Ugh. My #RaspberryPi has been randomly freezing since a few days ago. After some troubleshooting I half-concluded that it might be the PoE HAT going bad. Sadly it started happening a few days after I installed #HomeAssistant and a #Zigbee dongle, on top of what it was already running, so now I'm not too sure if it's overloaded or really going bad (after 2.5 years of use). I'll keep it on a power brick until I find enough time to properly debug it.

Poll for the #SmartHome #HomeAutomation community. Please boost and comment.

Before I started dipping my toes on #HomeAssistant I heard a lot of people with bad experiences with #ZWave, which I never had, but I wanted to try going the #Zigbee route. Sadly now I read/hear a lot of bad things about it as well, although I haven't had any so far.

So, what now?

Just got my first couple of #HomeAssistant devices configured, with a small integration: an #Aquara button toggling the lights on a #BigAssFans #HaikuL.

The HA service was deployed as a #container on a #RaspberryPi, with a #Sonoff #Zigbee dongle. It was a little cumbersome to begin with, but I got it working.

Step one, done!

#HomeAutomation #SmartHome

My zigbee network continues to grow

#HomeAutomation #zigbee

A couple of my "smart" bulbs have died so I think this might be a good time to move away from WiFi based widgets. Mostly for #security but also simplicity.

Are there any specific reasons to use or avoid #Zigbee or #Bluetooth mesh?

I like the idea of moving all this crap to a completely isolated network rather than feeling like I need to install custom firmware and do special network configs to keep my light bulbs from joining a botnet.

Time for a re-introduction.

My name: Jeroen, online I often call myself AppForce1.

Run @CocoaHeadsNL meetups. Also organizing #Amsterdam based #iOS #conference set for November 8/9 this year. (5th edition)

Work at Stream: manager in their developer relations department. A very much technical role. The management is mostly about being a sort of team lead.

Into #MechanicalKeyboard with a Model-100. And in the proces of turning my entire home into a #zigbee #mesh with a Home Assistant install.

Anybody seen any good deals for Prime Day for devices you can reflash with #ESPHome, or that already link up nicely to #homeassistant? (Or any #zigbee or #ZWave devices)

@GavinCampbell Thanks! I have my #SkyConnect handling a couple of #zigbee devices right now but am interested in #Matter support too.

New Dev kits to try out from expressif, looking forward to testing the 802.15.4 radio for ZigBee and thread. 😂 #esp32 #iot #ZigBee

@derek @larsmb

If you're re-pairing anyway, since changing the #Zigbee channel requires re-pairing everything, consider changing #zigbee2mqtt to use a channel that's not overlapping your 2.4GHz Wifi.

I go into more details at https://unixorn.github.io/post/zigbee-and-zwave-setup-tip/, but the TL;DR is that your best choices are using wifi channels 1 or 6 with zigbee channel 24, wifi 6 or 11 with zigbee channel 11, or wifi 1 or 11 with zigbee channel 18.

I saw some kind of interference a few days ago that really slowed down our Zigbee network. It was temporary and likely due a rogue 2.4Ghz wifi device, but it impacted how we used our home. So I was wondering if anyone out there has tried wiring most of their home automation kit?

Something like esp32s with wired NICs on a dedicated network? Sensor lines back to a central hub?

#HomeAssistant #esp32 #homeautomation #zigbee #esphome

Other things that now work properly: online status, link strength, battery levels.

I thought Zigbee wasn’t as good as advertised but it just turns out to be the stupid coordinator.

Thanks for a wasted year, Conbee!

#zigbee #HomeAutomation #zigbee2mqtt

Home automation chat: I’ve had to ditch using the Conbee II Zigbee coordinator as it’s just so damn unreliable. Things just kept dropping off the network (which is shite when your heating relies on it). Replaced it with a Sonoff stick and the network functions perfectly.

German engineering: excellent only when based on climate-destroying fossil fuels. 👍

#zigbee #zigbee2mqtt #HomeAutomation

I am learning, through many mild screaming sessions, that Zigbee controllers want to live in the middle of my apartment. Living at one end is apparently totally unacceptable despite silly words like “mesh networks” and “routing”.

So now I have to move my entire home automation server back to a shelf in the living room. No more living in my server rack next to PiKVM. Oh no. That would be too easy.

#zigbee #HomeAutomation

@henryk @blindcoder @homeassistant

Every time I go to add a new #ZigBee device, #zigbee2mqtt grabs one of my neighbors' Hue bulbs as a bonus.

Why would they spend the $$ on Hue bulbs and not configure them?

@schizanon @andy_warb @zigbee @homeassistant

I'm surprised the Hue can move channels, I thought that #ZigBee was locked onto a channel once you configure the coordinator.

@schizanon @andy_warb @zigbee @homeassistant

It's much easier to change the WIFI channel than the #ZigBee one.

Hopefully I'm understanding it wrong, but changing the ZigBee channel requires you to reconfigure the radio dongle, then re-add every single zigbee device.

@andy_warb @zigbee @homeassistant

And if you're doing initial setup of a #ZigBee mesh, pick a channel, don't let it pick one automagically.

You want to make sure it doesn't overlap with your 2.4GHz wifi - see https://www.metageek.com/training/resources/zigbee-wifi-coexistence.html for details

@andy_warb @zigbee @homeassistant #HomeAssistant

My rules for setting up #zigbee & #Zwave meshes:

1. Put the dongle on an extension cable and place it at least 2m away from the rPi, especially if you have a plastic case
2. Start pairing with the closest mains-powered device and work your way outward
3. Only after all mains devices are in the mesh do you add battery ones. Add them where you're going to use them, not near the coordinator.

@eingfoan Well, not that closed anymore. Integrated #ZWave, #ZigBee, #Thread, and more to come with #Matter….