Hey
I changed it now and attached the 1.5 meter cable between the raspy, and the ConBee III.
Sadly, there is no difference at all. Still only the few devices connected via the Hue Plug, also I cannot add new devices. It’s still stuck on interviewing the devices.
Was that to a USB 2.0 port or did you use a USB 2.0 extension cable?
What else you can try is to first remove a few Zigbee End Devices and then add a few more Zigbee Router devices before add back any Zigbee Router devices. Buy some known good Zigbee Router devices or make a known great DIY Zigbee Router devices by flashing extra Zigbee USB dongles. All as per the guide.
But devices stuck on interviewing is usually (however not always) a sign of EMI interference so you should still also continue to take as many proactive measures for that as you can. Again as per the guide.
Hello
I used a double shielded 3.0 Extension cable and plugged it in the 2.0 Port.
Now I tried to make a new ZigBee network (not restore a backup with the new stick) and still all the same devices are connected and still the same aren’t connected. Even though, I made a new network.
Honestly, I don’t get it any more. I have no clue what could be the problem, I tested it all now but nothing works.
Only suggestions other that adding ”known good” Zigbee Router devices is to upgrade firmware on the ConBee or buy a different Zigbee Coordinator adapter as the issue could be with the deCONZ firmware on the ConBee
I already bought the new III stick after the issue started with the II stick
What I meant was to buy something other than ConBee if that could be an issue, as in either buy a CC2652P based dongle with latest Texas Instruments Z-Stack ZNP firmware or a dongle like SkyConnect ZBT-1 that uses latest standard Silicon Labs EmberZNet firmware with EZSP/Ember interface.
Anyway, if see same issues in a new network then it is still more likley that the root cause of your issues is either a lack of Zigbee Router devices or problem with a specific device that is somehow blocking messages from other devices on the same network.
Can try enable debug mode a submit a issue with debug logs for analyzing by ZHA developers:
Hey
Thanks for the response.
So what I did now is delete all devices, test with the ConBee II that worked up to 25 devices adding an Aeotec Zigbee repeater.
And it did not work. Then I tested it with the ConBee III and it also didn’t work. So there should not be a device that interferes with the signal, or any broken already connected device or whatever.
Update:
I deleted now the ZHA integration and all DB files in HA so completely removed the integration, and I am trying a complete greenfield approach now. Let’s see if it helps.
Update II:
It didn’t change anything. Still stuck on interviewing. I tried to connect the AEOTEC repeater and some Aqara device and the Hue power plug directly near the ConBee III Stick, still no chance to finish the interview.
When I go into the file editor and check and Zigbee File, I see this error:
‘utf-8’ codec can’t decode byte 0xe2 in position 1: invalid continuation byte
This is only because it cannot be displayed in the File editor right and not because the file is fucked?
Thanks a lot.
Here are some debugging infos I found with deconz, ZHA and so on. Probably it won’t help, but maybe you can find an issue from this. I will try to submit an Error to the developer.
2024-07-21 11:42:40.005 WARNING (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.api] Unknown command received: Command(command_id=<CommandId.undefined_0x81: 129>, seq=130, payload=b’\x04\x00\x01\x00\x10[w\xfc’)
2024-07-21 11:42:40.010 WARNING (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.api] Unknown command received: Command(command_id=<CommandId.undefined_0x22: 34>, seq=1, payload=b’\x00I\x00B\x00(translationLayer_initPlatform)ConBee Started RCAUSE: [00000201]\n\r’)
2024-07-21 11:42:51.779 WARNING (MainThread) [zigpy.application] Zigbee channel 20 utilization is 76.08%!
2024-07-21 11:42:51.779 WARNING (MainThread) [zigpy.application] If you are having problems joining new devices, are missing sensor updates, or have issues keeping devices joined, ensure your coordinator is away from interference sources such as USB 3.0 devices, SSDs, WiFi routers, etc.
2024-07-21 11:42:59.004 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.zigbee.application] Sending packet: ZigbeePacket(timestamp=datetime.datetime(2024, 7, 21, 9, 42, 59, 4347, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc), src=AddrModeAddress(addr_mode=<AddrMode.NWK: 2>, address=0x0000), src_ep=0, dst=AddrModeAddress(addr_mode=<AddrMode.Broadcast: 15>, address=<BroadcastAddress.ALL_ROUTERS_AND_COORDINATOR: 65532>), dst_ep=0, source_route=None, extended_timeout=False, tsn=8, profile_id=0, cluster_id=<ZDOCmd.Mgmt_Permit_Joining_req: 0x0036>, data=Serialized[b’\x08\xfe\x00’], tx_options=<TransmitOptions.NONE: 0>, radius=0, non_member_radius=0, lqi=None, rssi=None)
2024-07-21 11:42:59.006 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.api] Sending CommandId.aps_data_request{‘request_id’: 9, ‘flags’: <DeconzSendDataFlags.NONE: 0>, ‘dst’: DeconzAddressEndpoint(address_mode=<AddressMode.NWK: 2>, address=0xFFFC, endpoint=0), ‘profile_id’: 0, ‘cluster_id’: <ZDOCmd.Mgmt_Permit_Joining_req: 0x0036>, ‘src_ep’: 0, ‘asdu’: b’\x08\xfe\x00’, ‘tx_options’: <DeconzTransmitOptions.USE_NWK_KEY_SECURITY: 2>, ‘radius’: 0, ‘relays’: None} (seq=70)
2024-07-21 11:42:59.007 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.uart] Send: 12460019001200090002fcff000000360000030008fe000200
2024-07-21 11:42:59.025 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.uart] Frame received: 0x124600090002002209
2024-07-21 11:42:59.025 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.api] Received command CommandId.aps_data_request{‘status’: <Status.SUCCESS: 0>, ‘frame_length’: 9, ‘payload_length’: 2, ‘device_state’: DeviceState(network_state=<NetworkState2.CONNECTED: 2>, device_state=<DeviceStateFlags.APSDE_DATA_REQUEST_FREE_SLOTS_AVAILABLE: 8>), ‘request_id’: 9} (seq 70)
2024-07-21 11:42:59.985 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.uart] Frame received: 0x0e470007002600
2024-07-21 11:42:59.985 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.api] Received command CommandId.device_state_changed{‘status’: <Status.SUCCESS: 0>, ‘frame_length’: 7, ‘device_state’: DeviceState(network_state=<NetworkState2.CONNECTED: 2>, device_state=<DeviceStateFlags.APSDE_DATA_CONFIRM|APSDE_DATA_REQUEST_FREE_SLOTS_AVAILABLE: 9>), ‘reserved’: 0} (seq 71)
2024-07-21 11:42:59.986 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.api] Sending CommandId.aps_data_confirm{} (seq=71)
2024-07-21 11:42:59.986 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.uart] Send: 04470007000000
2024-07-21 11:43:00.002 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.uart] Frame received: 0x04470013000c00220902fcff00000000000000
2024-07-21 11:43:00.003 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.api] Received command CommandId.aps_data_confirm{‘status’: <Status.SUCCESS: 0>, ‘frame_length’: 19, ‘payload_length’: 12, ‘device_state’: DeviceState(network_state=<NetworkState2.CONNECTED: 2>, device_state=<DeviceStateFlags.APSDE_DATA_REQUEST_FREE_SLOTS_AVAILABLE: 8>), ‘request_id’: 9, ‘dst_addr’: DeconzAddressEndpoint(address_mode=<AddressMode.NWK: 2>, address=0xFFFC, endpoint=0), ‘src_ep’: 0, ‘confirm_status’: <TXStatus.SUCCESS: 0>, ‘reserved1’: 0, ‘reserved2’: 0, ‘reserved3’: 0, ‘reserved4’: 0} (seq 71)
2024-07-21 11:43:00.005 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.api] Sending CommandId.write_parameter{‘parameter_id’: <NetworkParameter.permit_join: 33>, ‘parameter’: b’\xfe’} (seq=72)
2024-07-21 11:43:00.005 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.uart] Send: 0b48000900020021fe
2024-07-21 11:43:00.017 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.uart] Frame received: 0x0b48000800010021
2024-07-21 11:43:00.017 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.api] Received command CommandId.write_parameter{‘status’: <Status.SUCCESS: 0>, ‘frame_length’: 8, ‘payload_length’: 1, ‘parameter_id’: <NetworkParameter.permit_join: 33>} (seq 72)
2024-07-21 11:43:10.054 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy.application] Feeding watchdog
Sounds like there might be a problem with either that Aeotec repeater or a bug with zigpy-deconz, so if you already updated to latest firmware on ConBee then best is to open a new issue for ZHA in Home Assistant’s Core repository and include diagnostics and debug logs there.
If you are already rebuilding your zigbee network, would it make sense to try deconz instead, which is ‘native’ to conbee?
Partially yes, but not if want to use ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT instead of deCONZ. Personally I prefer ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT.
Regardless it does currently not make sense to buy any ConBee dongle if want to use ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT since they thier support for ConBee is not as good as their support for dongles Silabs’s EmberZNet/Ember and TI’s Z-Stack/ZNP firmware
So if a user was successfully using ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT with a ConBee II (ConBee 2) then they should not buy a ConBee III (ConBee 3) as an upgrade if want to continue using ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT. They should instead buy a new dongle with Silabs’s EmberZNet/Ember and TI’s Z-Stack/ZNP firmware (e.g. SkyConnect ZBT-1 or a CC2652P based adapter).
You should really only buy a ConBee if want option to use deCONZ as when using ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT then ConBee dongles have limitations that EmberZNet and Z-Stack firmware does not have when using those, (install code and QR code commissinibg does not work on ConBee with ZHA or Z2M, nor does backup and restore work in Zigbee2MQTT).
All that is explained more here:
Also read this for technical details:
Hey,
Thanks for the response. Why you think the problem is with the Aeotec repeater? I cannot bind it into my Zigbee network, and I cannot bind any other device. So right now no device is in my network. The error log is from an Aqara door sensor, I think.
I would prefer to use ZHA actually it seems a lot easier and more straight forward.
Also, it’s more straight forward to use Zigbee2MQTT
Thanks for the answer. I was looking at some videos to compare the sticks. As I found out, the ConBee III is in some ways superior to the Sky Connect. The sky Connect does not have any feature that the ConBee does not have, except for the native support from HA Team. And the pure hardware from the ConBee III seems better than Sky Connect.
But thanks for your link to the interesting post.
So should I send back my ConBee III and order a Sky Connect?
And how good is the chance, that my ZigBee network will work again after buying the Sky Connect?
ConBee III and SkyConnect use the exact same chips so practially the same hardware, but while the SkyConnect uses the standard EmberZNet firmware with standard EZSP interface the ConBee uses a custom firmware with its own custom interface which is only partially documented for the public, so the community can not support the ConBee as well as they can support standard firmware
Good idea if you plan to use ZHA. With the ConBee support will not be better than best effort.
At least you get support from official manufacturer with SkyConnect. You get no support from ConBee manufacurer if use it with ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT as they officially only support deCONZ
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But what you think are the chances, that switching to the Sky Connect will actually solve the problem in %?
Because if you say chance is 20% I am not sure if I will do it or maybe just go with an aqara hub.
100% that you should really open an issue with debug logs regardless to find root cause.
100% chance that I will go away on holiday right now so not follow the the conclusion.
This is not MythBusters so can not give you other procentages.
Enjoy your holidays and thanks for the help!