INSTEON SWITCHLINC 2476D - Manual (Page 29)

INSTEON SwitchLinc V2 Dimmer User’s Guide
ABOUT INSTEON
Understanding Why an INSTEON Network Is Reliable
INSTEON messages travel throughout the home via Powerline Carrier (PLC) signals on the existing
house wiring, and also via wireless Radio Frequency (RF). As the messages make their way to
INSTEON devices being controlled, they are picked up and retransmitted by all other INSTEON devices
along the way. This method of communicating, called a mesh network, is very reliable because each
additional INSTEON device helps to support the overall network.
To further ensure reliability, every INSTEON device confirms that it has received a command. If an
INSTEON Controller does not receive this confirmation, it will automatically retransmit the command up to
five times.
Further Enhancing Reliability
As signals travel via the powerline or RF throughout the home, they naturally become
weaker the farther they travel. The best way to overcome signals getting weaker is to
increase the coverage of the mesh network by introducing more INSTEON devices.
It is possible that some audio-video products, computers, power strips or other electrical
equipment may attenuate INSTEON signals on the powerline. You can temporarily
unplug suspected devices to test whether the INSTEON signal improves. If it does, then
you can plug in filters available from Smarthome that will permanently fix the problem.
Using Smarthome’s SignaLinc RF to Upgrade Your INSTEON Network
SignaLinc
™ RF Signal Enhancers are ideal for improving signal strength
and network coverage throughout your home. SignaLinc RF acts like
another member of the dual-band mesh network, tying it together by
simultaneously retransmitting INSTEON signals across both radio-
frequency and the powerline. It also provides an access point for RF-
only INSTEON devices, such as handheld controllers.
In addition, two SignaLinc RFs provide a wireless path for INSTEON
signals to travel between the two separate electrical circuits, called
powerline phases, found in most homes. Without a reliable method for
coupling opposite powerline phases, some parts of your home may
receive INSTEON signals intermittently. With at least one SignaLinc RF
plugged into one of the powerline phases, and at least one more
plugged into the opposite powerline phase, INSTEON powerline signals
will be strong everywhere in your home.
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