Hello everyone, I wanted to get some advice from the folks that have worked with zigbee more than I have. I have 3 thirdreality gen3 switches and they will go offline multiple times a day. Usually just one at a time.
They are within 5 feet of each other and maybe 20ft from my home assistant zigbee dongle and have it paired through the default zigbee integration. Everytime I look at the map, I have perfect LQI 255 and I never see it below that. I don’t really have anymore zigbee devices. The same dongle has multiple zwave devices that don’t have the problem.
Trouble shooting steps:
-Ensured latest firmware on all devices to my knowledge
-reset third reality devices
-Changed batteries
-reboot HA
-reduced Wi-Fi 2.5
Questions:
Even though zigbee network shows good connection is there still still a possible concern?
Why do none of the devices seem to be creating a connection with anything else other than the hub. IE no mesh.
Is it possible that HA version is an issue? I’ve seen some posts that people have recently started to see some issues.
Is there some other integrations, settings, or debugging that I can do to further isolate the issue?
I know a lot of people complain about zigbee in general. Is this just expected with the protocol?
Is my dongle out of date where I should get a new one? I got it a long time ago and just recently started using zigbee/zwave devices.
Other than switchbot and switches that need to be wired in, is there any alternatives that I should look into? Note: I’m renting so wired is not allowed, one of my switches is for a ceiling fan that doesn’t have any remote functionality and because I’m renting modifying isn’t an option.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated! If y’all need anymore information, just let me know.
Zigbee Network Stability: High LQI doesn’t guarantee stability. Interference from 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi or congestion on the HUSBZB-1 dongle (handling both Zigbee and Z-Wave) can cause issues. Adjust your Zigbee channel (15, 20, or 25) to avoid Wi-Fi overlap, and use powered Zigbee repeaters (e.g., plugs or bulbs) to strengthen the mesh.
No Mesh Connections: Battery-powered devices like ThirdReality switches don’t act as repeaters. Add mains-powered Zigbee devices nearby to improve connectivity.
HA Version or Integration: Check for bugs in your Home Assistant version or the ZHA integration. If issues persist, consider switching to Zigbee2MQTT for better diagnostics and control.
Dongle Upgrade: The HUSBZB-1 is outdated. Upgrading to a Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 or ConBee II dongle can improve performance and support Zigbee 3.0 features.
Alternative Switches: Explore Z-Wave switches, or Wi-Fi/Bluetooth options like SwitchBot or TP-Link Kasa for renter-friendly setups.
Recommendations:
Add Zigbee repeaters. - Reduce interference by optimizing channels.
Upgrade your dongle for better performance.
Use alternative wireless switch options if Zigbee remains problematic.
I don’t like using Zigbee or Zwave but this is where id start my troubleshooting.
Thank you kindly for your feedback. I’ve got some zigbee extenders and a smlight 06p7. I haven’t found any alternative switches yet that require any wiring like the third reality ones. If you have any suggestions of something comparable, please let me know. I appreciate the advice!
Just wanted to provide and update. I got a new smlight 06p7 coordinator and configured it with zigbee2mqtt. I ensured that it was using channel 25 with max power. It’s been 1 week plus with not issues besides a 2-3 second delay at times (still not bad). I have also (as of yesterday) added multiple zigbee smart outlets and dongles to act like repeaters to ensure maximum network strength. If I have any issues I will update this thread but wanted to pass it along in case anyone else is having similar issues.
This has never happened to me. I have 15 of the Third Reality switches, mostly to act as routers (some call them repeaters, but officially- routers). My first switch is maybe 2M from the dongle.
Some general tips.
Do not use USB3 for the dongle. The harmonics of the data in USB3 is very near 2.4GHz which has the effect of overwhelming the Zigbee receiver with useless noise. (Google: desense). Switching channels will have no effect here.
Use a 2M USB extension from the Host computer to the dongle. Again, to move the receiver in the dongle away from RF noise sources in the host computer.
If you must use USB3.0 ports because that’s all your computer offers, then try using a USB2.0 hub to intentionally degrade the data to USB2.0 speed. Check for these at flea markets because it’s difficult to find a USB2.0 only hub.
On the troubleshooting efforts- do you have Third Reality switches that do not go offline? Try swapping them to see if the offline behavior is location or device-dependent.