I swear these little sensors are more trouble than they're worth sometimes. Every few weeks, one of them just drops off the network and I have to reset it, which usually involves climbing over furniture. Is this just my old house's thick walls, or is this a common thing?
Every few weeks, one of them just drops off the network and I have to reset it, which usually involves climbing over furniture.
I’ve had similar headaches, especially in my 1950s house with plaster walls. The sensors work fine for a while, then randomly lose connection—usually the ones farthest from the hub. I tried moving the hub closer, which helped a bit, but honestly, interference from old wiring and thick walls seems to be a real issue. Mesh repeaters made a noticeable difference for me, though not perfect. Sometimes I wonder if these things are really saving time...
interference from old wiring and thick walls seems to be a real issue
Yeah, those old plaster walls are brutal for signal. In my place (built in the 40s), I found putting the hub up high—like on top of a bookshelf—helped a bit. Also, I swapped out one sensor for a newer model with a stronger signal, and that one’s been way more reliable. If you’re up for it, running a wired repeater through the attic can sometimes work wonders, though it’s a hassle. Honestly, sometimes I just leave the disconnected one until I need to open that window... not ideal, but it saves my knees.
Funny you mention the bookshelf trick—I did almost the same thing but used the top of the fridge for a while, just because it was the only spot with a clear line of sight. Made a small difference, but nothing dramatic. I’ve also noticed that some of the older sensors just aren’t built for these thick-walled places. I tried a couple of “energy efficient” models thinking they’d be better, but honestly, the battery life was great and the range... not so much.
Curious if you’ve ever tried plugging the hub into an outlet that’s not on the same circuit as your big appliances? I read somewhere that interference from things like fridges or microwaves can mess with the signal—especially in houses with older wiring. Not sure if that’s urban legend or actually makes a difference, but I did see fewer dropouts after moving mine.
Do you ever notice your sensors disconnecting more at certain times of day, like when everyone’s home using more electronics? Or is it just random?
I’ve actually wondered about the whole “appliance interference” thing myself. Our hub is in the living room, which is right on the other side of the kitchen wall (and, yeah, there’s a microwave and a bunch of other stuff plugged in there). I haven’t tracked disconnects by time of day, but now that you mention it, I do notice more issues in the evenings—maybe when the TV, dishwasher, and everything else is running. Hard to say if that’s just coincidence or if there’s something to it.
I tried moving the hub to a different outlet last month, away from the kitchen, but then half the sensors upstairs started acting up. It’s like a game of whack-a-mole: fix one thing, another breaks. My house was built in the 1950s with those super thick plaster walls, so I’m not sure if it’s more the wiring or just the signal having to go through all that material. I’ve read that some people use repeaters or mesh networks to help, but honestly, I’m starting to wonder if I’m just expecting too much from these “smart” gadgets in an old house.
The “energy efficient” sensors are a mixed bag for me too. Battery life is great, but I feel like they’re pickier about range or obstacles. The older ones were clunkier but seemed a bit more forgiving. I even tried taping one to a window frame instead of screwing it in, just to see if a few inches would help—didn’t really notice a difference.
At this point, I’m tempted to just go old-school with a few windows and skip the smart features altogether. But then again, I like being able to check everything from my phone. Trade-offs, I guess.
It’s like a game of whack-a-mole: fix one thing, another breaks.
That sums it up for me too. My place isn’t as old, but the walls are thick and I swear the microwave kills my signal every time. Tried a repeater, didn’t help much. Honestly, sometimes I miss just having a simple latch.
Microwave messing with the signal sounds about right. Here’s what I did when my sensors kept dropping: First, moved the hub as far from the kitchen as possible (not always easy, but worth a shot). Next, checked if any metal blinds or window screens were in the way—those can mess things up too. If you’ve got thick walls, sometimes it helps to just put the repeater in a hallway instead of a room. Still, nothing beats the reliability of an old-school latch... less tech tantrums.
Funny timing—mine started acting up the first week after we moved in. Thought it was just a bad install, but turns out our ancient plaster walls are like Fort Knox for WiFi. I did try moving the hub, but honestly, it only helped a little. Still end up checking if the window’s actually closed, just in case the sensor’s having a “moment.” High-tech, low trust, I guess...
Honestly, I’m convinced these sensors have trust issues—half the time mine act up if someone so much as sneezes near the router. I get what you mean about old walls though. Our 1950s place eats WiFi for breakfast. Have you tried a mesh network? I was skeptical about spending more, but it really did help with random disconnects. Still, I find myself double-checking windows too... tech’s great until it isn’t, right?
Our 1950s place eats WiFi for breakfast.
That’s exactly how my old brick ranch feels. I tried a mesh setup too—helped a bit, but the sensors near the garage still drop off now and then, especially when it’s raining for some reason. I think these older walls just love to mess with signals. I’ve even had to move one sensor a few inches just to get it to stay online. Sometimes low-tech (like actually checking the window) wins out over smart tech...