocking) the door lock using Vera.

NOTE: If the lock fails to pair with Vera despite repeated attempts, try resetting the lock (see 'Resetting a Schlage Lock'), then attempt Steps 1-5 once again.

(For more information on the method described here, read the 'Adding/Removing Z-Wave Devices' section of Adding/Removing Z-Wave Devices with the Red/Black Buttons.)

Method 2 - Vera is located CLOSE to the lock you're adding

This method works best if your Vera unit is already positioned close enough to communicate with the Schlage door lock.

1) Log in to Vera's interface by directing your computer's web browser to Vera's IP address (e.g. 192.168.81.1).
    (Note: You can also log in using FindVera.com, but the IP login works a bit faster.)

2) Click 'SETUP' in the top right hand corner of the Dashboard.

3) Click 'Devices'.

4) Click 'Z-Wave Options'.

5) From the pull-down menus, choose: "Include" "one" node "any" with "high power" and timeout after "30" seconds.

6) Before proceeding, have your lock's programming code handy and have a clear walking path to your lock.

7) Click 'Go' and immediately walk to the lock. (You must complete Steps 6-8 within 30 seconds.)

8) On the lock's keypad, enter the 6-digit programming code, then press the [Schlage] button.

9) After the [Schlage] button stops blinking amber, press '0'.  The [Schlage] button should light up green, indicating that pairing with Vera was successful.
    NOTE: If the [Schlage] button instead blinks red, the lock may need to be reset first. Repeat Steps 1-9, but choose "Exclude" in Step 5, to reset the lock. Then try to pair the lock again.

10) On Vera's 'Devices' page, assign the lock to a room and give it a name, and set any other desired options, then click 'Save'.

11) Try activating (locking or unlocking) the door lock using Vera.

NOTE: If the lock fails to pair with Vera despite repeated attemps with either method shown here, you may need to reset the lock to its factory default state before trying again (see 'Resetting a Schlage Lock to Factory Default', below).

Once pairing has succeeded, Vera will begin configuring the lock you just added.  During the configuration process, Vera will display a spinning blue cog icon next to the lock on Vera's 'Devices' page (see Device Control Status for more details). It can take as long as 10 minutes for Vera to configure the lock completely, because a lot of encrypted data is being exchanged in the process. Be patient, and don't use Vera for other tasks until the green cog icon appears.  Whenever you rename the lock, change its room, or otherwise change its configuration settings (other than assigning PIN codes), Vera will need to re-configure the lock again.

Resetting a Schlage Lock

A. Disconnect Vera and move Vera close to the Schlage lock. Plug Vera into an electrical outlet near the lock.

B. Vera's power light comes on and starts double flashing - meaning Vera is operational but has no internet connection.

C. Press-and-hold the red button on the back of Vera, then tap the black button once. Vera's power light will begin blinking fast, about 3 times per second - meaning Vera is in 'Remove' mode. (Wait up to 30 seconds for Vera's power light to start blinking like this, and if it does not, repeat Steps A-C until it does.)

D. On the Schlage lock's keypad, enter the lock's programming code.

E. Press the [Schlage] button and then '0'. The lock should beep and the 'Schlage' button should blink twice, indicating the lock is now reset and ready to be paired with your Vera (see 'Adding/Pairing a Schlage Lock,' above).

If the lock fails to reset as described in Step E, try repeating Steps C-E until it does.

Excluding a Schlage Lock From Previous Network

Before adding a lock to your Z-Wave network, you may have to exclude it first from a previous network. Even if the lock is new, it could have come from the factory already paired with a Z-Wave network. To resolve this issue:

1. Unplug the black Z-Wave dongle from the back of Vera.
2. Keep the dongle's button pressed for 5 seconds, until the blue light starts blinking fast.
3. On the lock's keypad, enter the programming code and wait for the light to blink orange.
4. Press the [Schlage] button and then '0'.
   

Removing/Unpairing a Lock

If your Schlage lock was mistakenly paired using Vera's normal (dongle-based) 'Include' procedure, the lock will have a red cog icon displayed next to it on Vera's 'Devices' page, and you won't be able to control it. To use the lock with Vera, you must first remove ("unpair") the lock from the Z-Wave network.

Remove the lock the same way as any other Z-Wave device:

(1) Remove Vera's black dongle, then hold the dongle near the lock.

(2) Press and hold the button on the dongle for 3 seconds until the light starts blinking fast, which indicates it's in 'Remove' mode.

(2) On the lock's keypad, enter the 6-digit programming code.  The lock will beep audibly.

(3) Press the [Schlage] button followed by '0'.

(4) Re-insert the dongle in Vera, wait 60 seconds, and refresh the browser page.

The lock should now be gone from Vera's 'Devices' list, indicating the lock has been successfully removed from the network, and you can proceed to pair, or include, the lock the right way (see Method 1 or Method 2, above).

Resetting a Schlage Lock to Factory Default

It is sometimes necessary to reset a Schlage lock to its factory default, in order to enable the lock to pair properly with Vera, or to resolve other lock malfunctions:

1) Remove the batteries from the lock.

2) On the lock's keypad, press and release the [Schlage] button.

3) Reconnect the lock's battery(s).

4) Wait until the [Schlage] button is no longer lit.

5) Within 10 seconds, press and hold the [Schlage] button until it lights green and the lock beeps.

Your Schlage lock is now reset to its factory default, and you may proceed to add it to Vera's network.

Other Notes

Any time Vera configures a secure Z-Wave device such as a Schlage lock - either immediately after pairing the lock with Vera, or when subsequent changes are made to the lock's settings on Vera's 'Devices' page - Vera needs to poll all 19 of the lock's user codes, even ones that are not set yet!  Accordingly, it may take Vera a while to display the green cog icon.  Be patient, and do not use Vera for any other tasks during the configuration process.

You can see Vera's event log by choosing the 'Advanced' tab -> 'Logs' -> 'Verbose' -> 'Show Z-Wave Jobs'.  If Vera's communication with the lock has been successful, the list will show all completed events.  Refresh the page using your web browser to see subsequent events as they are added to Vera's event log.

Using a Schlage Lock with Vera

Lock/Unlock

You can lock/unlock door locks and deadbolts with Vera the same way you turn a light On or Off. A door lock can be locked and unlocked remotely. But Schlage deadbolts are designed so someone has to physically turn the deadbolt knob to engage/disengage the deadbolt. When Vera tells the deadbolt to unlock, the deadbolt knob is engaged for 10 seconds so someone can turn it, and then after 10 seconds, it's disengaged again. (This behavior is identical to when you enter your PIN on the deadbolt's keypad.) Schlage locks contain no motor to lock/unlock the deadbolt. Thus, Vera cannot remotely lock or unlock a deadbolt for you. Instead, you can wait until someone is at the door, then click 'Lock' or 'Unlock' using Vera's interface, and tell the person to turn the deadbolt knob.

Vera offers three ways to control a door lock or deadbolt:

1) Use your PC's or PDA's web browser to click the lock/unlock buttons on Vera's Dashboard. To allow remote access, you can click 'Unlock' when a person is in front of the door, giving the person a few seconds to manually turn the latch;

2) Use a cellphone application to activate the lock remotely; or,

3) Issue a PIN to each authorized user (see 'Setting a User PIN,' below).

Controlling the lock with handheld remotes and scene controllers

You can add handheld remotes and scene controllers to Vera and choose the option "Manage scenes as events". Then you can create a scene which locks a door, as well as doing other tasks, and associate the scene to a button on the remote or in-wall scene controller. See Z-Wave Add Controller method #2. So you can create a 'Go to Bed' scene, for example, which may be button 1 on your scene controller, and which locks all the doors and turns off the lights and thermostats. For your security, we only allow you to 'lock' the doors using a handheld remote or scene controller. You cannot 'unlock' them with this technique because remotes and scene controllers are not secure devices and, therefore, there is the risk that an intruder could impersonate you using your handheld remote or scene controller. To unlock the doors, you must use Vera's web interface or mobile phone interface.

Scenes and Events

Door locks initiate events (a) when the door is locked/unlocked, (b) when a user enters a PIN, and (c) when someone enters the wrong PIN three times in a row. You can create a scene, associate one or more of these events with the scene, and check one of the 'Notify User' boxes if you want to be notified when an event (and a corresponding scene) happens.

Setting a User PIN

You can create a PIN for each authorized user to use when locking/unlocking the door:

Adding a new PIN

1. Navigate to Vera's 'Dashboard' or 'Devices' page
2. Select an empty slot for the new user
3. Give the user a descriptive name (e.g. "Pool Service")
4. Type the user's new PIN
5. Click 'Set'.
6. Each user's PIN will remain active until you remove it.

It may take up to 60 seconds for Vera to confirm the new code was set, whereupon you will see the new user listed next to the lock, along with a 'Remove' button.  If the lock already contained user PINs - which you added manually or through a different Z-Wave controller - Vera will display them as "Code 1", "Code 2", etc.

NOTE: For your security, Vera does not keep a copy of the codes; they are only stored in the lock itself.

Changing an existing PIN

1. Navigate to Vera's 'Dashboard' or 'Devices' page
   
2. Select an existing user's slot
   
3. Type the user's changed PIN
   
4. Click 'Set'.
   
5. The user's PIN will remain active until you remove it.
   

Removing a PIN

1. Navigate to Vera's 'Dashboard' or 'Devices' page
2. From the list, find the user whose PIN you wish to de-activate
3. Click the 'Remove' button next to that user
4. Click 'Set'.
5. The user's PIN will be removed from Vera's list.

NOTE: If Vera does not confirm the removal after 60 seconds, simply try again.

SPECIAL NOTE: If you add, change or remove many users/PINs in rapid succession, Vera will display a 'job icon' for each addition/change/deletion. You do not need to wait for each one to complete. For example, you can add 10 users in rapid succession, and you will see 10 gray 'job icons'. Gray indicates Vera hasn't started yet, as explained here. Since it takes several seconds for Vera to program a new PIN into the lock, as each job is being processed (in order), the corresponding icon turns blue, then becomes green when it is successful. In this way, you can quickly queue up several new users, and then just let Vera process them one at a time. When Vera is finished, you will see the list of all users, along with a 'Remove' button next to each. Similarly, you can click several 'Remove' buttons in rapid succession without waiting for each removal to complete.

Reversing the Lock/Unlock Status

If the lock/unlock status of your door lock is backwards, meaning Vera's Dashboard shows it is locked when it's really unlocked and vice-versa, it's possible the lock was oriented upside-down when mounted. To solve this issue, go to Vera's 'Setup' page, click the 'Devices' tab and click the '+' button next to the door lock, and then the 'Advanced' button. If you see a parameter "#305 Reverse", enter a value of 1.  Save this change. Vera will now reverse the lock/unlock status.

If parameter #305 is not in the list, then at the bottom of the page, type 305 in the "New Device Data ID" field, and type 1 in the "New Device Data Value" field. Click 'Add'. Then save your changes. Vera will now reverse the lock/unlock status.

Logging and Camera Links

When you log in to FindVera.com and click 'Events', you can select the door lock to see all the times someone entered a user code at the door or locked/unlocked the door.

On the 'Devices' tab, click '+' next to your security camera(s), and you will have a check box for this lock. Then, whenever the door is locked/unlocked, Vera will also take a picture with the camera(s). You will see the pictures associated with an Event when you click the event on the FindVera.com site.

Security Concerns

See: Security Concerns

External Links

• Schlage Lock User Manual
• Schlage Lock User Guide