ZigBee commands timing out

[smugleafdev]

I have a few new under cabinet ZigBee lights. A whole four of them. I have a simple automation to turn them on when I enter the kitchen (based on a motion sensor), and turn them off when I leave.

When I first set them up, they all turned on at the same time, every time. I don’t know when they turned off because for that to happen I am often not in that room anymore.

Now I walk in and sometimes one either doesn’t turn on, or takes a few seconds longer than the rest. And when I leave, some are still on even hours later.

Using ZB2MQTT, here’s an example of the debug log:

Publish 'set' 'state' to 'Kitchen Cabinet Light 1' failed: 'Error: ZCL command 0x7cb03eaa00a36772/3 genOnOff.off({}, {"timeout":10000,"disableResponse":false,"disableRecovery":false,"disableDefaultResponse":false,"direction":0,"srcEndpoint":null,"reservedBits":0,"manufacturerCode":null,"transactionSequenceNumber":null,"writeUndiv":false}) failed (Timeout - 50765 - 3 - 194 - 6 - 11 after 10000ms)'

[Stiltjack]

You say these are new lights. What else do you have - routers, end devices, coordinator?

Lots of good advice here:

Zigbee networks: how to guide for avoiding interference + optimizing using Zigbee Router devices (repeaters/extenders) to get best possible range and coverage

Who is this guide for? I have tried to make this guide to be a comprehensive collection of the most basic yet essential tips with a set of actions and best practice steps that should be applicable to all types of Zigbee setups, regardless of what type of Zigbee adapter/gateway/hub/bridge/devices that you are using, however, it has been written with a point-of-view in mind of Zigbee solutions that use a Zigbee Coordinator adapter locally via USB dongle/stick or remotely using a serial server ove…

[Neil_Brownlee]

Put them in a Zigbee Group (you can certainly do this with Z2M) and then it’s one single command that will trigger all 4 at once as opposed to sending individual commands to them (note a HA group still sends individual commands unlike the Zigbee Group).

Zigbee Groups show up in HA just like native HA groups.

Also make sure there is a decent router/repeater nearby in case you are simply experiencing a poor mesh.

[smugleafdev]

My mesh for reference. The cabinet lights seem pretty well connected according to this.

@Neil_Brownlee Ah, I didn’t know that. I was using an HA group. I’ll try the ZB group instead.

[Neil_Brownlee]

Let us know if it resolves your issue (it certainly did for me!)

[smugleafdev]

It did not. KCL 3 got the command and turned off, while 1 and 2 did not.

(screenshot is my auto entities for lights that are on)

Error <small>2024-05-10 09:41:26</small>`Publish 'set' 'state' to 'Kitchen Cabinet Light 2' failed: 'Error: ZCL command 0x7cb03eaa00a5cb3b/3 genOnOff.off({}, {"timeout":10000,"disableResponse":false,"disableRecovery":false,"disableDefaultResponse":false,"direction":0,"srcEndpoint":null,"reservedBits":0,"manufacturerCode":null,"transactionSequenceNumber":null,"writeUndiv":false}) failed (Timeout - 22901 - 3 - 227 - 6 - 11 after 10000ms)'`

Error <small>2024-05-10 09:41:26</small>`Publish 'set' 'state' to 'Kitchen Cabinet Light 1' failed: 'Error: ZCL command 0x7cb03eaa00a36772/3 genOnOff.off({}, {"timeout":10000,"disableResponse":false,"disableRecovery":false,"disableDefaultResponse":false,"direction":0,"srcEndpoint":null,"reservedBits":0,"manufacturerCode":null,"transactionSequenceNumber":null,"writeUndiv":false}) failed (Timeout - 50765 - 3 - 224 - 6 - 11 after 10000ms)'`

[Neil_Brownlee]

In that case you must have a mesh issue. Maybe a noisy device (mm-wave sensor maybe?) that is clogging the network. The only other thing I would suggest is possibly re-pairing them in the hope that they find a better router to talk to?

[smugleafdev]

There’s one mmW sensor but it’s on ESP wifi. It probably is noisy, and is right in the way of KCL 1 + 2 (but not 3), but isn’t ZigBee. Would that be a problem? Because I can’t exactly move it. And there’s a ZB repeater 1ft away from the mmW sensor as well. The KCLs are all connected to the repeater, too. Though I heard IKEA’s Fyrtur repeaters kinda suck.

I did try a whole remesh yesterday in an attempt to fix this problem. I stopped Z2M, disconnected HA for 30+ minutes, and then turned it all back on. I think it redid the network but it’s impossible to tell from the dense spiderweb if anything changed. Regardless, the problem persists.

[Neil_Brownlee]

Make sure you aren’t clashing Wi-Fi channels with Zigbee channels.

interference between zigbee and wifi frequency 2.4ghz

As an example because my Zigbee is channel 11 - I only use Wi-Fi channels 6 and 11 for my Unifi mesh - which keeps it well clear of the Zigbee channel.

[smugleafdev]

I ended up changing my wifi channels to 1 and 6, and then changed my ZB channel from 11 to 25.

Changing a ZB channel requires re-pairing every single device on the network. Now I can’t seem to get two of these four lights that were giving me issues to pair again. Not sure what to do besides buy a 25ft USB extension cable. Or I could just give up on ZB and only use Z-Wave. If I could send that message back in time to myself, I would.