INSTEON AccessPoint User manual

INSTEON
™
AccessPoint
INSTEON RF Receiver/ RF-PLC Bridge
For models:
#2443 AccessPoint
#2443P AccessPoint
two-pack

INSTEON-compatible AccessPoint User’s Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT INSTEON ACCESSPOINT .............................................................................................................3
What is INSTEON?....................................................................................................................................3
Key AccessPoint Features........................................................................................................................3
HOW TO SET UP ACCESSPOINTS............................................................................................................4
AccessPoint Installation Tips.....................................................................................................................4
Installing the First Two AccessPoints........................................................................................................4
Install the AccessPoint..............................................................................................................................5
Install the Second AccessPoint (or any subsequent AccessPoints).........................................................5
Installing Additional AccessPoints.............................................................................................................6
ABOUT INSTEON ........................................................................................................................................7
Understanding Why an INSTEON Network Is Reliable.............................................................................7
Further Enhancing Reliability ....................................................................................................................7
Using SmartLabs’ AccessPoint to Upgrade Your INSTEON Network......................................................7
About INSTEON and X10..........................................................................................................................8
TROUBLESHOOTING..................................................................................................................................9
SPECIFICATIONS......................................................................................................................................10
AccessPoint Specifications......................................................................................................................10
FCC Compliance Statement....................................................................................................................11
Certification..............................................................................................................................................12
Limited Warranty .....................................................................................................................................12

INSTEON-compatible AccessPoint User’s Guide
ABOUT INSTEON ACCESSPOINT
Congratulations on purchasing the INSTEON-compatible AccessPoint. Installing at least two
AccessPoints in your INSTEON enabled home will improve INSTEON signal strength and network
coverage throughout your home, and provide an interface between wireless-only INSTEON devices and
your overall INSTEON network. AccessPoints also tie together your dual-mesh INSTEON network by
transmitting INSTEON signals across radio-frequency to bridge your home’s powerline wiring phases.
SET Button
Status LED
What is INSTEON?
INSTEON is a simple, reliable, and affordable breakthrough in home control. Simple, because Plug-n-
Tap™setup is a breeze, and there are no wires to add – INSTEON uses existing powerline wiring as well
as radio-frequency for communication. Reliable, because every INSTEON device is a two-way repeater.
And affordable, not just because of low cost, but because INSTEON also works with legacy X10 devices.
An INSTEON home grows in value with every INSTEON device you add, making life more convenient,
safe and fun.
Key AccessPoint Features
•Setup is easy – AccessPoints install in minutes
•Communicates simultaneously over both radio-frequency and the powerline
•Couples INSTEON messages across opposite powerline phases
•Uses the reliable 900MHz band for superior through-wall transmissions
•Expands INSTEON networks to support large or complex installations
•Shows INSTEON activity with a white status LED
•Approved by the FCC and ETL, manufactured in an ISO 9001:2000 facility
•Warranted for two years
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INSTEON-compatible AccessPoint User’s Guide
HOW TO SET UP ACCESSPOINTS
ccessPoint Installation Tips
strip or AC line filter.
m within communication range of
homes, locate AccessPoints on different floors.
a refrigerator, cabinet, or television.
ot process X10 traffic. In the design of your
N devices, you should properly install at least two
AccessPoint is intended for installation in accordance with the National Electric Code and local regulations in the United
States, or the Canadian Electrical Code and local regulations in Canada. Use indoors only. AccessPoint is not
designed nor approved for use on power lines other than 120V 60Hz, single phase. Attempting to use AccessPoint on
non-approved powerlines may have hazardous consequences.
Read and understand these instructions before installing, and retain them for future reference.
Caution
Proper installation of at least two AccessPoints is recommended prior to
installing and using other INSTEON devices.
A
•Do not plug AccessPoint into an outlet controlled by a switch, because if the switch is inadvertently
turned off, AccessPoint will not have power.
•Do not plug AccessPoint into a filtered power
•Locate AccessPoints in different areas of the home, keeping the
each other.
•In multi-level
•Do not place AccessPoint near large metal objects, like
AccessPoint works best when placed out in the open.
•Unlike many INSTEON devices, AccessPoint does n
home automation network, understand that AccessPoint will not provide the same benefits for your
X10 devices (signal repeating and phase bridging) that it does for INSTEON devices.
Installing the First Two AccessPoints
Prior to setting up and using other INSTEO
AccessPoints, so that INSTEON messages can travel everywhere in your home. AccessPoints (when at
least two are properly installed) couple together the two separate powerline circuits, known as powerline
phases, which most homes are wired with. Please see AccessPoint Installation Tips above for more
information and guidelines on optimizing your installation. You can add more AccessPoints as needed for
superior performance and maximized coverage of your INSTEON network.
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INSTEON-compatible AccessPoint User’s Guide
Install the AccessPoint
1. Plug the First AccessPoint into a convenient wall outlet. Don’t use
an outlet controlled by a switch, because if the switch is
inadvertently turned off, AccessPoint won’t have power. The white
Status LED on the side will illuminate steadily, indicating that
AccessPoint is working.
TIP
Choose an outlet that is not near large metal objects which
might absorb radio-frequency signals.
2. Put the First AccessPoint into Setup Mode by rapidly pressing the
SET Button on the side four times. The Status LED will turn and
remain bright once AccessPoint has entered Setup Mode.
Install the Second AccessPoint (or any subsequent AccessPoints)
1. You have about 9 minutes to perform these steps before Setup Mode on the First AccessPoint will
time out automatically. If the First AccessPoint does time out, simply put it back into Setup Mode and
you will have another 9 minutes.
2. Locate another unswitched outlet, preferably on the other side of your home, and plug the Second
AccessPoint into it.
3. Observe the Status LED on the Second AccessPoint. Bright and
Steady
☺
Blink or Dim

A. If the Status LED is bright and steady the two AccessPoints are
communicating with each other and plugged into outlets on opposite
powerline phases. This is what you want – both powerline
phases can now communicate with each other via the two
AccessPoints. Proceed to step 4.
B. If the Status LED blinks or remains steady at a dim level the two
AccessPoints are either unable to communicate, or can
communicate but are on the same powerline phase. In either case,
unplug the second AccessPoint and try locating it to another outlet.
Repeat as necessary until you observe the bright steady Status
LED described above. Proceed to step 4 once this is achieved.
NOTE
If you can’t locate a pair of outlets on opposite powerline phases, contact
your local installer or SmartLabs Tech Support at 866-243-8018 for
further assistance.
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INSTEON-compatible AccessPoint User’s Guide
4. Tap the black SET Button on the First AccessPoint to exit Setup
Mode. The Status LEDs on both AccessPoints will illuminate
steadily at the dim level.
NOTE
The First AccessPoint will automatically exit Setup Mode after
nine minutes if you skip this previous step.
Installing Additional AccessPoints
You can add additional AccessPoints to your INSTEON network to extend its coverage and maximize
performance. Simply choose the AccessPoint that you previously installed as the First AccessPoint and
follow the steps above to confirm that new AccessPoints are communicating with your existing
AccessPoints. After the two opposite powerline phases in your home are coupled with at least two
AccessPoints, it does not matter which powerline phase you plug additional AccessPoints into.
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INSTEON-compatible AccessPoint 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 TVs, PCs, 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, such
as SmartLabs’ FilterLinc™#1626 that will permanently fix the problem.
Using SmartLabs’ AccessPoint to Upgrade Your INSTEON
AccessPoints are ideal
Network
for improving signal strength and network
coverage throughout your home. In addition, two AccessPoints
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 AccessPoint 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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INSTEON-compatible AccessPoint User’s Guide
About INSTEON and X10
Possible BoosterLinc Interference with INSTEON
If you have installed older SmartLabs Plug-In BoosterLinc™ X10 Signal Boosters or certain other
BoosterLinc-enabled products, the older BoosterLinc technology may interfere with INSTEON
communications.
Plug-In BoosterLinc X10 Signal Boosters, SmartLabs #4827, shipped after February 1, 2005, with V3.0 or
later firmware, are fully compatible with INSTEON.
The following Plug-In BoosterLinc X10 Signal Boosters use older firmware that may cause interference
with INSTEON:
•White BoosterLinc X10 Signal Boosters, #4827, shipped before February 1, 2005, with V2.5 or earlier
firmware
•All Gray BoosterLinc X10 Signal Boosters, #4827
Try unplugging the older BoosterLinc X10 Signal Boosters to see if this helps with INSTEON interference.
If it does, please call 866-243-8018 for help with replacing your older BoosterLinc X10 Signal Boosters
with newer INSTEON-compatible ones.
The following pre-INSTEON SmartLabs products have BoosterLinc technology that you can turn on or
turn off when you set the X10 Address for the product. If turned on, the BoosterLinc technology may
INSTEON.interfere with
1. Press and hold the SET Button.
2. Send the X10 Primary Address.
3. Send an X10 OFF Command.
You can send an X10 ON Command in
Step 3 to re-enable the BoosterLinc
feature.
To disable BoosterLinc X10 Signal
Boosting on these products:
NOTE
•KeypadLinc™ 6 with Integrated Dimmer,
#12073W, #12073WB and #12073WW
•SwitchLinc™ Relay 2-Way,
#23883 and #23883T
•ToggleLinc™ 2-Way Dimmer,
#23890, and Switch, #23893
If you have any of these products and the BoosterLinc feature is turned on, please consult your User’s
Guide or call 866-243-8018 for help with turning it off. You may then wish to install newer INSTEON
BoosterLinc X10 Signal Boosters, which SmartLabs can help you with.
INSTEON’s Effect on X10
If your existing X10 devices seem to be working less reliably after installing INSTEON devices, remember
that INSTEON devices can absorb X10 signals just as X10 devices do, and that INSTEON devices do not
repeat X10 signals. Installing INSTEON-compatible BoosterLinc X10 Signal Boosters, SmartLabs #4827,
or a SignaLinc Plug-In Coupler-Repeater, #4826, can increase X10 signal levels.
Please call 866-243-8018 if you have any questions or would like more help.
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INSTEON-compatible AccessPoint User’s Guide
TROUBLESHOOTING
Problem Possible Cause Solution
The Status LED on my
AccessPoint is not
turning on at all.
AccessPoint is not getting
power. Make sure AccessPoint is not plugged into a switched outlet that is turned off.
The Status LED on the
First AccessPoint I
installed is not steadily
bright after I press the
SET Button.
You didn’t press the SET
Button four times, or there
was too long a pause
between presses.
Press the SET button 4 times in rapid succession. The
Status LED will not change to steady bright until after
you let go of the SET Button after the 4th press.
Move the AccessPoints closer together.
The AccessPoints are out of
range from each other. Install a Third AccessPoint between the first two.
I have tried several
outlets and the Second
AccessPoint’s Status
LED is blinking or
steadily on at dim level. Something made of metal is
blocking the wireless signal. Move AccessPoints away from metal objects.
The Status LED has
turned off and does not
flicker during INSTEON
transmissions.
A surge or excessive noise
on the powerline may have
locked up AccessPoint. Unplug AccessPoint for 10 seconds and reinstall.
Install a passive powerline phase coupler for X10
signals, available from SmartLabs.
My X10 system
performance is not
improved by installing
AccessPoints.
AccessPoint is not designed
to retransmit X10 signals. Install an INSTEON-compatible BoosterLinc, available
from SmartLabs.
If you have tried these solutions, reviewed this User’s Guide, and still cannot resolve an issue you’re
having with AccessPoint, please:
•Search our online knowledge base at http://smarthome.custhelp.com.
•Call our Support Department at 866-243-8018.
•Email us at [e-mail].
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INSTEON-compatible AccessPoint User’s Guide
SPECIFICATIONS
AccessPoint Specifications
General
SmartLabs Product Number 2443- INSTEON AccessPoint or 2443P- INSTEON AccessPoint (twin pack)
Warranty 2 years
Operation
Status LED White
INSTEON RF Features
RF Frequency 900 MHz ISM band
RF Sensitivity -103 dbm
RF Modulation FSK
RF Range 200 feet, unobstructed line-of-sight
FCC ID Number SBP2443
INSTEON Powerline Features
INSTEON Powerline Frequency 131.65 KHz
INSTEON Minimum Transmit Level 3.2 Vpp into 5 Ohms
INSTEON Minimum Receive Level 1 mVpp nominal
INSTEON Messages Repeated Yes
X10 Features
X10 Messages Repeated No
Mechanical
Operating Conditions Indoors, 0 to 70°C, up to 85% relative humidity
Dimensions 4.0” H x 2.5” W x 1.25” D
Weight 3.6 oz
Electrical
Supply Voltage 120 Volts AC +/- 10%, 60 Hertz, single phase
Surge Protection MOV rated for 150 Volts
Power Plug 3-pin grounded
Certification Safety tested for use in USA and Canada (ETL #3017581)
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INSTEON-compatible AccessPoint User’s Guide
FCC Compliance Statement
This device complies with FCC Rules Part 15. Operation is subject to two conditions: (1) This device
may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference that may be
received or that may cause undesired operation. The digital circuitry of this device has been tested and
found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in residential
installations. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radiofrequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio and television
reception. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If
this device does cause such interference, which can be verified by turning the device off and on, the user
is encouraged to eliminate the interference by one or more of the following measures:
•Increase the distance between AccessPoint and the receiver,
•Connect AccessPoint to an AC outlet on a circuit different from the one that supplies power to the
receiver, or
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician.
WARNING! Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
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INSTEON-compatible AccessPoint User’s Guide
Certification
AccessPoint has been thoroughly tested by ITS ETL SEMKO, a nationally recognized
independent third-party testing laboratory. The North American ETL Listed mark
signifies that the product has been tested to and has met the requirements of a widely
recognized consensus of U.S and Canadian product safety standards, that the
manufacturing site has been audited, and that the manufacturer has agreed to a
program of quarterly factory follow-up inspections to verify continued conformance.
Limited Warranty
Seller warrants to the original consumer purchaser of this product that, for a period of two years from the
date of purchase, this product will be free from defects in material and workmanship and will perform in
substantial conformity to the description of the product in this User’s Guide. This warranty shall not apply
to defects or errors caused by misuse or neglect. If the product is found to be defective in material or
workmanship, or if the product does not perform as warranted above during the warranty period, Seller
will either repair it, replace it or refund the purchase price, at its option, upon receipt of the product at the
address below, postage prepaid, with proof of the date of purchase and an explanation of the defect or
error. The repair, replacement, or refund that is provided for above shall be the full extent of Seller’s
liability with respect to this product. For repair or replacement during the warranty period, call SmartLabs
customer service to receive an RA# (return authorization number), properly package the product (with the
RA# clearly printed on the outside of the package) and send the product, along with all other required
materials, to:
SmartLabs, Inc.
ATTN: Receiving Dept.
16542 Millikan Ave.
Irvine, CA 92606-5027
Limitations
The above warranty is in lieu of and seller disclaims all other warranties, whether oral or written, express
or implied, including and warranty or merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Any implied
warranty, including any warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, which may not be
disclaimed or supplanted as provided above shall be limited to the one year period of the express
warranty above. No other representation or claim of any nature by any person shall be binding upon
seller or modify the terms of the above warranty and disclaimer. In no event shall seller be liable for
special, incidental, consequential, or other damages resulting from the possession or use of this product,
including without limitation damage to property and, to the extent permitted by law, personal injury, even if
seller knew or should have known of the possibility of such damages. Some states do not allow
limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts and/or the exclusion or limitation of damages, in which
case the above limitations and/or exclusions may not apply to you. You may also have other legal rights
that may vary from state to state.
INSTEON, Plug-n-Tap, ControLinc, TesterLinc, SignaLinc, LampLinc, ToggleLinc, BoosterLinc, ApplianceLinc, KeypadLinc,
FilterLinc, ProbeLinc, SwitchLinc, TempLinc, IR Linc and SmarthomeLive are trademarks of Smarthome, Inc. INSTEON
networking technology is covered by pending U.S. and foreign patents.
© Copyright 2007 SmartLabs, Inc., 16542 Millikan Ave., Irvine, CA 92606-5027,
866-243-8018, 949-221-9200, Hwww.smarthome.com
Rev 051507
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