Zigbee network; Problem setup network

Add-ons Bindings
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Hi, I’ would like to move all automation to zigbee. that requires to add more zigbee clients than the sonoff dongle can handle. So I was thinkung of adding Wireless gateway / hub to openhab in order to increas the number of clients.

Is the above scenario possible or how to add more clinets than the dongle can handle?

Current Status:

1. Zigbee Coordinator; SONOFF dongle; status: running

The Coordinator is a SONOFF dongle connected to the serial port /dev/ttyACM0.

I’ configured the Zigbee coordinator manually and it seams to be running.

things file

Thing zigbee:coordinator_ember:sonoff "Zigbee SONOFF USB Stick" [zigbee_port="/dev/ttyACM0", zigbee_channel=11, zigbee_baud=115200, zigbee_flowcontrol=1, zigbee_childtimeout=86400, zigbee_concentrator=0, zigbee_meshupdateperiod=86400, zigbee_panid=10622, zigbee_extendedpanid="118E309DE90CC829", zigbee_networkkey="23 6B 73 AE 42 6D 01 9C DD E0 BC F1 60 4F 28 51", zigbee_powermode=0, zigbee_txpower=0, zigbee_trustcentremode="TC_JOIN_INSECURE" ]

Items file

Group Zigbee "Zigbee Items" <iot> ["Equipment", "Zigbee", "Network"]

Group ZigbeeCoordinator "Zigbee coordinator" <iot> (Zigbee) ["Equipment", "Zigbee", "Coordinater"]

Number ZigbeeCoordinator_rx_dat "Zigbee coordinator Data frames received" <iot> (ZigbeeCoordinator) ["Status", "Counter"] { channel="zigbee:coordinator_ember:sonoff:rx_dat" }
Number ZigbeeCoordinator_tx_dat "Zigbee coordinator Data frames sent"     <iot> (ZigbeeCoordinator) ["Status", "Counter"] { channel="zigbee:coordinator_ember:sonoff:tx_dat" }

Number ZigbeeCoordinator_rx_nak "Zigbee coordinator NAK frames received"  <iot> (ZigbeeCoordinator) ["Status", "Counter"] { channel="zigbee:coordinator_ember:sonoff:rx_nak" }
Number ZigbeeCoordinator_tx_nak "Zigbee coordinator NAK frames sent"      <iot> (ZigbeeCoordinator) ["Status", "Counter"] { channel="zigbee:coordinator_ember:sonoff:tx_nak" }

Number ZigbeeCoordinator_rx_ack "Zigbee coordinator ACK frames received"  <iot> (ZigbeeCoordinator) ["Status", "Counter"] { channel="zigbee:coordinator_ember:sonoff:rx_ack" }
Number ZigbeeCoordinator_tx_ack "Zigbee coordinator AcK frames sent"      <iot> (ZigbeeCoordinator) ["Status", "Counter"] { channel="zigbee:coordinator_ember:sonoff:tx_ack" }

Zigbee client 1; I’ usa a NOUS Smart Breaker L6Z as Zigbee client 1; Status: partial running
If I’ discover the device using paper UI and then create a ting then i get a running thing configured as following.

UID: zigbee:device:sonoff:a4c13878f31c9302
label: discoverd_l6z
thingTypeUID: zigbee:device
configuration:
  zigbee_macaddress: A4C13878F31C9302
bridgeUID: zigbee:coordinator_ember:sonoff

If I configure the thing in a file it is not running.

Thing zigbee:device:sonoff:nouse_l6z_1 "Nous L6Z 1" [zigbee_macaddress="A4C13878F31C9302", bridgeUID="zigbee:coordinator_ember:sonoff" ]

Zigbee Gateway / Hub 1; NOUS Gateway / Hub E1
Try to get Nous Wireless Gateway runnig:
Test sugestion by Russ

I’ tryed to configure the Wireless Gateway / hub as bridge but failed to get it running.

From the Feedback received I’ will update this post to reflect the status.

Zigbee Gateway / Hub 2; Philips Hue Bridge
As sugested by Maximo I’ will add a Philips Hue Bridge. As it has not arrived yet this will be a future task.

2

What’s is this wireless gateway/hub?

I’m currently migrating away from my Hue bridge and Tradfri gateway onto the Sonoff ZBDongle. All three are configured on different channels and work well together at present.

3

I’ got it from amazon

NOUS E1 ZigBee Gateway, ZigBee Hub/Bluetooth Hub, ZigBee Bridge, ZigBee Smart Home, ZigBee Gateway Alexa, Gateway ZigBee Smart Home, ZigBee 3.0, Bluetooth, Smart Life/Tuya App

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0054PSJRC?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

it looks promissing but if you have a recomendation thet works please give me the link where to look for them.

4

Unless there is a binding for that, then it’s not likely to work without either a webhook or maybe even some scripting.

Why not just buy a Hue bridge off ebay or maybe even one of the new Ikea gateways?

5

Can you give me an example (link) to a device you are using?

if I search for “hue bridge” i get a lot of devices that work with this “Smart Life” app, but this is exactly what the gateway i have is doing.

If I’ run it trough the app it is fine but I’ need to connect it to OpenHAB.

6

Here you go.

7

Since this is a Tuya device, there’s a possibility it will work with the SmarthomeJ Tuya binding.

The binding connects to the Tuya cloud and finds any devices that have been added via the Tuya Smart Life app. So, you would have to use Smart Life instead of the Nous app.

What I don’t know is how the individual Zigbee devices will show up in the Tuya cloud. WiFi devices show up individually, so it’s easy for the binding to discover them. In this case, I’m hoping that you’ll see both the hub and the individual Zigbee devices (similar to a Zigbee dongle plugged directly into your OH server). But I’m guessing.

I think the first step would be set up a Tuya Cloud project and then register your devices in the Smart Life app. You’ll then be able to tell whether the Zigbee devices show up individually. If that’s successful, you can then install the SmarthomeJ marketplace and Tuya binding.

In most cases the Tuya Cloud is only necessary for discovery and the devices can be controlled locally afterwards. I’m curious if that will be the case here.

@J-N-K, have you tried anything like this?

8

The Lidl gateway is a rebranded tuya so this might be helpful

9

Thank you for this input.

I’ have allreaedy installed the “Smart Live” app to configure and test the devices. I’ can control them (the bridge and a TRV).

The devices show up induvidually.

I’ think I’ do not have a cloud project as this was not my target scenario.

I’ will folow up the path, as I’ understand from your reply I’ will need to install the “SmarthomeJ marketplace” and “Tuya binding”. I’ did not find it in openhab?

I’ try to update the initial post to reflect the status.

Thanks to all

10

I’ve ordered a similar Tuya Zigbee hub from Amazon, because now you’ve got me curious. (EDIT: the hub I received was Bluetooth only, despite the listing saying it was for Zigbee, so I sent it back.)

Per my previous post, devices can usually be controlled locally after being discovered through the cloud. But again, I don’t know if that will apply in this case.

Correct. The instructions for adding SmarthomeJ through the JSON 3rd Party Add-on service are in the link above. However, if you’re using a milestone version (e.g. OH4.1), then you need to use a slightly different URL.

I realize now that I didn’t provide a link for the Tuya binding instructions. This will explain how to set up the cloud project.

11

There is a prizipal question on zigbee (I’m a newbee to zigbee).

If I configura azigbee thing in a file how does it join the network?

If i discover and create using paper UI i get:

UID: zigbee:device:sonoff:a4c13878f31c9302
label: discoverd_l6z
thingTypeUID: zigbee:device
configuration:
  zigbee_macaddress: A4C13878F31C9302
bridgeUID: zigbee:coordinator_ember:sonoff

and it works.

If I define a file.things as below, it will not work.

Thing zigbee:device:sonoff:nouse_l6z_1 "Nous L6Z 1" [zigbee_macaddress="A4C13878F31C9302", bridgeUID="zigbee:coordinator_ember:sonoff" ]

log output
16:05:24.279 [INFO ] [del.core.internal.ModelRepositoryImpl] - Loading model ‘zigbee.things’
16:05:24.327 [INFO ] [hab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing ‘zigbee:coordinator_ember:sonoff’ changed from ONLINE to OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR)
16:05:25.327 [INFO ] [gbee.handler.ZigBeeCoordinatorHandler] - ZigBee dongle inactivity timer. Reinitializing ZigBee
16:05:30.817 [INFO ] [gbee.discovery.ZigBeeDiscoveryService] - A4C13878F31C9302: Starting ZigBee device discovery
16:05:31.189 [INFO ] [gbee.discovery.ZigBeeDiscoveryService] - A4C13878F31C9302: Starting ZigBee device discovery
16:06:00.847 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item ‘ZigbeeCoordinator_rx_dat’ changed from 622 to 285
16:06:00.848 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item ‘ZigbeeCoordinator_tx_dat’ changed from 418 to 161
16:06:00.849 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item ‘ZigbeeCoordinator_tx_ack’ changed from 622 to 285
16:06:30.848 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item ‘ZigbeeCoordinator_rx_dat’ changed from 285 to 315

Is it not possible to define a zigbee thing in file?

12

I have no idea what you’re trying to do. Is this still related to your NOUS E1 hub, or have you moved on from that? It now looks like you’re trying to configure a smart switch with the Sonoff dongle you said wasn’t good enough.

Are you still on OH2, or did you mean to say Main UI, which has been the interface since OH3?

In any case, I can’t help you with configuring a Zigbee thing with text files, as I’ve never had reason to do that.

13

Hi Russ,
I’ appologize for the the MIxture of my doings in ths post.

My goal is to build a Zigbee network having 250 nodes.

I’ am new to Zigbee, that is wha I’m somtimes mix up things.

Basically Im perfectly happy using the sonoff dongle except for its limmitation to handle 12 devices only. how do I’ extend the number of devices?

This post is basically to Identify components to be used and how to get them running in OpenHAB.

I’ using bassically Main UI tho get it working, but also using things and items files because they files are more easy to share or in my case moving them from Test to Production.

If you would hep me we can go as below.

  1. Zigbee Coordinater.
    I’m currently using SONOFF dongle as the Zigbee Coordinater. from what I’ learnd, ther can be only one coordinator.

  2. HUB / Switch
    This is my main problem. As the sonoff dongle can handle 12 devices at most I’ will need somthing to overcom that drawback. Otherwise there is no use of creating a Zigbee network with just a handfull devices.

  3. End Devices
    I’ll have a set of Zigbee end devices from where I’ managed only 1 to connect to OpenHAB.

  • NOUS Smart Switch L6Z (working)
  • AVATT TRV Radiator Valve (so far I’ did not bet it to join the network) → Cluster Problem
  • Ikea TRADFRI led Bulp (did not try to join jet)
    Basically this end device are simply to learn. The goal is to find out what is relevant when choosing an Zigbee end device.
14

Again, I can’t help you with the Zigbee binding since I don’t use it.

I don’t know where you read that SONOFF dongles have a max of 12 devices, but you haven’t said which actual device you have. I’m guessing this one with the Ember chipset, in which case the maximum is 32 direct children.

The recommendation from Sonoff is to get more dongles and flash them as routers to extend your network. You’ll need a lot of them to get to 250 devices, but that’ll be the case with anything you use as a router.

Honestly, I think you’re overcomplicating with the whole “move everything to Zigbee”. The beauty of openHAB is that you don’t have to limit yourself to one communication technology. So if you have equipment that already works well, just leave it as is and start adding Zigbee when it makes sense to do so.