Is it possible to deploy multiple ZigBee-controllers to make a ZigBee-Network spanning a “non-continuous” area more stable? I know, most (all?) mains-powered ZigBee-nodes will act as router to expand a ZigBee network. Unfortunately I have quite some battery-powered devices there, so I look for another solution…
I have two controllers successfully connected to the Zigbee binding yet. Both are CC2531.
How to make best use of them? I guess, it’s not possible to connect them to the same PAN.
So should I create two independend PANs and pair my devices to either one or the other?
Management of end devices (ie battery powered) in ZigBee is always via a router (either coordinator or other mains powered device). You will need to have enough mains devices to allow this management to take place. I’m not sure that adding another coordinator will necessarilt provide this.
Correct - there can only be a single coordinator in a network.
You would have to - but presumably you want them at different parts of the house? There’s little point in simply adding two coordinators right next to each other.
Yes, that was the initial idea. One coordinator via socat/ser2net in the first or second floor. The second coordinator directly attached to the openHAB server down in the cellar (two or three reinforced concrete floors between the two controllers)
So I create a second PAN and attach my ZigBee nodes to the PAN with the closest coordinator. That’s it.
The binding is prepared to deal with the two separate Zigbee networks. Right?
Yes - there shouldn’t be any issues. You can’t enable discovery on them individually though, which is probably best in this case. The device will decide which router to join based on signal strength - it could be one of the coordinators, or it could be another router - you can’t really choose this.
