I tested a new Home Assistant adapter with Z-Wave superpowers

The article discusses the new Home Assistant Connect ZQA-2, a smart home adapter that supports Z-Wave technology, including the newer Z-Wave Long Range (Z-Wave LR) protocol. Key points: - The ZQA-2 is the first Z-Wave adapter built specifically for the Home Assistant platform, with hardware optimized for Z-Wave's ideal wavelength. - Z-Wave is a radio technology that operates in the sub-1GHz frequency band, allowing for better penetration through solid barriers compared to 2.4GHz technologies like Bluetooth and Zigbee. - The Z-Wave LR protocol can support up to 4,000 nodes in a star network, an increase from the previous limit of 232 nodes. - The author received a sample ZQA-2 and found it easy to set up, with the ability to connect Z-Wave LR and standard Z-Wave devices. - While the author didn't conduct formal long-range testing, the ZQA-2 and connected devices worked well anecdotally, with the potential to reach distances of up to one mile. - The ZQA-2 is now available for purchase on the Home Assistant website.