What 433Mhz gateway to use?

so there’s a difference between tuya zigbee and zigbee. A device labelled tuya zigbee will not work on a zigbee gateway?

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Not sure on the Tuya Zigbee. Maybe.

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RFLink is easy to build.
It is the RF codes that is the hard part and if it is rolling codes, then forget it!

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No, but they like to sell their Tuya Zigbee Gateway. All Tuya Zigbee devices I have work nice with Zigbee2MQTT.

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I might try this alarm panel:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006408126714.html
it has a web interface. So I probably could be able to reverse engineer it and use it as an API.

I would say that is way overkill.

There are also many versions with a touchscreen instead.

It could be fun though lol.
I see some people mentionning broadlink pro as rf bridge?
What is the range of 433mhz sensors? Can it cover 2 storey?

Broadlink pro is decent for sending out 433 Mhz signal, but not for receiving data. It only receives data when in learning mode, not during normal operations.

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I see. So it is not really of any use for sensors then

This is hard to say, because it depends on your building and the stuff inside it and other electrical devices that can cause noise.
You might need multiple RF transceivers to get good enough coverage and you need to control the signals on the RF transceivers, so the signal is not handled multiple times.
Zigbee is a mesh network, so it can be extended with smart plugs, bulbs and other mains powered devices, which act as routers (the zigbee word for an extender) to expand the coverage.

I think you need to be aware of what you are going into by choosing RF devices for your project.

You might get your RF transceiver up and running, but when you receive a signal from one of your devices that says “State:H” then you need to be able to understand that to react to it.
You also need to be able to know what other states or messages you can get, so you do not end up in a situation with an unknown, but important state.

The problem with “State:H” is that anybody with a RF transceiver close by can capture and transmit this code and if it means disarm the alarm, then you are f***ed!

The countermesasure to this is to use rolling codes, which will send “Rabbit” instead and the next time it will send “Bear” and then “Frying Pan” and they are all the same message.
Once Rabbit is used, then it can’t be used again and same with Bear and so on.
This means when you before could just figure out with State:H meant, then you now have to figure that out maybe like 1024 or many more times and the same for State:Y and so on.
So if the devices are using rolling codes, then you need the algorithm or you are lost or the devices need to be made by the same vendor with this rolling codes already installed.

When using RF devices, then understand that many of them is just one way communication, so they report in when they want and there is often no way of getting a message the other way.
That means a door sensor will report when the window is being opened or closed or when the battery is low, but if you missed that message, then there is often no way of asking the sensor to resend its last message to get to know the state.
Some devices from the same manufacturer have an intelligence built into the devices that allow the devices to also listen for messages the other way, but this devices are more expensive, because the devices then need to be able to both transmit and receive and because there is a logic that have to be followed, then the devices can typically not be mixed with other manufacturers brands or even other product lines from the same manufacturer.
This dependency on a certain manufacturers specific product line means that you need to buy up a reserve or be really sure that the product line is still produced in the future, because standing with a broken door sensor 1 year later and realizing you have to add whole other system in to replace that single sensor is a hard one to swallow.

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I would not buy a RF433 Mhz alarm panel, 99% chance you never get it to work with HA. Door/window sensors, PIR’s etc are OK, but it is because I had them long time before I started with HA that I use them. If buying new, I go for Zigbee.

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thx. It seems that it can easily turn into a nightmare to configure and maintain.
I think I might look into zigbee instead as you and everyone has suggested

These are still working great for me, have a few of them in my house :slight_smile:

RTL_433 on an ESP32 or with an SDR

For the control a wifi relay

SDR is only a receiver and not a transceiver.
You can in other words not transmit a signal with it.

Indeed this is why I added “For the control a wifi relay”

Ahh, now I see what you meant with that line.
I took it as something in the video. :slight_smile:

I should have added bullet points :wink: to differentiate.