Issue: Zigbee limited range

I’m new of the forum and with my first very detailed explained post with screen prints about my HA setup with 20 devices I get this. #WTF Can the moderator pleas get rid of this stupid constraint. Thanks in advance !

Hi Jan, welcome to the forum. The constraint is there to try to prevent people form joining the forum to ask a question without proper research first. But i recognize your frustration. I have a feeling you’re not that person judging from your attempt to be thorough.

Luckily, maybe a detailed description of your setup may not be needed, and when you get started questions will come for more details when needed.

Judging from your title alone the first things that come to mind (maybe you researched those already - if you have then the longer post may be useful):

  1. Did you use a USB extension cord (passive USB 2.0) of at least 50cm for the coordinator? USB3 interference is killling. The coordinator needs to be far away from USB3 and other interference at all cost.
  2. Did you check wifi channels as they may block out zigbee channels: check this post and try different channels: ZigBee and Wi-Fi Coexistence | MetaGeek
  3. Do you have enough zigbee routers (usually all mains powered devices, such as lights)?
  4. Do you ever disconnect zigbee router devices such as lights from power? They should always be powered so they can do the routing.
  5. Do you pair devices in their intended location or close to the coordinator? You should do the first, as some devices (notably Aqara) are notoriously bad at picking a new route when needed.

I don’t think that you get anywhere with asking this way. Maybe you should ask nicely ! Dat zou veel beter zijn.

Sorry, I just got quite annoyed by typing for 20 minutes adding images and stuff and then gtting this message.

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Nope, still the same constraint. How long do I need to wait before the contraint is removed ?

Hi, I have replaced my legacy 433 coco network with a bi-directional mesh. It consists of a coordinator, 20 tuya devices, a mix of power plugs,

dimmers and switches

this is my network (quite well developed I would say):

ll devices are mains powered and routers (no endpoints).

Issue is that the range of the network is still very limited. As soon as the coordinator does not have reach to the device the connection is lost. In the network devices with a LQI of 40 do not have connection and items which are 5 cm located from each other are not connected:

For instance BBQ and TableLights give error 102, while TV is working fine. TV and BBQ have 50 cm distance.
GardenLights gives:

BBQ gives not connected:

…see other post for remaining part of the post (due to moderation, this is my final reply…)

Thanks for the posts, please answer @Edwin_D 's questions - they relate to most common Zigbee issues.

Additionally what’s the distance between a failing node and the nearest mains powered node, and what’s the distance between that node and the coordinator?

Due to another limitation that prevents me to reply again… herewith the rest of my message. Happy moderation !!


Reconfiguring switch give binding problems

Can you guys give your expert opinion about this state of affairs? I’m wondering what I miss because I can’t believe that the mesh is fake and my Zigbee setup is in fact a hub and spoke model.

Futhermore which Linux tools exist to analyse and debug the network in detail.

Regards !

Yes, did a lot of research and did all that already. I wonder which tools I can use to debug and test my mesh in details to find the root cause. Would be nice to see which route each message takes and where the root cause is…

Regrettable I don’t think this is built into the protocol. I still think interference is the most likely cause. May not even be wifi, it is a crowded frequency range. Did you try other zigbee channels? Are the switches in places between potential sources, are dimmers burried in walls?

Did you read this :

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Thanks. I currently created an SD with Domoticz and installed the D4Z plugin since that gives much more detailed information under the hood. However in that plugin the mesh is not shown.

I don’t feel that the issue is with noise or interference. I shut down all 2.4Ghz sources, switched channel to 11 and use an extension cable and the same issue persists. I suspect it has something to do with the coordinator or the router devices that prevent hopping of the messages.

ps: these messages I got for 24 hours :-), annoying as a broomstick between the buttocks

I understand your frustrations but you really should clean up your language.

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Hi @NathanCu, I only have mains powered router nodes, no endpoints. The distance is 3 meter. I have ordered another, Tuya based coordinator to rule out Zigbee 3.0 implementation differences.

That coordinator has a less than optimal antenna. And you better flash recent firmware on it.
Better use a Sonoff Dongle Plus P or E.

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