Tags
coming soon, garage door sensor, hose end controller, hub update, hub upgrade, irrigation controller, Lowe's iris, Lowes.com, range extender, smart plug, update
A new update for the Iris hub has been released today for version 4.00r25.
If you haven’t already logged into the web portal you’ll notice the following message on what’s new for this version.
Here’s the run down on what I’ve found.
First this update isn’t just for the hub but also include upgrades for the range extenders and smart plug.
To upgrade these devices you’ll need to perform upgrades individually for each one.
To do this please go to the tab for “Devices” and you’ll see the message for “Upgrade available” for each one that can be upgraded. You just have to click on the button for “Manage” to start the process.
These updates were to improve performance and hopefully addresses issues for users like myke500 regarding the range extender. 
(Myke500 let us know if this upgrade helped resolved your issue!)
Now for the three new products listed on the site for devices to add.
1) Irrigation Controller (Coming Soon) :
2) Hose End Controller:
3) Garage Door Sensor (Coming soon): 
All three items are not listed on Lowes.com at this moment, however I do have news that the Hose End Controller hopefully be available at some Lowe’s stores by the end of the month. So if you found one please let us know!
The last item on the list was regarding the Mobile App Updates.
At this time there isn’t any update for either Apple iPhone or Google Android. We have to assume these updates have been submitted and we’re just waiting for the software to go through the approval process for each store.
That’s all I have for now. If you notice anything regarding this update please feel free to comment and let us know what you think. Thank you!
The update has fixed the most obvious issue of the Range Extender having a “Low Signal”.
I did get a low battery warning on all of my smoke detectors after the update. Not sure if it is related or if the batteries are just at that point after 5mos of service. I’m changed them tonight just in case and all looks good now.
It may be too early to know if the random disconnects will be solved as well but Iris did push a small beta fix to my hub last week and I have not had a disconnect since. Hopefully it was included in the v4.00 update as well.
I haven’t had time to test the magic rule issue I found to see if it is corrected but I plan to test that tomorrow.
Looking forward to getting my hands on the garage sensor and irrigation timer.
I am very happy to see how much tech support that Iris is getting with the understanding that it is a newer product and integration of various products is not always an easy task.
I had the same thing with my smoke detector. Shows low battery but I haven’t changed it out yet. I’m in the same boat that I’ve had it for about 5 months as well.
I hear to resolve the low battery issue for the smoke detector just go to device page for the smoke detector and click on the “Test” button and it should update the battery status. Let me know how it works out.
Just got home and found 2 out of my 3 smoke/co detector has the low battery and really just pressing the test button on the detector really what resolves the battery status issue.
Had the same problem with the smoke/co detector. Pull the batteries and tested. Both good. Put them back in. Message gone.
I had they same issue happen with my smoke detector when i upgraded my hub. I removed the detector from my devices page and then added it back and the issue was resolved. My detector again had full battery charge.
I installed the hub update just minutes ago and all my smoke and smoke co detectors went to low battery. It is the update that does this. I hope some of these updates can help with the really slow wireless camera buffering for 60-90 seconds before showing a video.
David
Yes it did the fix if you keep it in the same room as the HUB. That defeats the purpose of having a range extender. If you move it the LOW SIGNAL magically reappears !
It did not fix my z-wave device disconnects. I have 2 z-wave devices out in my garage with a range extender (with full signal) right next to them. They stayed connected for a few hours last night after the update, but as of this morning, they have disconnected.
I was using several GE Outdoor modules as range extenders but disconnected them before running the update. I guess I’ll try connecting them again. I was actually hoping I’d be able to return the outdoor modules if this update worked.
Just did the newest upgrade, range extender still searching , no difference I just have to take another hour of my time to call again……….when can they get this RIGHT ?
…a bit of a “Catch 22” here- – in order to upgrade the extender, IRIS has to be able to find it. “Searching” is not good enough.
So I moved it back to the power strip next to my hub. IRIS found it. Upgrade finished. Moved back to normal location. Re-optimized the network.
It’s still searching for the range extender, and now it’s searching for the rear door deadbolt too. (Sigh.) Kurt Vonnegut would have been proud.
I guess to clarify my response.
I updated the hub. Then updated the extender then smart plug. (Iris will not allow any update to take place before the hub is up to date)
All are functioning correctly for me so far. My duplex outlets have not dropped out yet and they are the farthest from the hub with only the range extender to relay them.
I did not run optimization as I haven’t relocated any devices yet.
Should also note that after the hub update. All devices disappeared for a while (almost an hour) before the system showed all of them working again. This is a normal part of the update process from what I read.
And as #DUCK said, the hub has to be able to talk to the extender/smart plug to update them. So make sure they are plugged in.
I have had issues with the range extenders….a quality problem? I am running about a 40% failure rate (2 of the 5 extenders I have won’t sync with hub, get the searching status, etc.). Now with the upgrade available, one of the failed items says it can be upgraded, but as noted above, if the HUB can’t find it, it can’t update it. I have just removed my failed range extenders. Note that the two range extenders that I have that failed likely came from the same batch as I bought both of them on the same day. Lowes sent me a replacement and that one is working fine.
An update to my post: I was having problems with IRIS searching for my range extender as well as my back door deadbolt. The upgrade did not seem to help. However, I wasn’t sitting here, waiting. I moved the extender and the hub. Now, the range extender is in line of sight (15 feet away) from the hub, and the extender is 20 feet further (in line of sight). Since that time, I have not had any “searching” problems.
Most of my problems are now related to a lousy internet connection. Any time a cloud goes over, Time Warner cable goes down. Likewise, three times a day, when the nearby hospital does a data dump, service goes down. Tell ’em about poor infrastructure and you get ignored. Plays havoc with IRIS, which likes to have connectivity at all times.
Side issue: I’ve noticed that the time on the thermostat controller is never updated. It started off 20 minutes slow, due to my entering it wrong during installation. I corrected that, later. Now that daylight saving time is in force, it’s an hour slow. Must we update manually? These days, just about everything computer-based (and a whole lot more that’s not) updates automatically. …good blog topic????
I have the same issue with my smoke detectors suddenly having a low battery after the hub upgrade. Also with my schlage lock. However my range extenders no longer have the low signal issue so far. I,am now getting a signal with my key fobs that I didn’t before the upgrades to the hub and range extenders.I have tried the optimizing network option but it didn’t help.
A follow on from my previous post. The low signal from the key gobs went away for a bit and then came.back. Overall I would say that the connectivity is better and I’m getting less dropping of devices.I am still also getting low battery indication for my smoke detector and some other devices that appears to not be true. Word thing is my cameras have stopped.working. the status says they are fine, but they don’t record anymore and I can’t view locally. They were fine before the hub upgrade.
I have had MANY issues with my IRIS system and the ZWAVE devices over the past 6 months….items that were at one time working before the last SW upgrade stopped working/talking to the hub, and then I was unable to add additional ZWAVE devices. This all seems to be fixed with this version of SW upgrades for the HUB, range extenders and smart plugs. Numerous calls to tech support since November resulted in no progress getting the issue resolved. I was probably one of maybe many test cases they were using to correct the issue…who knows. After spending nearly 20 hours on the phone with them over this period, I am surprised that they didn’t contact me to inform me of the SW updates since that had been periodically checking in with me to see if anything changed with my device status.
My issues were specifically related to the Smoke Detectors, Deadbolt, and GE Switches not talking to the HUB, and random wireless camera disconnects from the system (all pointing to a SW bug).
I also have seen the same issue with battery indicator showing low battery on the smoke detectors with this SW upgrade. I haven’t tested all of the smoke detectors, but for the one detector I did test last night, the low battery power indicator did go away on the device status page.
Orbitz now has the Iris 1 hose 1 faucet timer on their website:
http://www.orbitonline.com/products/hose-watering/timers/hose-faucet-timers/1-dial-1-outlet-digital-timer/1-dial-1-outlet-iristm-hose-faucet-timer-with-brass-swivel
Has anyone using keyfobs had the following issue after the upgrade. Prior to the upgrade when both fobs were no longer detected, the magic setting set the IRIS mode to AWAY. When at least one fob was detected upon return, it would set the mode to AT HOME.
After the upgrade, it works the same way when both fobs are no longer detected and setting the mode to AWAY. But now when at least one returns, the alarm is NOT set to AT HOME leading to the alarm sequence being executed. Very irritating.
Any one noticed the same or have any suggestions or is there something wrong with 4.00r25?
I have been having low signal and disconnect and reconnect issues with my range extender for months. Tech support had me uninstall and reinstall the device several times. They called me back and told me that the range extender was really working fine even though the hub says that it is disconnected and that the problem would be fixed in the March update. It was not fixed.
Today tech support (should be renamed apology line) told me that the fix did not make the March update. I asked when a resolution would be forthcoming but received no response other than “we are doing our best.”
I requested to escalate my issue but was told there was not any way to escalate the problem and that I should trust that they were “doing everything they can to resolve the problem.” I was also told that Iris management ” does not speak with customers.”
Has anyone had any better luck? I am very disappointed with Lowe’s. Iris does not seem to be ready for prime time.
For the first time since the update I had a range extender drop momentarily Friday. It reconnected quickly. I would say this is an improvement from where we were a month ago when it was almost a daily thing.
#Jim
I have 3 key-fobs. The only issue I have noticed with them is that it seems to take longer for the hub to react and tell my keypad to stop beeping. Try setting your intruder trigger to a longer time. It will give you a chance to see how long it actually takes the hub to ping the fob to see if it will happen within the 2 minute window. For now I have just been hitting the home button to speed things up. But I rarely get to test this since usually someone is home all the time.
HACK ALERT:
I was thinking about if I would get one of the hose controllers or not. But having a sprinkler system I rarely if ever use a hose for watering.
Tonight I read over the details on the Lowes Product page and thought of another possible use… The washing machine. If Lowes could make a magic rule that allows the leak sensor to shut off the hose control.
Another use may be to use the leak sensor to aid in the garden to prevent over watering. Again requiring the magic rule.
But it would open the door to new possibilities 🙂
I just updated the hub, range extender and plug… I was hopeful that the range extender periodically dropping would be resolved… I have since received a message of the range extender dropping. I think I will rescan the network and see what happens.