New feature for changing the zigbee channel

Configuration Zigbee
1

I have seen that in HA 2023.6 there is a new feature in the ZHA integration: it offers to change the channel. zigpy energy-scan shows me that my current channel (11) is very noise and I want to migrate to channel 20 (using ZNP). The channel-change-function in HA says it may be that not all devices can be migrated to the new channel. So I did not try to change the channel because I fear that afterwards all is broken. I do not want to re-pair 60 devices.
Is there somebody who tried it? What can happen if it goes wrong?

Channel energy (mean of 5 / 5):

  • Lower energy is better
  • Active Zigbee networks on a channel may still cause congestion
  • TX on 26 in North America may be with lower power due to regulations
  • Zigbee channels 15, 20, 25 fall between WiFi channels 1, 6, 11
  • Some Zigbee devices only join networks on channels 15, 20, and 25
  • Current channel is enclosed in [square brackets]
  • [11 ] 38.90% ######################################
  • 12 12.31% ############
  • 13 8.63% ########
  • 14 9.49% #########
  • 15 32.39% ################################
  • 16 29.25% #############################
  • 17 38.04% ######################################
  • 18 47.84% ###############################################
  • 19 10.12% ##########
  • 20 1.41% #
  • 21 2.12% ##
  • 22 1.25% #
  • 23 3.37% ###
  • 24 0.00%
  • 25 2.51% ##
  • 26* 23.53% #######################
2

What can happen. Well for one you could have to reinstall your whole network of it goes wrong?

Channel change is something you do as last resort - mostly because not all end devices handle ot well. Do you have a real signal saturation issue?

3

Also without knowing more about your network and how many devices are on it, you might just move the problem, because its the devices themselves generating that high utilisation.

4

Before doing the radio energy-scan, HA was shut down.

5

That doesn’t necessarily help you. Some devices (especially things like plugs and bulbs) will come back online almost instantly, its the battery powered stuff that is much less chatty, and you might not see them for a while, but generally its not these generating high congestion unless you have alot of them.

I’d also suggest that unless you are suffering instability issues, 38% is very very low.

My zigbee (51 devices, about half end devices, the other mains powered/routers) network is running on channel 15 and is rock solid, with much much higher energy scan values. (typically 55-95 depending on when the scan is done).

This is what it looks like right now

    "energy_scan": {
      "11": 9.713248103580147,
      "12": 8.631361812931262,
      "13": 7.659755505061292,
      "14": 9.713248103580147,
      "15": 91.05606689948522,
      "16": 23.33483723001185,
      "17": 28.30261646762903,
      "18": 65.26028270288712,
      "19": 98.43344238842926,
      "20": 98.21983128611214,
      "21": 97.97769123383605,
      "22": 98.21983128611214,
      "23": 98.62178092672917,
      "24": 99.17601569142556,
      "25": 99.06269548719737,
      "26": 97.39286236923465
    },

I did try migrating to 11, but I found that after moving only a couple of devices, the congestion just moved to 11, so I ended up sticking with 15 and tweaked the position of the coordinator, and its been rock solid.

UPDATE: Also, as a final note, the energy scan values do seem very volatile… this is my channel 15 scan a few minutes later:

      "15": 73.50699819621309,
1 Like
6

This is the key… Otherwise do nothing. :slight_smile:

7

Very often, devices fall off the network. Is this an instability issue?

8

It could be. But you should chase why before running to a channel change.

Is it a certain kind of device? Is it a range issue in a certain part of the network? Is it an rf interference issue with WiFi? Dunno. But for certain you need to understand what devices are falling off and at least formulate theory before popping channel changes. That’s the LAST step.