GEM Down - Installed Xbee - Com Port issues

[Mustang65]

I have an issue using Wi-Fi in my house. It was built in 1957 and it has plaster walls with a solid wire mesh, which happens to be in contact with all the electrical boxes (ground). It plays hell on any RF signals that I use inside.

The GEM's Wi-Fi Signal only makes it through the east half of the house, 1 bar or less). The office is on the extreme west side. The signal modules that I do have in the house 2.4Ghz have some error receiving issues, i take them outside and they work perfectly.

The second reason is I am trying to get away from Wi-Fi on my home control transmitters where I can. I can run a Cat5 cable with no problems at all (1" conduit through the attic from the office to the back wall). That is why I was asking if using Cat5 on the GEM Ethernet is a good solution and free up Com 1 for the DataBox ISY connection.

I currently use the DashBox to access the GEM.

In your plan, does the GEM still send the data to the DashBox over Com2, with the Xbee running on it. Does not sound correct. I may be missing something here.

[ben]

The GEM WiFi and Ethernet are controlled by the same module on COM1. The WiFi module is a combination WiFi and Ethernet module. If you have WiFi issues, then Ethernet is the way to go.

I would put the STS cable on the port in which you think will have the least amount of receive data coming through. There may not be too many issues (it might just be a little spotty at times) unless both are trying to send at the same time.

Basically it works like this, the Tx/Rx pins can be pulled Hi or Lo:

- Tx input is GEM controlled when the GEM sends data. There isn't an issue multiplexing this as the GEM will be pulling it hi or low and the DashBox and Zigbee Rx pins will follow that direction. So multiple devices can listen to the GEM on the same COM port.

- The Rx input on the GEM is controlled by other devices. If we use COM2 as an example, if the DashBox and Zigbee send something back at the same time, one might want to pull that pin Hi and the other may want to pull that pin Lo. So you get them both competing for control of the pin.

[Mustang65]

Got it

Thank you!!!