2 Zigbee Controllers?

Configuration Zigbee
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I have about 50+ devices in my system. I have SONOFF Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus coordinator.

I had a failure in my system where all entities went unavailable. Did lots of tests, but it seemed to be a Sonoff Dongle problem.

I have heard various comments about how many devices a Sonoff Zigbee Dongle Controller can handle (as low as 25). I have devices that are routers too, so they can increase the number of devices if done properly.

My question is if the new ZBT-2 can handle more devices than the Sonoff.
Does it have a better range?
And if I can use more than one coordinator?

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A Zigbee controller should be able to handle 100+ devices. It will only be able to make a direct connection to a limited number, but it shouldn’t have to - most connections will be via other devices.

Range isn’t the issue, it’s the number of routers. Zigbee needs a lot of redundancy so that messages can bounce around to reach their destination.

Yes, you can have more than one coordinator, but you would need different integrations, typically ZHA for one and Z2M for the other. You would have two separate networks and each of your devices would have to belong to one or the other, not to both. A common outcome is to end up with two unstable networks, because the routers would be divided between them.

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Thanks. I do have some issues with the furthest device from the coordinator. I have several plugs with routers throughout the house. But the furthest device since shows unavailable from time to time. So range is a bit of an issue. That’s why I asked about the new ZBT-2 coordinator. Does anyone have experience. I am using ZHA.

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Read what I just said… :grin:

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Well like I said, I have a lot of routers around the house including in the furthest room and adjacent rooms. I will continue to mess around like integrating through the closest router (I did that before. It seemed to improve but still dropped out.) But Thanks again.

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On an RPi 5 I have 2 Zigbee dongles: ZHA (TI CC2652) & Zigbee2MQTT (ITead_Sonoff_Zigbee_3.0_USB_Dongle_Plus) & they work fine (the Z2MQTT works somewhat better than ZHA). As well as a Z-Wave. All happy for 5 years. (Knock on wood!)

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Which God do you pray to? The tales of woe here in these forums require divine intervention sometimes.

Plug-and-pray? Grins!

Go buy yourself a lottery ticket as you have been smitten by good luck

Embarrassingly for the industry, it shouldn’t be so hard to make everything mesh together, and any problems to be easy to troubleshoot.

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@Gnat54 I am running on a RPi4 and using ZHA. You have given me some hope! As well as your experience with 2 dongles. I better bone up on Z2MQTT. Thanks!