ITead's "Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus" (model "ZBDongle-P") based on Texas Instruments CC2652P +20dBm radio SoC/MCU

Hedda, as always I learn something new when you post. Thanks.

I will stay on the master (stable), like I do on HA and the rest of home automation system

I’ve bought a second Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus to use a router/range extender. I’ve flashed it with router firmware.

I’ve tried flashing both these, with a successful and verified write.

https://github.com/Koenkk/Z-Stack-firmware/blob/3406c6a0cd2b755f302f4cacd07b37497a86cc08/router/Z-Stack_3.x.0/bin/CC1352P2_CC2652P_other_router_20220125.zip

and

https://github.com/Koenkk/Z-Stack-firmware/blob/3406c6a0cd2b755f302f4cacd07b37497a86cc08/router/Z-Stack_3.x.0/bin/CC1352P2_CC2652P_launchpad_router_20220125.zip

I don’t know what to do next now. I’ve plugged the dongle into a USB power source, but think I should add it to the zigbee network somehow? It doesn’t appear on the network map, and doesn’t show if I try to pair it, I’m missing a step and haven’t been able find what to do next by searching.

I’m using z2mqtt, any pointer in the right direction appreciated.

I’ve made progress.

I connected it to HA, added through integrations when it then it got discovered it was also and added as a device in the z2mqtt list. After that I disconnected and plugged it into a power source, it seems like it then acts as a router, the network map shows an error when loading, but it looks like it’s connected.

The log shows a couple of errors

Failed to execute LQI for 'Zigbee Sonoff USB Router

Error: {“address”:1356,“clusterId”:32817,“sequence”:226} after 10000ms at Timeout._onTimeout (/app/node_modules/zigbee-herdsman/src/utils/waitress.ts:64:35) at listOnTimeout (node:internal/timers:559:17) at processTimers (node:internal/timers:502:7)

An unpaired Sonoff ZBDongle-P stick goes into pairing mode at power on, but doesn’t stay in pairing mode very long before going idle.

My steps:

  1. Flash with the LAUNCHPAD variant of the router firmware
  2. Unlpug router stick from USB power
  3. Place z2m into “Permit Join” mode
  4. Plug router stick into usb power source
  5. Wait for joining interview to complete
  6. Restart the z2m container or add on

The step 6 restart is my own suggestion.

Without the z2m restart after pairing, either the stick doesn’t respond to z2m availability pings, or z2m doesn’t correctly process the ping, and z2m will mark the stick as offline (but it still continues to function as a router).

After the z2m restart everything works 100%.

I don’t know what the “real” issue is, and the restart may be overkill, but it is simple and works without touching any extra settings like reporting interval.

I’ve flashed six or so sticks myself, re-flashed and tested several of those with and without the restart a few times, and confirmed with several users on-line that the restart step resolves the timeout/offline issues. Still, no promises, YMMV.

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Thank you, I think I wasn’t attempting to pair quick enough, except for the time I plugged back into HA, when I made the mistake of also adding as a device thinking that was what paired it.

Thanks for your guide, I removed it completely and started again from scratch and now its connected as router on the network.

Much appreciated.

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Good evening everyone, I have a ZBDongle-P that I use in ZHA, I have a doubt about what I need to do to update the firmware without losing my zigbee configuration. First I have to backup the coordinator in zha, then I turn off home assistant, I remove the dongle and update the firmware. Then once reconnected do I have to restore the backup of the dongle?

Basically yes, however, if the dongle config is reset during the firmware update (which it is not always) then the ZHA integration the latest Home Assistant should indicate that no configured Zigbee network is found on the radio and offer to restore the backup for you, so that last step should be less complexed than it sounds.

Also remember to stop/disable the ZHA integration before removing the dongle in order to upgrade it, (technically you do not need to remove it as could update on the same computer but it should be easier just to remove the dongle and update firmware on the other computer).

Awaiting this dongle for tomorrow, wish to change an existing installation with Conbee2.

Just realised that my DILC Nuc mini pc has only USB 3 type, and I read i should connect only to USB 2!(which I don’t have).

What will happen attached to a USB 3?

I have installed HA on a miniPC with no USB type 2 ports at all but USB 3 ports only. No problems with the Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 Dongle Plus.

Make sure to connect the stick through an USB extension cable (mine is 1.5 meter) but don’t connect the stick directly to the NUC to avoid interferences.

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Just because you do not see it does not mean that there is not problems that are not seen. You might not see the reception errors which force re-transmission unless enable debug loggibg and dig deeper into the logs. Zigbee do have some robustness built into it so devices will retransmitt messages without user interaction but doing so can cause delays and drain the batteries of battery-operated devices. So not seeing the problem is not a good reason for not follow the best practice guidelines.

USB 3.0 ports/cables/pheriphials are infamously know and factually proven to cause serious EFM/EMI/RMI interference with low-power 2.4GHz IoT radios such as Zigbee, Thread, and Bluetooth. See linked whitepaper and article with practical demo for reference. Best is to always follow best practice guidelines and that is to not only use a long extension cable but also only connect it to a USB 2.0 port, so if your computer do not have one then buy and use a powered USB 2.0 hub which will in essense convert a USB 3.0 port into USB 2.0 ports,

Best is to connect a powered USB 2.0 hub to the computer and then connect a long USB extension cable to the hub and then put the Zigbee USB dongle adapter at the end, (so it that way comes as far away from the USB 3.0 port as possible. You can and should still use USB 3.0 cables are those are better shielded, and it is not the cables themselves that cause interference but only USB 3.0 signals.

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can’t find one on amazon, they sell all 3.0. Does it have to be powered? Can I use a NON powered hub 2.0?

Amazon store for which country? There should be loads available.

Just do a search keywords ”powered USB 2.0 hub” on Amazon or Google.

https://www.google.com/search?q=amazon+powered+usb+2.0+hub&rlz=1CDGOYI_enSE649SE649&oq=amazon+powered+usb+2.0+hub

https://www.google.com/search?q=amazon+powered+usb+2.0+hub&rlz=1CDGOYI_enSE649SE649&oq=amazon+powered+usb+2.0+hub

Only a few examples on amazon.com (US country store) listed here:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Port-USB-Power-Adapter/dp/B00DQFGJR4/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=2WP211N0JPY6R&keywords=powered+usb+2.0+hub&qid=1668242450&sprefix=powered+usb+2.0+hub%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-4

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Port-Compact-Black-USB/dp/B000T9S4CI/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=2WP211N0JPY6R&keywords=powered+usb+2.0+hub&qid=1668242450&sprefix=powered+usb+2.0+hub%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/Belkin-4-Port-Powered-Desktop-Support/dp/B00LHR52VW/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?crid=2WP211N0JPY6R&keywords=powered+usb+2.0+hub&qid=1668242450&sprefix=powered+usb+2.0+hub%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-8

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Adapter-Control-Switches-HB-U14P/dp/B00HL7Z46K/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?crid=2WP211N0JPY6R&keywords=powered+usb+2.0+hub&qid=1668242450&sprefix=powered+usb+2.0+hub%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-10

https://www.amazon.com/Powered-BYEASY-Charging-Splitter-Keyboard/dp/B07W3M16C1/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?crid=2WP211N0JPY6R&keywords=powered+usb+2.0+hub&qid=1668242450&sprefix=powered+usb+2.0+hub%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-5

Hi, I’m not having Auto-Discovery of my SONOFF Dongle CC2652.
I’m running my Home Assistant Machine in a Virtual Box under a Windows PC.
I saw in this documentation that when HA is running in a Docker, a YAML special configuration is needed:
ZHA USB Auto-Discovery

Does anyone know if any special configuration is needed when running HA in a Virtual Box?
My USB stick is not auto-discovered, besides I can still see it listed in “All Hardware” of the Home Assistant.

Italy, plenty of 3.0, can’t find POWERED 2.0

Thanks you Hedda for clarifying the USB 3.0 > USB 2.0 conversion. This was the confusing part for me for my Sonoff USB 3.0 ZBDongle-P and my ZHA on SynologY NAS without USB 2.0.

/ m4v3r1ck

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Understand that the terminology wording is different in other languages than English, so maybe being mains powered is called something else in other countries, still refering to external power adapter, AC power, mains-power, grid power, or similar translated to other language.

Alternativly try searching Amazon Germany or Amazon France stores then, or order from other stores than Amazon, or walk into a local electronics store. USB 2.0 hubs are still being sold in many places because you do not really need USB 3.0 is not transfering a lot of data storage and instead only connecting computer pheriphials.

Did I argue different?

The poster ordered the dongle before noticing that his PC has no USB2 ports. Since the Sonoff Zigbee Dongle is certainly working on USB3 with the miniPC I use for HA why not just give it a try before spending more money for a USB2 Hub? If it doesn’t work on his miniPC there is still time to buy that hub, isn’t it?

The stick/zigbee network is certainly working flawlessly with 50+ devices. No hiccups ever since. I see no reason to dig deeper for possible log entries telling me about retransmitted messages or else.

Anyway I bought the USB2 hub, better be safe.

Started, first error


Zigbee2MQTT:info  2022-11-12 15:13:08: Starting Zigbee2MQTT version 1.28.2 (commit #unknown)
Zigbee2MQTT:info  2022-11-12 15:13:08: Starting zigbee-herdsman (0.14.68)
Zigbee2MQTT:error 2022-11-12 15:13:08: Error while starting zigbee-herdsman
Zigbee2MQTT:error 2022-11-12 15:13:08: Failed to start zigbee
Zigbee2MQTT:error 2022-11-12 15:13:08: Check https://www.zigbee2mqtt.io/guide/installation/20_zigbee2mqtt-fails-to-start.html for possible solutions
Zigbee2MQTT:error 2022-11-12 15:13:08: Exiting...
Zigbee2MQTT:error 2022-11-12 15:13:08: Error: spawn udevadm ENOENT
    at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:283:19)
    at onErrorNT (node:internal/child_process:478:16)
    at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:83:21)

This my coinfiguration (I am using default)


data_path: /config/zigbee2mqtt
socat:
  enabled: false
  master: pty,raw,echo=0,link=/tmp/ttyZ2M,mode=777
  slave: tcp-listen:8485,keepalive,nodelay,reuseaddr,keepidle=1,keepintvl=1,keepcnt=5
  options: "-d -d"
  log: false
mqtt: {}
serial: {}

I have HA on a NUC with proxmox (I just switched the Conbee2 with the Sonoff dongle

Yor are missing the above parameters for “mqtt” and “serial” inside the Z2M configuration.

I have mosquitto addon its written to keep it like that, and also serial that it should auto discover …

Anyway I fixed the mosquitto, the error iois on the stick When I do this


➜  ~ ls -l /dev/serial/by-id
total 0
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root            13 Oct 29 15:26 usb-0658_0200-if00 -> ../../ttyACM0

but is strange. EDIT: this is my Zwave stick …

Why is the stick not showing???

EDIT


➜  ~ lsusb
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003   # this is QEMU?
Bus 002 Device 012: ID 18d1:9302   # should be coral google
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0658:0200  # zwave stick
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0627:0001
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 0409:55aa
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002
Bus 002 Device 005: ID 8087:0aaa