Exceptionally poor range

[kieranmjones]

Hi!

I have just purchased a Razberry module for a newly purchased Raspberry Pi 3 with a view to replacing my existing Zigbee Pro based Control4 system with a Z-Wave system. However I am having a spot of bother, the Razberry board seems to have absolutely atrocious range!

I purchased an Aeotec Micro Smart Switch as a test product at first, that's in the room next to where the RPi is, but the device won't include or exclude. If I move the RPi so it's within 30cm of the device then it includes straight away.

Thinking it was the wall, I bought an Aeotec Smart Plug Switch to switch an appliance on and off and put it in the same room around 2m (open space) between the RPi and it. Still won't include! If I move the RPi to within 30cm of the plug module, it includes.

I also have a Z-Wave module for my Yale Keyfree Lock, that won't include either and that is around 4m open space through an open doorway between the RPi and the front door.

As far as I can gather everything is the latest firmware and software, but no luck at all. Am I doing something wrong? Or is the Razberry module faulty perhaps? Surely one would expect greater than 30cm of range. Considering the 868Mhz frequency of Z-Wave compared to the 2.4Ghz frequency of my Zigbee Pro system I was expecting far better range and penetration.

Open to any suggestions right now, hopefully I'm just doing something dumb!

[Wikibear]

I use raspberry pi3 also. Before i use normal pi. I have had so many problems that i don't know if the range was better with normal pi. At the moment i have only three devices and one of them had also a bad range. But i don't know if this is depended of device or raspberry. I don't have so many devices at the moment. But 30 cm sounds very short.

Otherway check hardware issue visually of the board. And you can upgrade the antenna:

https://forum.z-wave.me/viewtopic.php?f ... nge#p61815

But 30 cm is extreme less range.

[kieranmjones]

Thanks for the reply Wikibear, I emailed the support address and they advised to get it replaced so I've returned the Razberry board and ordered a new one, hopefully the new one works.

I'd seen that topic about upgrading the antenna and I will most certainly look at it, I want to ensure the board itself is fully functional before I start desoldering components and voiding the warranty though!