Trouble adding repeaters via ZHA

Configuration Zigbee
1

Hi there,

Not always sure what I am doing with Home Assistant but so far most things have worked out just fine. I seem to have issues though with Zigbee (ZHA). At first I was super excited and I got the Sonoff USB Dongle-P connected to my HA (green) and it worked instantly. All my Hue lights and most other things are not connected via Zigbee but via the manufacturers integration. That all seems to be super stable. Zigbee started for me with my window sensor. I use them for example to turn off the smart thermostats when a window is being opened or send a notification to our cell phones if we leave the house and a window is being left open. For the window sensor I have used the Aquara sensors and they have been working well for us except for range. There are a couple of windows where the connection is not stable and it sometimes drops out. The idea then was to add a few smart plugs around the house and use them as Zigbee Repeaters / Extenders at the same time. Here is what happens:

  • Plug in socket starts searching for Zigbee network and is being found by HA almost instantly. HA says “The device is ready to use”.
  • The newly found device can be used for a few seconds (e.g. Switch plug on / off)
  • A few seconds later the device becomes unavailable
  • A few seconds later the devices is available again.
  • This goes on a couple of times until the device ultimately becomes unavailable and stops searching (the little indicator light on the plug becomes solid).
  • When I then restart or even reboot HA, the system tells me that the device is available and I can use the switch again. However, turning the switch on / off does not do anything. There is also no power being measured or anything else. The plug cannot be controlled also it shows that it can. When I then try to use the switch for example a little later, there is a message coming up on HA as follows:
    “Failed to perform the action switch/turn_on. Failed to send request: Request failed after 5 attempts: <Status.NWK_Invalid_Request: 194>”

If these were the only plugs that did not, I would simply use another repeater / extender, but I seem to have the same issue with the Aeontec repeater and others. So I guess it must have something to do with my Zigbee network. I simply have no clue what I am doing wrong and how to fix this. All battery powered window sensors continue to work flawlessly.

Let me know if you need more information. Not sure what is relevant and I hope someone can assist me in solving this mystery :slight_smile:

Best regards,
Andre

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2

Firstly, there is no such thing as a Zigbee repeater/extender.

There are routers, which are mains-powered, and end devices, which are battery-powered. Routers (usually light bulbs and sockets) have to be powered all the time because as well as turning on and off themselves, they relay messages between the Zigbee dongle and the end devices (contact sensors, motion sensors etc.).

In a stable Zigbee network it’s not range which counts; it’s the number of different paths available. Each router keeps tabs on its neighbours and when it has a message to pass on it chooses the best connection. Two consecutive messages may go by different routes, depending on traffic, interference from nearby equipment and so on. The network is a mesh which blankets the whole house.

Instability is typically caused by not having enough routers, so that everything is being forced down a small number of paths. In my own house, quite small with thick walls, I have five or six routers in most rooms (nine in one room). Overall, about the same number of routers as end devices.

Many people manage with less - it depends entirely on the structure and layout of the building. In your case it sounds as if things would be greatly improved by moving your Hue lights onto the Zigbee network, but if you’re happy with the Hue integration it may be that Zigbee is not the best choice for window sensors and plugs.

3 Likes
3

Wow, the best explanation I have seen in a while.

1 Like
4

Thanks for the quick response. I will try to set up the Zigbee network again from scratch over the next few days. I also noticed that the number of sensors connected could be an issue. I have about 25-30 direct connections to Sonoff Dongle-P also over long distances within the house, which could be a cause for connections dropping in and out.

Will let you know how it works out

Thanks,
André

5

The SONOFF Zigbee USB Dongle Plus-P can support up to 32 direct end devices. It’s in their specs. The limiting factor is how much RAM the dongle has to remember routes. A typical router can handle up to 20 end devices. Again, limitations of the RAM on board because the router has to remember the routes.

30 end devices is pushing the limit, so I would add more routers.