ConBee III (ConBee 3) from Dresden-Elektronik based on Silicon Labs EFR32MG21 +20dBm radio SoC/MCU

Configuration Zigbee
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14

Be sure that you have also enough Zigbee Router devices. I highly recommend read and follow → Zigbee networks: how to guide for avoiding interference and optimize for getting better range + coverage

That is, it is not enough to make sure that the Zigbee Coordinator is avoiding electromagnetic field (EMF/EMI/RMI). You also need to add many mains-powered devices that act as Zigbee Routers (which are most but not all mains-powered devices), or for best possible experience add a few dedicated Zigbee Router devices.

Not sure if the use the same chip part number (model) but they both use radio chips from the same radio chip series (Silabs EFR32MG21) so the difference is the application firmware. Home Assistant SkyConnect uses the standard Silicon Labs EmberZNet application firmware with EZSP (EmberZNet Serial Protocol) interface. ConBee III uses its own deconz application firmware (which has its own deconz serial protocol interface).

What might be different otherwise is the circuit board design and components uses (including the antenna design and whether or not to have additional electromagnetic shielding cover protecting the extra sensitive components for the antenna). Note that the Home Assistant SkyConnect board does not have any electromagnetic shielding cover and uses a PCB antenna design so it is extremely sensitive, (on top of the fact that all Zigbee radios are very sensitive to EMF because they are low-power and low-bandwidth radios).

15

Yes I got more hardwired devices then battery powered devices. Most things are hue GU10’s and hue E27’s (got a few more different hue models). Even got two hue smart plugs .

16

Worth checking your Zigbee network map visualization as your Philips Hue devices are maybe not acting as Zigbee Router devices for all other non-Hue Zigbee devices

17

They are. I am adding devices to specific bulbs/spots and they work fine for a few days.

18

Since I went directly to ConBee III from a ConBee II, my knowledge of SkyConnect is limited. My choice was somewhat directed by the fact that I have +70 ZigBee devices and didn’t want to rebuild everything related these (in automations, Lovelace etc.).
The reason for me to consider replacing my ConBee II was an experience lately that the USB would ‘zone out’; it reported perfectly in the logs, however, no communication between the ZigBee devices. Upgrading to ConBee III was simple; backup config, insert new ConBee and restore config. Only hiccup was that it failed to communucate with the network after upgrading. A quick restore of the config and everything was back.
The thing I have noted is that the device seems snappier when starting up and my battery powered (FoH) devices now seem to have a better reach than before. Whether that is to be attributed to the hardware or a new ZigBee stack (maybe allowing routing of Foh) I do not know. So far ConBee III has met my expecations.

1 Like
19

Maybe but probably not, more likley it is the better reception of the newer adapter, however most important is still to add more Zigbee Router devices and avoid interference, see → Zigbee networks: how to guide for avoiding interference and optimize for getting better range + coverage

20

I actually went ahead and bought a Conbee 3 and I can say yes, it solved my Skyconnect problems. it’s been rock solid for 3 weeks so far and no device has been dropped. I only have some ZHA pairing problems when pairing using a device instead of directly through the stick. But hopefully the ZHA guys or Conbee 3 with new firmware will solve these problems.

21

anyone using zha with conbee 3 ?
on my side it is still not working. (setup process failing)
and due to this old bugreport I understand this that zha will not support conbee 3

22

What is your exact enviroment setup and configuration details? Anyway, that old issue does no longer apply, it should work in later Home Assistent releases. It is supported via the deconz-zigpy library for zigpy that the ZHA integration depends on, see:

23

how can it no longer apply if users still have issues and the bugreport is closed as not planned.

however my setup is HA as proxmox-VM and conbee3 connected to the host.

setup fails with

2024-04-03 14:51:35.085 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.uart] Frame received: 0x0e2c0007002600
2024-04-03 14:51:35.086 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 44)
2024-04-03 14:51:35.086 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.api] Sending CommandId.aps_data_confirm{} (seq=44)
2024-04-03 14:51:35.086 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.uart] Send: 042c0007000000
2024-04-03 14:51:35.101 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.uart] Frame received: 0x042c0013000c00220202fcff0000a700000000
2024-04-03 14:51:35.102 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': 2, 'dst_addr': DeconzAddressEndpoint(address_mode=<AddressMode.NWK: 2>, address=0xFFFC, endpoint=0), 'src_ep': 0, 'confirm_status': <TXStatus.APS_NO_ACK: 167>, 'reserved1': 0, 'reserved2': 0, 'reserved3': 0, 'reserved4': 0} (seq 44)
2024-04-03 14:51:35.103 DEBUG (Thread-22) [aiosqlite] executing functools.partial(<function PersistingListener._set_isolation_level.<locals>.<lambda> at 0x7f1638ff8a40>)
2024-04-03 14:51:35.103 DEBUG (Thread-22) [aiosqlite] operation functools.partial(<function PersistingListener._set_isolation_level.<locals>.<lambda> at 0x7f1638ff8a40>) completed
2024-04-03 14:51:35.104 DEBUG (MainThread) [zigpy_deconz.api] Serial '/dev/serial/by-id/usb-dresden_elektronik_ConBee_III_DE03189112-if00-port0' connection lost unexpectedly: None
2024-04-03 14:51:35.105 DEBUG (Thread-22) [aiosqlite] executing functools.partial(<built-in method execute of sqlite3.Connection object at 0x7f1658feea70>, 'PRAGMA wal_checkpoint;', [])
2024-04-03 14:51:35.111 DEBUG (Thread-22) [aiosqlite] operation functools.partial(<built-in method execute of sqlite3.Connection object at 0x7f1658feea70>, 'PRAGMA wal_checkpoint;', []) completed
2024-04-03 14:51:35.112 DEBUG (Thread-22) [aiosqlite] executing functools.partial(<function PersistingListener._set_isolation_level.<locals>.<lambda> at 0x7f1642aea5c0>)
2024-04-03 14:51:35.112 DEBUG (Thread-22) [aiosqlite] operation functools.partial(<function PersistingListener._set_isolation_level.<locals>.<lambda> at 0x7f1642aea5c0>) completed
2024-04-03 14:51:35.113 DEBUG (Thread-22) [aiosqlite] executing functools.partial(<built-in method close of sqlite3.Connection object at 0x7f1658feea70>)
2024-04-03 14:51:35.115 DEBUG (Thread-22) [aiosqlite] operation functools.partial(<built-in method close of sqlite3.Connection object at 0x7f1658feea70>) completed
2024-04-03 14:51:35.116 DEBUG (MainThread) [homeassistant.components.zha] Failed to set up ZHA
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/src/homeassistant/homeassistant/components/zha/__init__.py", line 152, in async_setup_entry
    zha_gateway = await ZHAGateway.async_from_config(
                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/src/homeassistant/homeassistant/components/zha/core/gateway.py", line 196, in async_from_config
    await instance.async_initialize()
  File "/usr/src/homeassistant/homeassistant/components/zha/core/gateway.py", line 214, in async_initialize
    await app.startup(auto_form=True)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/zigpy/application.py", line 234, in startup
    await self.initialize(auto_form=auto_form)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/zigpy/application.py", line 180, in initialize
    await self.permit(0)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/zigpy/application.py", line 1254, in permit
    await zigpy.zdo.broadcast(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/zigpy/device.py", line 688, in broadcast
    return await app.broadcast(
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/zigpy/application.py", line 929, in broadcast
    await self.send_packet(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/zigpy_deconz/zigbee/application.py", line 530, in send_packet
    raise zigpy.exceptions.DeliveryError(
zigpy.exceptions.DeliveryError: Failed to deliver packet: <TXStatus.APS_NO_ACK: 167>
24

found this. will try the firmware update later

I still struggling with my zha network as my “old-stable” HA network had to be frozen at 2023.12 du to this zha bug

thats why I just waited for answer in the other bugreport…

25

yesterday I have updated the conbee 3 to the latest firmware. still the same issue while initlisation

2024-04-05 06:34:59.808 DEBUG (Thread-17) [aiosqlite] operation functools.partial(<built-in method close of sqlite3.Connection object at 0x7f251f36e4d0>) completed
2024-04-05 06:34:59.810 DEBUG (MainThread) [homeassistant.components.zha] Failed to set up ZHA
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/src/homeassistant/homeassistant/components/zha/__init__.py", line 153, in async_setup_entry
    zha_gateway = await ZHAGateway.async_from_config(
                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/src/homeassistant/homeassistant/components/zha/core/gateway.py", line 197, in async_from_config
    await instance.async_initialize()
  File "/usr/src/homeassistant/homeassistant/components/zha/core/gateway.py", line 215, in async_initialize
    await app.startup(auto_form=True)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/zigpy/application.py", line 234, in startup
    await self.initialize(auto_form=auto_form)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/zigpy/application.py", line 180, in initialize
    await self.permit(0)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/zigpy/application.py", line 1254, in permit
    await zigpy.zdo.broadcast(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/zigpy/device.py", line 688, in broadcast
    return await app.broadcast(
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/zigpy/application.py", line 929, in broadcast
    await self.send_packet(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/zigpy_deconz/zigbee/application.py", line 530, in send_packet
    raise zigpy.exceptions.DeliveryError(
zigpy.exceptions.DeliveryError: Failed to deliver packet: <TXStatus.APS_NO_ACK: 167>
26

Sounds as if your issue could maybe be not proper USB pass-through from Proxmox, so suggest you try to check/verify that first. How is that configuration done? Recommend asking in a Proxmox forum.

Are you using Home Assistent OS? If Can you see the adapter under hardware?

That is, the symtom looks to be that ZHA integration can not connect to the adapter, which it would be if USB pass-through is not working all the way to Home Assistent core and the ZHA integration.

27

Hello
Any good news regarding the conbee migration from II to III trough Zigbee2MQTT?

28

I am using HAOS, yes

the USB Passthrough works like a charme with an ELV/EQ3 Stick routed to HAOS and from there to the raspberrymatic addon.
the USB Passthrough worked in the same way like a charme before with the DongleP Zigbee stick (which now works in a copy VM which cannot be upgraded o newer version than 2023.12 anymore.thanks to zha “improvements” in the mentioned bugreport ZHA delays with Tuya mmWave sensors · Issue #107200 · home-assistant/core · GitHub )

So I cannot imagine that there is not still a bug somewhere in zha-deconz.
the stick is there as /dev/ttyUSB0 …

29

it does not make a difference if I use passthrough device or Port.

while setup I use the deconz library and the mentioned baud 112500

Bildschirmfoto vom 2024-04-05 09-31-24

30

Yes it is possible via zigpy-cli workaround, see → migrating coordinator from Conbee 2 to Conbee 3 · Koenkk/zigbee2mqtt · Discussion #19785 · GitHub

31

I think baudrate should be 115200 and use software flow control (or no flow control?) for ConBee 3?

For reference; ConBee 2 used baud rate 57600 and hardware flow control.

32

You should really map the radio adapter via serial/by-id in ZHA instead of the USB port number as USB port numbers can change on reboots or when add other USB devices.

33

baudrate was a typ-error as 112500 does not exist…

serial-by-id I know… but HAOS does not give me this option