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Below we'll discuss the pros and cons of the various ways you can setup your smart switches in a multi-way setup.
Multi-Way Compatibility Table
The table below will show what switches work in a multi-way setup and how they can be implemented (ie: dumb/existing, aux/add-on, or 2x smart switches).
Switch Name | SKU | Works w/Dumb Switch¹ | Works w/Aux Switch² | Works w/2x Smart Switches³ |
Blue Series 2-1 Switch | VZM31-SN | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Blue Series Fan Switch | VZM35-SN | No | Yes | Yes |
Red Series 2-1 Switch | VZW31-SN | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Red Series Dimmer Switch | LZW31-SN | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Red Series Fan/Light Switch | LZW36 | No | No | Yes |
Red Series On/Off Switch | LZW30-SN | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Black Series Dimmer Switch | LZW31 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Black Series On/Off Switch | LZW30 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Gen 1 Dimmer Switch | NZW31 | Yes | No | Yes |
Gen 1 Dimmer Switch w/Scenes | NZW31-S | Yes | No | Yes |
Gen 1 Dimmer Switch w/Scenes (Toggle) | NZW31-ST | Yes | No | Yes |
Gen 1 On/Off Switch | NZW30 | Yes | No | Yes |
Gen 1 On/Off Switch w/Scenes | NZW30-S | Yes | No | Yes |
Gen 1 On/Off Switch w/Scenes (Toggle) | NZW30-ST | Yes | No | Yes |
Requires a neutral wire
Works with either a neutral or no neutral wire
Requires a neutral wire
Pros/Cons of Multi-Way w/Dumb Switch
When we speak of using a, "Dumb" switch, we mean that the Inovelli smart switch can work with your, "dumb" or existing switch that's in your wall currently.
Pros
Less expensive than buying a special, "Aux" switch or another smart switch
Cons
Will not match the switch from an aesthetics point of view
You cannot use this in a non-neutral setup
You cannot use an illuminated, "dumb" switch in a multi-way setup
You will only be able to turn on/off your, "dumb" switch (ie: no dimming)
You cannot use Smart Bulb Mode
Pros/Cons of Multi-Way w/Auxiliary Switch
When we speak of using an, "Aux" switch, we mean that the Inovelli smart switch can work with a special auxiliary or add-on switch (found here: Inovelli Aux Switch).
Pros
Matches the Inovelli smart switch aesthetics better
You can have dimming (or fan speed control) at both ends of the multi-way (along with on/off)
You can have a non-neutral setup
You can use multi-tap scene control from the aux switch (switches made from 2021 and above only)
You can use Smart Bulb Mode with the aux switch and control your smart bulbs
Less expensive than buying another smart switch
Cons
Does not fully match the Inovelli smart switch from an aesthetics point of view
More expensive than leaving your dumb/existing switch in the wall
Pros/Cons of Multi-Way w/2x Smart Switches
When we speak of using two smart switches, we mean that the Inovelli smart switch can work with another Inovelli smart switch in the same circuit.
Pros
All switch aesthetics match in your house
You can have dimming (or fan speed control) at both ends of the multi-way (along with on/off)
You can use multi-tap scene control from the smart switch (only switches that support multi-tap)
You can use Smart Bulb Mode with the smart switches and control your smart bulbs
You can have Animated Notifications with the smart switches at both ends (only switches that support it)
Less expensive than buying another smart switch
Cons
You cannot have 2+ smart switches in a non-neutral setup
More expensive than leaving your dumb/existing switch in the wall or by using an aux switch
Sometimes you will need to re-wire your light fixture to allow both smart switches to work
In some cases the user experience of turning on/off/dimming the lights can be slower than using an aux or dumb/existing switch (as the smart switches need to use digital signals rather than hard-wired ones)
Your hub must support either Direct Association (Z-Wave), Direct Bindings (Zigbee/Matter), or multi-tap scene control