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Devices continuously dropping off my ZigBee network (lemm.ee)
submitted 5 days ago by MrKurtz@lemm.ee to c/homeassistant@lemmy.world
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I recently setup my ZigBee network in Home Assistant, using a Conbee III with deConz on my Synology NAS.

I purchased a few Aqara Temperature sensors and a couple of Mini Switches.

I was able to get them to pair just fine, but they won't remain online for more than a couple days. They then drop off and I can't even reconnect them easily. I need to try to pair them again like 10 times before they come back online.

At this point I don't know if the problem is my network, the Conbee III, deConz, or the Aqara devices.

I don't know much about ZigBee, but a couple things that I tried so far were:

  1. Use a USB extender instead of connecting the Conbee III directly to my NAS.
  2. Bring the devices as close a possible to the gateway. I don't have a big home, so I don't think distance is a factor here, but still, I put of the sensors right next to the gateway, and it would still drop after a while.

Do you have any hints on things to try to get this fixed, or at least identify the problem?

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[–] mhzawadi@lemmy.horwood.cloud 8 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Having moved my home assistant from the middle of my house to a garden shed/office, check your WiFi network is not on channel 1. As that will most likely be the same part of the spectrum as your ZigBee network, if you have your ZigBee on channel 11.

[–] JelleWho@lemmy.world 8 points 4 days ago (3 children)

On another note. A zigbee network is a mesh network set up at pairing. Moving your host around will not re-generate the routes in the network and make your devices drop.

Pair your devices (and hub) in there position they will be in when installed.

[–] EarMaster@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

Also: mains powered devices (lightbulbs, smart plugs, zigbee repeaters) will all act as a repeater in your mesh. Depending on your home it might help to add in a few of them. But keep in mind that this will not magically make your existing devices use them. When setting up your network always pair your permanent powered devices first so they can act as endpoints for your battery powered ones.

[–] nekusoul@lemmy.nekusoul.de 2 points 4 days ago

Well, this explains a whole lot. I've recently paired a few devices in front of the receiver and then moved them into position and wondered why some of them kept dropping off.

[–] anotherandrew@mbin.mixdown.ca 1 points 4 days ago

I don't know if that's the (entire) story -- the mesh is supposed to occasionally reroute based on the link quality of the individual nodes and the repeaters they can see.

[–] mhzawadi@lemmy.horwood.cloud 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] SteveTech@programming.dev 3 points 4 days ago

Thanks TIL! Although I prefer this diagram that has all the wifi channels on it, instead of just the 3 common ones.

Diagram of ZigBee, Bluetooth, and WiFi Channels

Source

[–] MrKurtz@lemm.ee 0 points 4 days ago (1 children)

My wifi is on channel 11, while ZigBee is on 15. That shouldn't overlap, right?

[–] mhzawadi@lemmy.horwood.cloud 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

15 is right in the middle of both WiFi 1 and 6, maybe not the best channel for ZigBee.

Check out this page https://www.metageek.com/training/resources/zigbee-wifi-coexistence/

[–] MrKurtz@lemm.ee 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

So... It should be good if I am using WiFi 11, shouldn't it? Not sure if I am missing something.

[–] mhzawadi@lemmy.horwood.cloud 1 points 4 days ago

Yeah, should be