Please post constructive feedback in home-assistant.io/issues/17170 if think Sonoff ZBBridge should be lísted in ZHA integration documentation as in the top of the list of “known working radio modules” or not:
That way all those comments for and against can be collected in a single place for considerations.
On 25th of January 6.7.8 has been declared the STABLE version:
ncp-uart-sw-6.7.8_115200.ota- NEW: recommended stable version for EZSP v8 compatible hosts.
See also the comment on the updated readme.txt file on the github page:
readme.txt - Promote EZSP v6.7.8 as recommended
But as always, if 6.7.6 is rock solid for you, I wouldn’t touch it. 
Looks like for Sonoff coordinators, ncp-uart-nsw_6.7.9_115200.ota is the must
Fast battery draining is one hard/software thing that is most hitting Sonoff ZBB (EFRMG21) but also others EZSP coordinators and is because of miss tune radio that is not calibrated in the manufacturing posses. Best workaround is having god routers around so the sleeping end devices can using and not having the coordinator as parent.
Some bugs is fixed in EZSP 6.7.8.0 that can making it but for sonoff coordinators must running the EZSP 6.7.9.0 that is patched for tuning the RF or its very likely draining batteries in 48 hours.
EM35X and EFR32MG1X coordinators is not having the 48 hours problem if running on EZSP 6.7.8.0 than all chips is calibrated from Silabs factory and the EFR32MG2X is not and shall being made of the device manufacture (that Sonoff not have done).
https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee-herdsman/issues/319#issuecomment-818135590
NOTE: I left the Sonoff coordinators for the Superior Tubes usb “puck” coordinator
Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I can’t find 6.7.9 anywhere. But I didn’t notice battery drain issues in my environment, but I have several bulbs and lamps that are routers, pretty solid mesh, so probably I was not affected by the problem.
I went for @tube0013 EFR32 gateway, but unfortunately the package got lost during the shipment and now I have to wait for another shipment, but components to assemble it are not available right now. I’ll go on ethernet instead of USB.
UPDATE: found 6.7.9 reading this Coordinator Firmware Updates · zigpy/zigpy Wiki (github.com)
Can I please ask if upgrading uart firmware in sonoff zb bridge will need me to repair all devices?
I’m currently on ncp-uart-sw_6.5.5_115200 and I’m starting having problems.
I don’t think you will have to repair. It’s been awhile since I ran a zbBridge.
I’d like to be sure about that, repairing is quite a long and boring task, and I’d like to do it only when replacing the coordinator (and I still hope that one day devices can be backed-up and restored through coordinators)
It should be OK.
Ok, I try.
Edit: OK, upgraded to 6.7.9. Everything OK at the moment.
I tried reading through this but could conclude what could be the best Zigbee coordinator to buy. Any suggestions?
Try Itead EFR32 USB dongle. With the price of 11$ worth experimentong…
On a 600 sq 2-storey reinforced concrete house:
This site might help you to pick the right coordinator for your needs.
Thanks. Just got the ZigStar. I need some help with setting things up. So I removed my previous dongle, deleted the ZHA, restarted the Pi, and plugged in the new ZigStar stick. I added ZHA integration and I get two Serial Paths; one with USB and one with AMA. AMA one is not working correctly as it fails to connect in the final step. But the USB serial works. All the previously connected devices appear as well but they are still connected to the previous coordinator, not the new one. The new one is visible in the diagram as well. The previous coordinator (now unplugged) is shown as “unk device” “unk model”. How do I start a new integration or migrate all the devices to the new one?
You can’t migrate devices over to the new coordinator, you need to repair each device with the new coordinator.
Deleted the Zigbee.db and it allowed me start afresh. I started with two TRADFRI repeaters and three Xiaomi Leak detectors. It was so hard to pair them. My network looked like this yesterday night:
But all the three leak detectors have already gone offline by today morning. These leak detectors are not far from the coordinator. Less than 10 meters and two of them are around 5 meters away. What am I missing?
I also tried pairing a TRADFRI 5 button remote and after about 40 times I could not get it to pair. Sometimes a new device is found but the discovery process always times out. I am noting the paring is way harder with ZigStar than the sonoff stick. Is it because the ZigStar is shielded?
Is the Zigstar plugged in an usb port, or do you use an extension cable ?
Most likely you’re missing WiFi… (vice-versa actually).
Look into 2.4 WiFi channel and your zigbee channels, the answer could be there - zigbee wifi coexistance.
P.S. I am running 18 zigbee networks on same spot simmultaniously, from 30 to 90 deviceas each, no dropped devices ever, even despite some networks use same zigbee channel, ask me how - I exterminated 2.4 gHz wi-fi…
It is directly plugged to a USB port, just like the previous unshielded sonoff zigbee stick. It is sitting in an area with some interference but I hoped it would handle that better than the unshielded stick.
Try an USB extension cable. It might improve things drastically.
I will try that. Thanks!
Thanks. I will look into that as well even though I can’t switch off 2.4 gHz because some devices only use that channel. I’ll try first with an extension cable.
