FAQ
Troubleshooting
Will the Bluetooth® signal be strong enough with the device located in a J-Box up in the ceiling?
For best results, devices should be within 30 feet of the next closest device. Some of our devices do come with external antennas that can help ensure greater signal strength and a BubblyNet “Super Friend” controller can also be added to any Bluetooth® Mesh network to ensure maximum signal strength.
Sometimes the commands do not seem to reach all the devices. How do I improve signal? (TTL, Relays, Retransmits)
The Bluetooth® Mesh specification was designed with low energy in mind. The system was not designed to constantly stream data as this would consume excess bandwidth and power. The Mesh specification does however define three different mechanisms for improving message propagation throughout a network.
Network Relays: All BubblyNet devices(besides battery-operated Q-series) can act as relays to help forward that scene message throughout the network. The total number of relays on a site depends on many factors such as device density, concrete/metal walls, and the square footage of the site. If a message is struggling to get to a device in a network we can enable more relays around the misbehaving device to increase the likelihood of it receiving the message.
Message TTL: All messages that get sent through a mesh network whether it be from the app or a Q-series have a Time To Live(TTL) field. This number correlates to the total number of hops a message is allowed to do in a network. This mechanism allows us to define how far a message will propagate through a mesh network. This is useful in limiting the amount of traffic on a mesh network (e.g., Messages in an apartment on the 1st floor should not propagate to apartments on the 10th floor). On the flip side, if we increase the TTL on each message it is more likely to make it to its final destination as it now has more paths it can take to get there.
Network Retransmits: All devices that publish messages(App, Q-series) have a network retransmit setting. This allows us to do almost what you were talking about in your email by changing the number of times the message gets sent out when you send a command from the Q-series/App. This setting also allows for us to define the time period between those messages(e.g., 6 messages every 50ms). This would give the desired effect of a single press but multiple redundant messages get sent out. The app gives its best attempt at auto-configuring these settings but because it has no knowledge of the layout of the building some manual tweaks (at PRO Level) can be made to improve strength and reliability of messages.
How many lights can be controlled with a single controller?
This will vary depending on the power load needed by the luminaire. For example, our Forward Phase Controller has a Maximum output of 200W (we suggest not using more than 75% of maximum capacity)
Can BubblyNet devices and App be used with Zigbee Bluetooth®
The short answer is no, Bluetooth® Mesh and Zigbee are both totally different protocols and are not compatible with one another. You will have to use one system or the other but not both simultaneously.
What makes a device interoperable versus non-interoperable?
Any device completing the Bluetooth® Qualification Process and are compliant with the published Bluetooth® Mesh networking specifications will be fully interoperable, regardless of manufacturer.
Click Here For More Info On Bluetooth® Mesh Interoperability
Does BubblyNet have live tech support in the event I need help?
Yes, BubblyNet has live tech support available during regular business operating hours; 8am-5pm(EST). For Support contact info, visit: https://bubblynet.com/contact/
My device configuration did not complete, how do I complete the configuration?
If configuration was interrupted or the app did not connect back to the device the following steps should be taken. First, cancel the configuration if a minute has passed. Next, connect to a proxy. Then, return to the main page of the current network and select the red plus on the screen. An option menu will pop up select “View Network Devices.” From this screen find the label “UnConfigured devices select the device scroll to the bottom and reset the device.
How can I remove a device from the network?
To remove a device from the network go into the device list at the bottom of the screen. Determine which device is the device to be removed. Select the gear icon and scroll to the bottom and select factory reset. The device will be removed from the network.
How to increase relay capabilities of a device in a network?
Locate the device in the network and open it. Click ‘Element 1’ and Click on ‘Configuration Server’. Refresh the page by pulling the screen down to read the current state of all the parameters if they aren’t updated. Then, use the sliders to set the number of times the message should be relayed and time interval between each relay and set the new parameters.
How to increase retransmit capabilities of a device in a network?
Locate the device in the network and open it. Click ‘Element 1’ and Click on ‘Configuration Server’. Refresh the page by pulling the screen down to read the current state of all the parameters if they aren’t updated. Make sure that the ‘GATT Proxy’ shown in the same screen is ‘ON’ on the device. Then, use the sliders to set the number of times the message should be retransmitted and time interval between each retransmit and set the new parameters.
How to change TTL of a provisioner(Phone, Tablet/iPad)?
To increase the TTL on a provisioner, Click ‘Settings’ in the options at the bottom of the screen and open ‘Provisioners’. Click on the device under ‘This Provisioner’. Click on TTL and increase/decrease the current value depending on the requirement. Note that having a high TTL on a provisioner is going to increase network traffic.
How to recover a device saying ‘connecting to node’ after adding into the network?
There are two ways to recover the device if the app is stuck on a screen saying ‘connecting to node’ after the device is added into a network. Click ‘Cancel’ and go back into the network. Initial step for both methods is to connect to a Proxy. First method is to reset the device and re-add it. To reset the device, enter the ‘Network Devices’ page and locate the device under ‘Non Configured Devices’. Click on the device to open it and at the bottom of the screen, click on ‘Factory Reset’ button to reset the device. Once reset, the device should be visible in the scanner to be re-added into the network. Second method is to connect back to the device and configure it manually. Enter the ‘Network Devices’ page and locate the device under ‘Non Configured Devices’. Click on the device to open it and refresh the page by pulling down on the screen. Now, the proxy would disconnect and reconnect. Once reconnected, the app would get all the information from the node and binds all security information required. Click ‘Cancel’ for the option on Disable Proxy. Click on the ‘Move to Group’ option and select the group into which the device should be added. The app would finish adding the device into the selected group.
How to manually reset a DC powered 4-button switch?
Remove the power to the switch. Hold down buttons 1 and 4 and power up the switch. Release the buttons after the switch is powered. The LED’s on the switch should all blink ‘Blue’ once pressed upon successful reset. If they blink ‘Red’, the device isn’t successfully reset yet.
How to manually reset a battery operated 4-button switch?
Remove the battery from the switch. Hold down buttons 1 and 4 and insert the battery. Release the buttons after the battery is inserted. The LED’s on the switch should all blink ‘Blue’ once pressed upon successful reset. If they blink ‘Red’, the device isn’t successfully reset.
When should I create a new provisioner?
If you made modifications to your network and neglected to upload it to the cloud, you may have discovered missing devices. Take the following steps: select settings icon -> select provisioners -> select '+' to add a new provisioner -> Done.