Dear Home assistant users,
I have a small question…
I would like to make my Zigbee network as reliable as possible.
My question is:
Can I just keep adding Zigbee devices and does the Zigbee protocol arrange the best network configuration by its self?
Or is it better to manually expand the network? In other words: Select the Zigbee device which is the closest to the next (new) one I like to add.
Please see attached file. I don’t know if this is healthy?
Thank you in advance for your answer. 
It’s my understanding that the Zigbee network will try to optimize itself periodically. I can neither confirm nor deny that’s the case.
That said I always add new devices to another device manually. That way I hope it starts out the best that it can and then if the zigbee network changes it for something better later then that’s OK too.
It’s a best of both worlds situation.
Hi Finity,
Just to make it more clear for me
So you are adding new Zigbee devices manually? → Via a Zigbee devices that’s the most nearby or closest? I assume that you get this type of network. This seems more balanced.
I second @finity …can also not confirm but it is quite stable for me except for specific devices.
One should pair devices from the location where they are used, that is where they find the applicable router.
With my house with a lot of reinforced concrete and reasonable garden, I had to add 2 (just 2) routers in the form of plugs to extend the range
In theory, devices should find the best route. In reality, it is very device dependent, some do and some don’t. Some will just pair with the first device it hears and almost never change from it. Aqara devices are bad about this, but they aren’t alone.
I initially pair via the router I think is best. If the device then migrates away, I assume it has a reason (and there is not much you can do about it anyway).
Yep you can pretty much only rely on mains powered devices that act as repeaters to actively reconfigure their mesh connections. A lot of end nodes (looking at you Aqara) will stick with the path they used when paired. Even if a better path becomes available at a later time.
So if you add a significant amount of new repeater devices, be prepared to re-pair your battery powered end node devices.
Zigbee is a bit shit like that.
To all → Thank you very much for explaining!!
I think I have to manually rearrange some devices. 
Thanks, I learned something! I have some devices which I don’t think are connected to the best router. I didn’t know that some won’t reconfigure after being paired. I first set each one up at my desk, so any which won’t adapt on their own are probably getting poor connections.
