Hi!
When adding new ZigBee devices, the only way I can get them to pair is if I place them close to the main ZigBee controller dongle. Not one of my other devices will find them, even those which are repeaters.
Has anyone any suggestions how I can overcome this please?
Thanks!!!
Can’t really suggest anything without more details of your setup. A couple of general comments, though…
It’s good practice to add new devices to the network in the position in which they will be used. If you can’t do that, they’re unlikely to work reliably when you move them into position after joining.
You can only add new devices to the network through the coordinator or through a router. Not through an end device.
There’s no such thing as a Zigbee repeater - I think you mean router.
It doesn’t matter whether you add a new device through the coordinator or a router - the connections will change anyway.
What coordinator are you using? ZHA or Z2M? How many routers and end devices have you got? What’s the device you’re trying to add? 
Thanks for your response!
I’m very aware of all the points you’ve made.
The issue is that any type of device will only connect if I bring it close to the main ZigBee dongle. Yes, I have quite a few other devices which are routers, but the only way I can get any type of device to connect is if I bring it into the same room as the main dongle. It’s totally baffling!!!
Other than that issue, my network works perfectly fine!
I’m using zha.
I don’t use ZHA, but in Zigbee2MQTT you can tell it which device to pair with. Maybe ZHA has this option too?
It does!
But the only device which will ever see a new device is the main zigbee controller.
I can try pairing over and over in any room and the device will never connect. The moment I move it close to the main controller, it connects immediatly. Once a device is connected it will work anywhere in the house! the only issue is the first pairing!