The python script method for flashing these is so easy. No having to mess with the getting the dongle in boot loader mode. Just download the script and firmware. Type out one command with some options, press enter. Done. Most complicated part is finding which port your dongle is on.
I would like to see a Python Firmware Loader video or a link to the instructions for that, also Where can we see what version our Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Plus is currently on ? Thanks for all the great Info!!!!
It failed always !! I push the reset button in everyway but nothing. I have tried with 2 Dongle, same result. As coordinator flash success. As router failed. I don't know what else to try.
Thanks for the great video Mark. Didn't think it was this easy to add this to the ZigBee setup. As always your videos explain it for us novice users lol
Mate can u do video how to flash firmware on conbee ii manually?🙏🙏🙏 And what u think which is better conbee or sonoff zigbee stick? And nice video like always 👌🏻
I’ve been a long time Conbee user and love it. However I jumped to the Sonoff Dongle when testing a bunch of Coordinators for a video and have just stuck with it. For me personally it has been flawless (so far). I’ll add the Conbee one to the ever growing list of videos 😆. Feel free to drop it in the video ideas section on Discord :)
I flashed my spare Sonoff ZB Dongle Plus with the Router Firmware. After that I paired it with my ZB Coordinator (My main Sonoff ZB Dongle Plus). Then when I try to use "Connect Devices via this Device" option by going to the ZB Dongle Plus (Newly added Router) menu, it doesn't add my ZB device (Sonoff ZB Switch; which was in pairing mode) via this router. It adds the device via my Coordinator. Can someone please tell me how I can add devices via my ZB Dongle Plus Router? FYI I am using ZHA.
Hi Mark, may I know how should I add the router via Windows npm start? I have configuration.yaml permit join = true, my smart switches able to join too, but the router is not automatically joining, is there any button can be pressed or hold to make the router in pairing mode??
Thanks Mark, I did everything right until I got to the joining it to my zigbee2mqtt network. It's not discovering the router at all. Even placing it right next to the coordinator and still no go. Any ideas?
The concept is the same but it would be dependent really on what radio chips are in the lamp. I would lean towards this as it’s primary goal is routing.
I personally use this with Zigbee2Mqtt. To revert the firmware you just need to reflash it with the coordinator firmware (I also have a video on this).
Mark, Thanks for the video. Is there any advantage to converting pricey sonoff zigbee coordinator to router, rather than using cheaper sonoff zigbee smart plug (S31 lite) router ?. Have had lot of trouble pairing end points (eg:IKEA 5 button remote or Aqara cube) to sonoff zigbee smartplug routers (setup: home assistant blue, zha, sonoff coordinator). They seem to pair directly to coordinator ok. I have not come across any good videos about pairing these end points (seems like you have to keep pressing this or that button repeatedly on the end point to get paired)
The Sonoff dongle is a great coordinator and and as such the router also works really well. I’ve found in general more devices will opt to use the sonoff router over the plugs etc, but that’s more than likely just do it being better and doing its primary function. If you have a good mesh of lights plugs etc then I wouldn’t really say there is other than the coverage and pairing. Originally these dongles where super cheap and you could pick up a bundle for what the cost of one now is, so a lot of people have more than one. Not sure if that helps but give me a shout if you want to know more :)
Thanks for the guide. Is there anything I have to do to get it into pairing mode once flashed? I have one stick as coordinator on my HA box flashed with CC1352P2_CC2652P_launchpad_coordinator_20220219 This has been working fine with a couple of sensors Today I got a 2nd stick to act as a router. I've flashed it with CC1352P2_CC2652P_launchpad_router_20220125 I've plugged the router dongle in in its final location, In ZHA i've got it to scan for new devices but nothing is found. Do I need to press a button on the router dongle to get it into pairing mode? (would mean opening it up again) Also, what's the switch on the PCB for? Thanks for your help
I have the same problem!! However, my 'router(s)' were initially found and paired and worked for about two days then 'disappeared'. Now I can't reconnect them!
@@brianrozs3br I got my router to pair by bringing it into the sane room. I then moved it back to the other room and it still works. Dunno what was wrong. Similar issues when adding devices. A sonoff motion sensor wouldn't pair at all in its final location, or near this new router. But paired straight away when near the controller. Moved it back to the final location and left it for a few days, now it seems to all be working. The map in zha has devices floating around with no links to routers etc but all are actually working triggering actions in ha.
Hi Mark, I followed your video to flash the sonoff Zigbee 3.0 Dongle Plus. One as coordinator and one for Router using the latest firmware. Both flashing turns out to be successful. For the the newly flashed coordinator, I was able to add all my Zigbee devices and perfectly working. For the flushed Router , flushing was also successful but unable to add as new device on the MQTT new device found.I followed exactly your video several times but still fail to recognize the flushed router device.KIndly advise how to fix the problem. Note : everytime I restart the HA, a notification says a new device found. I follow the instructions but installation of new device found failed.
I have a similar problem! I have two Sonoff Zigbee 3 dongles flashed as routers as per Mark's video. Both connected and worked for about two days then went 'Offline'. Now I cannot re-connect them!
I've purchased 2 of the Sonoff Zigbee dongles over the passed two months anf I can't get either of them to go into Bootloader mode. I've tried two different ways and still wont work. May have wasted my money.
I agree with you on the terminology. However I specifically used ‘router’ as thats what the firmware and documentation list and reference it as. It was more to avoid any confusion 👍🏻
Hey, I loved this vid at the time and successfully got my 3 routers up and running. Now, I have a problem though. I've moved my HA onto a bare metal NUC, and have restablished all of my Zigbee network apart from the Routers...... they don't show up at all now? Any thoughts on why that is or how to re-establish them?
I just bought a couple of sonoff plugs to act as routers in my house. I’d much rather have these though …. Guess that’s next weeks job! Thanks! Just out of interest, what’s the machine you’re running HA on there in the video?
Thanks Matt! Let us know how you get on 😁. The machine in the video is what I run HA on. It’s a HP Elitedesk 800 G2 Mini. There’s a little more info on it in another video I did on installing Proxmox :)
@@MarkWattTech Cheers! Just watched it. I've got a windows PC running Plex, so I may look at installing proxmox on there to run HA. My rpi 3 is getting a little clitchy and every now and again, falling over!
is there any difference between any power coonected wallswitch or curtain device running as router beside thier own main role comparing to sonoff dongle as router? also there are tiny tuya zigbee repeaters, any difference?
Another great upload Mark. I've been following your zigbee series and added zigbee devices to my smart home. I can't figure out how to get the different button functions on the aqara mini switch through zigbee2mqtt like you did through deconz though. I have only found a small amount of info saying zigbee2mqtt doesn't show events the same as deconz. Might be worth a video, I'm sure there must be others in my situation. Have you got the zigbee buttons working with zigbee2mqtt and if so how? I could just be missing something simple. Keep up the good work and look forward to more great content
Hey John. Thanks for the feedback. I do make use of the Aqara buttons and the other functions do work in Zigbee2Mqtt. The easiest way to view them is to opent the device page. In the list of entitys for sensors you should have action and click. These will be what you use as triggers. If you use the automation editor on the left of that and add a new automation, you should see the automation editor helper offering suggestions and examples like double press, hold etc. If your still stuck feel free to give me a shout over at the Facebook group or my new Discord.
Thanks for the instant reply Mark, I'll have another look asap. I imagine when I've done it once I'll wonder why I couldn't figure it out 🤞🏻. It's great to people like you to help out. Thanks again
@@MarkWattTech Again thanks, the aqara buttons are now sorted. I think I was confusing issues because I'd tried this with sonoff zigbee buttons and you don't get the same options with those. They are my next challenge! I'll move this over to facebook and discord to see if it's possible and if I can get help. I'll be buying you a coffee for the help so far, Cheers Mark
Thank you for this tutorial. It helped me a lot in reflashing the dongles. What ZB map are you using? It looks much nicer than the current HA integrated map.
Hello Mark, may I ask you a question please, I have the Sonoff bridge and not using Zigbee to MQttu, how can I add the dongle router to my zigbee network, just plug it in and discover it from the Sonoff Bridgew ccordinator? Cheers
i got the green success message after flashing. but not the dongle does not pair to Zigbee2MQTT. after reading the comments, seems it has bricked other peoples dongles too
HI Mark, I use Sonoff Zigbee as coordinator, which you find more reliable to use another equal unit in router mode, or use a CC2530 + CC2591 Thanks in advance!
hello, i followed these exact steps, I have the exact same stick. but when i connect it to power it wont show up in mqtt ( discovery is on ) is there a method to put it in pair mode ???
I have a question.. i flashed it and succesfully bound it to my coordinator . I wanted to test before i take it to my friend.. the i removed it from mqtt.. now it will not bind again.. will it onlu bind once? If i remove it from devices do i have to flash it again for it to find the coordinator again?
I am new to the ZigBee ecosystem, so this might be a dumb question. If I am not mistaken ZigBee network is self-healing right...? If yes, then that means that if there are two routes to an end device and one of these routes goes offline, then the end device can still maintain communication via the second route; which is online. Please correct me if I am wrong. Suppose one of my end devices is out of reach (or has a very weak signal; it keeps disconnecting regularly), in this case if I have a ZB Router located between my coordinator and the end device, then I can pair my end device through that router. Suppose I have another router besides the one that I paired my end device to. In case my first router; to which my end device was paired to, fails/goes offline, then in this scenario will the end device be able to use my second router which is online? Another thing, if the end device is out of range of the coordinator, which is optimal; pairing the end device to a router midway or pairing the end device to the coordinator by bringing it close to the coordinator & after pairing moving it to the distant location? If I use the second method, then the router between the coordinator & the end device will maintain their connection, right...?
Thank you for the video Mark. Just a couple of questions Mark. I know you have used ZHA extensively in the past, and i also know that you now use Zigbee2MQTT. :) 1. As someone who has tasted both worlds extensively, What is your preference - ZHA or Z2M ? 2. Why is advantage does your preference have over the other? 3. I also know you own a conbee 2 stick, does Z2M now support conbee 2 or should i just get a sonoff? I'm contemplating switch but i just want to be sure i'm not making any mistakes. I'll appreciate your honest answer.
Heya :) Out of the box ZHA is so much simpler as it looks like it is native and a part of HA. Zigbee2Mqtt has more bells and whistles and has lots more advanced features and settings. However, you dont have to know what these settings and features are, or even ever have to use them if you dont want to. I think all the extra bits and menus etc is what is off putting to new users when comparing ZHA, Zigbee2Mqtt and DeConz. After using all 3 my personal preference is Zigbee2Mqtt. My resoning for this is because I personally like the way devices are shown, organised and added, blocked and much more. Its very easy to see and test devices using it. The setup process is a little longer, but once its up and running you are good to go. Device support is another reason I opted for it. New devices are added to Zigbee2Mqtt much faster than the other platforms. If your device isnt supported you can also make custom extensions to allow you to control them. These can then be submitted and pulled into Zigbee2Mqtt. It's all down to personal preference really and what you like best for your home. I believe you can use the Conbee II with Zigbee2Mqtt but I personally haven't tried. When I switched to Zigbee2Mqtt I have primarily stuck to these Sonoff dongles. The Sonoff dongles are great and I personally haven't had any issues (yet) with the 3 I am currently using (one coordinator, 2 routers) all with the latest firmware. I used the Conbee II for years and for me it worked well. Price wise you can probably pick up a couple of the Sonoff dongles for the cost of the Conbee and they work just as well. Hope that helps! If you want any more info or to chat a little more feel free to head over to my FB group or my new Discord server :)
@@MarkWattTech Thank you so much for the detailed response. i wouldn't have gotten a robust and better response from someone else. You the best! I appreciate! I also like the looks of Zigbee2Mqtt and will explore it. i like the fact that it exposes more entities which adds more functionalities. I am definitely trying this your router extension option. Thanks again for the video. I am so glad you now have a discord. joining already! Thanks Mark. Your videos are very detailed and very explanatory. Keep it up!
I’ve red that Aqara sensors have a reputation for not connecting to routers (with the exception of IKEA Tradfri repeaters) and rather sticking with the main bridge. I was wondering if Aqara sensors pair nicely with this router. Thank you for your videos.
@@MarkWattTech Jumping in 7 months later but your video tutorials are great. thanks! I am actually having the issue that Pelon describes with my Aqara devices starting off connecting to a router (Lightbulbs and Sonoff plugs) then suddenly getting orphaned and often disconnecting in Z2M. I am pretty technical and am surprised I can't fix this. I've changed channels, moved other 2.4 channels, scanned to make sure, used ZHA, moved to Z2M, replaced my Conbee with a Sonoff (Each change has had a full re-pair) things run for a day or 2 then vanish and stop reporting. I've now stripped out all the zigbee lghtbulbs - only to have the same problem...now all the sonoff plugs. I am really hoping that deploying a Sonoff USB dongle as a router will resolve this as I am losing spousal approval rating fast!. next option is replace motion detectors with Shelly. Strangely, I have also seen that the 2 Tradfri repeaters I have seem to collect and hold onto some of the strays
Hey Mark, great video with amazing content. Can i use this dongle as a repeater on a Home Assistant SkyConnect zigbee network also or do i need to have a zigbee2mqtt network setup? Thanks
@@MarkWattTech i already tried, the answer is yes, you can use this as a repeater to extend the skyconnect range which is short compared to other zigbee devices. You can also extend the network using zigbee plugs but they have a really short range and some delay, don't reccomend. Thanks for the help
Finally Got Zigbee2mqtt working, I had the Zigbee integration installed which was stuffing things up. Any way, my issue is now the routers do not pair anymore. They did in the beginning but something happened and I lost my devices. I reinstalled Zigbee2mqtt as part of my "Fix" but now I can not pair them again. All other devices I can pair. Have you come across this and if so what do I do to reinstate the routers. TIA
First - Thanks for your videos which I find most helpful. I have set up two Sonoff Zigbee 3 dongles with the router firmware as per your video. They connected and worked fine for a day or two. Now they are 'Offline' and will not re-connect no matter what I try! Any suggestions, please? (Should I re-flash?)
When your pairing them, are you pairing them in there set location? (As in the spot they are going to be in). You could also load your Zigbee map to see what the connection strength is. It may be falling off the network.
@@MarkWattTech Hi! Thanks for your response. Yes, I am pairing in situ. Will check map and pairing again (Two-story brick house so that might be the problem!)
Hey there! Thanks for the video, man! Just wanted to drop a comment and let you know that I actually have the exact same model with the router firmware. But out of my 3 routers (some random aliexpress usb routers), this one (mi ex coordinator) seems to be acting up. I've made sure to keep the software updated and crank up the transmission power to the max, no matter where I place it in my apartment. Any ideas on what could be going wrong? Help a brother out!
Thanks Mark, I intend to give this a go in the next week or so and see if I can then add it via ZHA. I will let you know how I get on. Well jealous of your Zigbee network visualisation in Zigbee 2 MQTT. The ZHA visualisation is a bit rubbish, well a lot rubbish actually :)
hey dude, having a hard time the router being paired or even recognized through latest zigbee2mqtt. even when the router being seen it says not supported marked with red triangle and cant be set up. any guess on how to fix this?
Heya. I’ve actually just picked up a few of the latest dongle-E variants of these so will actually be revisiting these tutorials so I’ll check it out with both dongles.
If your using Zigbee2MQTT you can tell a connection to only pair to a set device (during pairing process). When you choose permit join select the router to join.
Normally like Marks videos but this one has too much "following on from the previous" I found myself having to go back a few times. Just wish we didn't have to do that
I get it, but can't see why anyone would do this. You need a Zigbee dongle (£10-25) and USB power adapter (£5-10), which costs much more than a simple Zigbee plug (£8-15). Why bother, what extra do I get for double the cost?
The python script method for flashing these is so easy. No having to mess with the getting the dongle in boot loader mode. Just download the script and firmware. Type out one command with some options, press enter. Done. Most complicated part is finding which port your dongle is on.
Indeed 🙂👍🏻
2:39 - 8 year old me just lost it and ran out the room in uncontrollable laughter. Well played 😅
I would like to see a Python Firmware Loader video or a link to the instructions for that, also Where can we see what version our Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Plus is currently on ? Thanks for all the great Info!!!!
It failed always !! I push the reset button in everyway but nothing. I have tried with 2 Dongle, same result. As coordinator flash success. As router failed. I don't know what else to try.
Thanks for the great video Mark. Didn't think it was this easy to add this to the ZigBee setup. As always your videos explain it for us novice users lol
Glad it helped and thank you for the feedback. I do try and cater all content to users of all abilities 😁.
Thanks mark. A new video showing the flashing with python will be great.
Mate can u do video how to flash firmware on conbee ii manually?🙏🙏🙏
And what u think which is better conbee or sonoff zigbee stick?
And nice video like always 👌🏻
I’ve been a long time Conbee user and love it. However I jumped to the Sonoff Dongle when testing a bunch of Coordinators for a video and have just stuck with it. For me personally it has been flawless (so far).
I’ll add the Conbee one to the ever growing list of videos 😆. Feel free to drop it in the video ideas section on Discord :)
What an awesome channel mate, just discovered it now. As a zigbee newbie this is so helpful! Big compliment!
Glad it was helpful. Thanks for the feedback :)
Great video, quite like these devices. Performing well for me.
"start flashing our dongle"
That so sounds like a crime....
Love the videos though! Keep it up!
😂😂😂
I said rubber bung in one video and people loved that 😂.
Thank you 🙏🏻 🙂
I flashed my spare Sonoff ZB Dongle Plus with the Router Firmware. After that I paired it with my ZB Coordinator (My main Sonoff ZB Dongle Plus). Then when I try to use "Connect Devices via this Device" option by going to the ZB Dongle Plus (Newly added Router) menu, it doesn't add my ZB device (Sonoff ZB Switch; which was in pairing mode) via this router. It adds the device via my Coordinator. Can someone please tell me how I can add devices via my ZB Dongle Plus Router? FYI I am using ZHA.
Thanks Mark.... Another very helpful guide that is concise and easy to follow.
Can this same process be applied to the newer Sonoff Zigbee Dongle-E as well?
Hi Mark, may I know how should I add the router via Windows npm start? I have configuration.yaml permit join = true, my smart switches able to join too, but the router is not automatically joining, is there any button can be pressed or hold to make the router in pairing mode??
Thanks Mark,
I did everything right until I got to the joining it to my zigbee2mqtt network. It's not discovering the router at all. Even placing it right next to the coordinator and still no go. Any ideas?
I have this same problem. Zigbee2mqtt doesn't see the device running the router firmware. Did you ever figure anything out?
does the stick perform the same as for example a smart lamp or is the routing better and or different from other devices?
The concept is the same but it would be dependent really on what radio chips are in the lamp. I would lean towards this as it’s primary goal is routing.
Yes please Python Video😀
Good video. Drinking game challenge: Take a drink every time Router is said.
I thought this after too 😂😂. Router bingo
1. Is it suitable also for ZHA instead of Zigbee2Mqtt?
2. can you go back to flash coordinator firmware?
Thank you.
I personally use this with Zigbee2Mqtt. To revert the firmware you just need to reflash it with the coordinator firmware (I also have a video on this).
Mark, Thanks for the video. Is there any advantage to converting pricey sonoff zigbee coordinator to router, rather than using cheaper sonoff zigbee smart plug (S31 lite) router ?.
Have had lot of trouble pairing end points (eg:IKEA 5 button remote or Aqara cube) to sonoff zigbee smartplug routers (setup: home assistant blue, zha, sonoff coordinator). They seem to pair directly to coordinator ok. I have not come across any good videos about pairing these end points (seems like you have to keep pressing this or that button repeatedly on the end point to get paired)
The Sonoff dongle is a great coordinator and and as such the router also works really well. I’ve found in general more devices will opt to use the sonoff router over the plugs etc, but that’s more than likely just do it being better and doing its primary function.
If you have a good mesh of lights plugs etc then I wouldn’t really say there is other than the coverage and pairing.
Originally these dongles where super cheap and you could pick up a bundle for what the cost of one now is, so a lot of people have more than one.
Not sure if that helps but give me a shout if you want to know more :)
Loved the video.
Can I use a Dongle to repeat the zigbee signal from a common Hub? In my case a Zemismart HUB (I use the app smart things on my phone)
Thanks for the guide.
Is there anything I have to do to get it into pairing mode once flashed?
I have one stick as coordinator on my HA box flashed with CC1352P2_CC2652P_launchpad_coordinator_20220219
This has been working fine with a couple of sensors
Today I got a 2nd stick to act as a router.
I've flashed it with CC1352P2_CC2652P_launchpad_router_20220125
I've plugged the router dongle in in its final location, In ZHA i've got it to scan for new devices but nothing is found.
Do I need to press a button on the router dongle to get it into pairing mode?
(would mean opening it up again)
Also, what's the switch on the PCB for?
Thanks for your help
I have the same problem!! However, my 'router(s)' were initially found and paired and worked for about two days then 'disappeared'. Now I can't reconnect them!
@@brianrozs3br I got my router to pair by bringing it into the sane room. I then moved it back to the other room and it still works. Dunno what was wrong. Similar issues when adding devices. A sonoff motion sensor wouldn't pair at all in its final location, or near this new router. But paired straight away when near the controller. Moved it back to the final location and left it for a few days, now it seems to all be working. The map in zha has devices floating around with no links to routers etc but all are actually working triggering actions in ha.
Hi Mark, I followed your video to flash the sonoff Zigbee 3.0 Dongle Plus. One as coordinator and one for Router using the latest firmware. Both flashing turns out to be successful. For the the newly flashed coordinator, I was able to add all my Zigbee devices and perfectly working. For the flushed Router , flushing was also successful but unable to add as new device on the MQTT new device found.I followed exactly your video several times but still fail to recognize the flushed router device.KIndly advise how to fix the problem. Note : everytime I restart the HA, a notification says a new device found. I follow the instructions but installation of new device found failed.
I have a similar problem! I have two Sonoff Zigbee 3 dongles flashed as routers as per Mark's video. Both connected and worked for about two days then went 'Offline'. Now I cannot re-connect them!
Same issue. No problems flashing as Coordinator but no discover if flashed with Router firmware...
I've purchased 2 of the Sonoff Zigbee dongles over the passed two months anf I can't get either of them to go into Bootloader mode. I've tried two different ways and still wont work. May have wasted my money.
Good video as usual. Thanks very much. I think using the term 'relay' or 'extender' might be better than router.
I agree with you on the terminology. However I specifically used ‘router’ as thats what the firmware and documentation list and reference it as. It was more to avoid any confusion 👍🏻
Hey, I loved this vid at the time and successfully got my 3 routers up and running. Now, I have a problem though. I've moved my HA onto a bare metal NUC, and have restablished all of my Zigbee network apart from the Routers...... they don't show up at all now? Any thoughts on why that is or how to re-establish them?
I just bought a couple of sonoff plugs to act as routers in my house. I’d much rather have these though …. Guess that’s next weeks job! Thanks!
Just out of interest, what’s the machine you’re running HA on there in the video?
Thanks Matt! Let us know how you get on 😁.
The machine in the video is what I run HA on. It’s a HP Elitedesk 800 G2 Mini. There’s a little more info on it in another video I did on installing Proxmox :)
@@MarkWattTech Cheers! Just watched it. I've got a windows PC running Plex, so I may look at installing proxmox on there to run HA. My rpi 3 is getting a little clitchy and every now and again, falling over!
is there any difference between any power coonected wallswitch or curtain device running as router beside thier own main role comparing to sonoff dongle as router? also there are tiny tuya zigbee repeaters, any difference?
Thanks! Now do one for the Z-Wave Zooz ZST10 700 stick, using Zigbe2Mqtt mine is giving me fits! :)
Another great upload Mark. I've been following your zigbee series and added zigbee devices to my smart home. I can't figure out how to get the different button functions on the aqara mini switch through zigbee2mqtt like you did through deconz though. I have only found a small amount of info saying zigbee2mqtt doesn't show events the same as deconz. Might be worth a video, I'm sure there must be others in my situation. Have you got the zigbee buttons working with zigbee2mqtt and if so how? I could just be missing something simple. Keep up the good work and look forward to more great content
Hey John.
Thanks for the feedback. I do make use of the Aqara buttons and the other functions do work in Zigbee2Mqtt. The easiest way to view them is to opent the device page. In the list of entitys for sensors you should have action and click. These will be what you use as triggers. If you use the automation editor on the left of that and add a new automation, you should see the automation editor helper offering suggestions and examples like double press, hold etc.
If your still stuck feel free to give me a shout over at the Facebook group or my new Discord.
Thanks for the instant reply Mark, I'll have another look asap. I imagine when I've done it once I'll wonder why I couldn't figure it out 🤞🏻. It's great to people like you to help out. Thanks again
@@johnhirst4337 no worries :) again give me a shout if you’re stuck and I’ll try my best to get back to you
@@MarkWattTech Again thanks, the aqara buttons are now sorted. I think I was confusing issues because I'd tried this with sonoff zigbee buttons and you don't get the same options with those. They are my next challenge! I'll move this over to facebook and discord to see if it's possible and if I can get help. I'll be buying you a coffee for the help so far, Cheers Mark
Thank you for this tutorial. It helped me a lot in reflashing the dongles.
What ZB map are you using? It looks much nicer than the current HA integrated map.
That map is the standard Zigbee2MQTT one :)
Glad to have helped!
Hi Mark.
Is it posible to do it with an SLZB-06P7? I have it flashed as Router but HA says it is Unsupported...
Thanks.
Miguel
Hello Mark, may I ask you a question please, I have the Sonoff bridge and not using Zigbee to MQttu, how can I add the dongle router to my zigbee network, just plug it in and discover it from the Sonoff Bridgew ccordinator? Cheers
What is the rating of the plug that the dongle is in? The specs state that the dongle accepts maximum 5V 100mA ( 0.1A ).
What kind of USB wall plug are you using to power this? Haven't seen one like that before.
i got the green success message after flashing. but not the dongle does not pair to Zigbee2MQTT. after reading the comments, seems it has bricked other peoples dongles too
Million thanks!!!
Did you ever create the Python method video? I cannne find it/one??
HI Mark, I use Sonoff Zigbee as coordinator, which you find more reliable to use another equal unit in router mode, or use a CC2530 + CC2591
Thanks in advance!
can you do the same router adding to a ZHA integration. thank you.
Hello everyone, if I update the firmware to work as router,/repeater, can I use in tuya platform? smart life?
Is there anything that needs to be done to the dongle, once all the software is updated, to get it into pairing mode?
Why does your Z2MQTT dashboard look like that? What is Z2MQTT Edge?
hello,
i followed these exact steps,
I have the exact same stick. but when i connect it to power it wont show up in mqtt ( discovery is on ) is there a method to put it in pair mode ???
After flashed Can't pair with zigbee2mqtt at all. 😅
Having the same issue - have you found a solution?
I have a question.. i flashed it and succesfully bound it to my coordinator . I wanted to test before i take it to my friend.. the i removed it from mqtt.. now it will not bind again.. will it onlu bind once? If i remove it from devices do i have to flash it again for it to find the coordinator again?
I am new to the ZigBee ecosystem, so this might be a dumb question.
If I am not mistaken ZigBee network is self-healing right...?
If yes, then that means that if there are two routes to an end device and one of these routes goes offline, then the end device can still maintain communication via the second route; which is online. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Suppose one of my end devices is out of reach (or has a very weak signal; it keeps disconnecting regularly), in this case if I have a ZB Router located between my coordinator and the end device, then I can pair my end device through that router.
Suppose I have another router besides the one that I paired my end device to. In case my first router; to which my end device was paired to, fails/goes offline, then in this scenario will the end device be able to use my second router which is online?
Another thing, if the end device is out of range of the coordinator, which is optimal; pairing the end device to a router midway or pairing the end device to the coordinator by bringing it close to the coordinator & after pairing moving it to the distant location? If I use the second method, then the router between the coordinator & the end device will maintain their connection, right...?
Can the Dongle-E setup as router? Great Video Thank you
Didn't know you need to further add them into the Zigbee Network with Z2M. Do you need to do this if it was ZHA?
Thank you for the video Mark. Just a couple of questions Mark. I know you have used ZHA extensively in the past, and i also know that you now use Zigbee2MQTT. :)
1. As someone who has tasted both worlds extensively, What is your preference - ZHA or Z2M ?
2. Why is advantage does your preference have over the other?
3. I also know you own a conbee 2 stick, does Z2M now support conbee 2 or should i just get a sonoff?
I'm contemplating switch but i just want to be sure i'm not making any mistakes.
I'll appreciate your honest answer.
Heya :)
Out of the box ZHA is so much simpler as it looks like it is native and a part of HA. Zigbee2Mqtt has more bells and whistles and has lots more advanced features and settings. However, you dont have to know what these settings and features are, or even ever have to use them if you dont want to. I think all the extra bits and menus etc is what is off putting to new users when comparing ZHA, Zigbee2Mqtt and DeConz.
After using all 3 my personal preference is Zigbee2Mqtt. My resoning for this is because I personally like the way devices are shown, organised and added, blocked and much more. Its very easy to see and test devices using it. The setup process is a little longer, but once its up and running you are good to go. Device support is another reason I opted for it. New devices are added to Zigbee2Mqtt much faster than the other platforms. If your device isnt supported you can also make custom extensions to allow you to control them. These can then be submitted and pulled into Zigbee2Mqtt.
It's all down to personal preference really and what you like best for your home.
I believe you can use the Conbee II with Zigbee2Mqtt but I personally haven't tried. When I switched to Zigbee2Mqtt I have primarily stuck to these Sonoff dongles. The Sonoff dongles are great and I personally haven't had any issues (yet) with the 3 I am currently using (one coordinator, 2 routers) all with the latest firmware.
I used the Conbee II for years and for me it worked well. Price wise you can probably pick up a couple of the Sonoff dongles for the cost of the Conbee and they work just as well.
Hope that helps! If you want any more info or to chat a little more feel free to head over to my FB group or my new Discord server :)
@@MarkWattTech Thank you so much for the detailed response. i wouldn't have gotten a robust and better response from someone else. You the best! I appreciate! I also like the looks of Zigbee2Mqtt and will explore it. i like the fact that it exposes more entities which adds more functionalities.
I am definitely trying this your router extension option. Thanks again for the video.
I am so glad you now have a discord. joining already! Thanks Mark. Your videos are very detailed and very explanatory. Keep it up!
@@MarkWattTech Do you have any process defined in regards to migrating from ZHA to Zigbee2Mqtt ?
Does the script version work for the router? Those screws are so small I am afraid I am going to strip them trying to remove them.
Thank you.
Thanks Mark
I’ve red that Aqara sensors have a reputation for not connecting to routers (with the exception of IKEA Tradfri repeaters) and rather sticking with the main bridge. I was wondering if Aqara sensors pair nicely with this router. Thank you for your videos.
The Aqara devices pair but they don’t roam around. They will just lock to one router (whatever was closest when paired).
Do Aqara sensors connect to Tradfri plugs or is it just repeaters?
@@MarkWattTech Jumping in 7 months later but your video tutorials are great. thanks!
I am actually having the issue that Pelon describes with my Aqara devices starting off connecting to a router (Lightbulbs and Sonoff plugs) then suddenly getting orphaned and often disconnecting in Z2M.
I am pretty technical and am surprised I can't fix this. I've changed channels, moved other 2.4 channels, scanned to make sure, used ZHA, moved to Z2M, replaced my Conbee with a Sonoff (Each change has had a full re-pair) things run for a day or 2 then vanish and stop reporting.
I've now stripped out all the zigbee lghtbulbs - only to have the same problem...now all the sonoff plugs.
I am really hoping that deploying a Sonoff USB dongle as a router will resolve this as I am losing spousal approval rating fast!. next option is replace motion detectors with Shelly.
Strangely, I have also seen that the 2 Tradfri repeaters I have seem to collect and hold onto some of the strays
nice thx
Hey Mark, great video with amazing content.
Can i use this dongle as a repeater on a Home Assistant SkyConnect zigbee network also or do i need to have a zigbee2mqtt network setup?
Thanks
Hey Rui. I’m not 100% sure with the SkyConnect. I’m actually just about to migrate my production setup to one so I should find out soon!
@@MarkWattTech i already tried, the answer is yes, you can use this as a repeater to extend the skyconnect range which is short compared to other zigbee devices. You can also extend the network using zigbee plugs but they have a really short range and some delay, don't reccomend. Thanks for the help
Hey Mark, great videos but i followed both with some errors. I can install coordinator but not router, gives me an error. any ideas? thanks
Finally Got Zigbee2mqtt working, I had the Zigbee integration installed which was stuffing things up.
Any way, my issue is now the routers do not pair anymore. They did in the beginning but something happened and I lost my devices. I reinstalled Zigbee2mqtt as part of my "Fix" but now I can not pair them again. All other devices I can pair.
Have you come across this and if so what do I do to reinstate the routers. TIA
If I buy a usb wall charger, how many amps do I need to power the zigbee router?
I’m actually just using mine with a standard 5V 1A and not had any issues.
can i use it for zha instead of mqtt?
First - Thanks for your videos which I find most helpful.
I have set up two Sonoff Zigbee 3 dongles with the router firmware as per your video. They connected and worked fine for a day or two. Now they are 'Offline' and will not re-connect no matter what I try! Any suggestions, please? (Should I re-flash?)
When your pairing them, are you pairing them in there set location? (As in the spot they are going to be in).
You could also load your Zigbee map to see what the connection strength is. It may be falling off the network.
@@MarkWattTech Hi! Thanks for your response. Yes, I am pairing in situ. Will check map and pairing again (Two-story brick house so that might be the problem!)
Hey there! Thanks for the video, man! Just wanted to drop a comment and let you know that I actually have the exact same model with the router firmware. But out of my 3 routers (some random aliexpress usb routers), this one (mi ex coordinator) seems to be acting up. I've made sure to keep the software updated and crank up the transmission power to the max, no matter where I place it in my apartment. Any ideas on what could be going wrong? Help a brother out!
trying to do the router python thing right now! failed :( no sign of it when I try to auto-join
Flash tool crashes on win10x64 right after it starts to write the file
Thanks Mark, I intend to give this a go in the next week or so and see if I can then add it via ZHA. I will let you know how I get on. Well jealous of your Zigbee network visualisation in Zigbee 2 MQTT. The ZHA visualisation is a bit rubbish, well a lot rubbish actually :)
Haha it is indeed. I haven’t tested this with ZHA yet so would be great to hear how you get on :)
Any luck with zha to add it not showing up on my discover device
Got it connect just had to press the button to get it connected . Thanks for the video
@@magzag2741 Thanks, this answered my question. I need to extend my ZHA network. Will look at getting this since it's confirmed it works
@@magzag2741 Sorry for the dumb question, is it the boot or rest button? One press or hold?
>Unknown record type: 3. doesnt work
hey dude, having a hard time the router being paired or even recognized through latest zigbee2mqtt. even when the router being seen it says not supported marked with red triangle and cant be set up. any guess on how to fix this?
Heya. I’ve actually just picked up a few of the latest dongle-E variants of these so will actually be revisiting these tutorials so I’ll check it out with both dongles.
I can pair it, but it gets disconnected soon after.
any video how to add custom or force some aqara devices add to router !?
If your using Zigbee2MQTT you can tell a connection to only pair to a set device (during pairing process). When you choose permit join select the router to join.
Will this work for ZHA or is only for Zigbee2MQtt? I can't get it to work in ZHA. Maybe it's not me?
I only ever used the routers with Zigbee2Mqtt so I can't say for sure sorry.
is it possible to add two routers (Sonoff Zigbee) to the same network? can not seem to get the second one connected
You can yes. Whats the issue you’re having? :)
@@MarkWattTech loaded firmware 3 times (successfully) , not detected by zigbee2mqtt. Added new devices to current sonoff router with no problems.
Do I need router I I have doungle connected to the pc as coordinator?
You can just use it as a coordinator with the PC. Router firmware is just if you want to use them as a range extender.
Have you done the python method yet?
Mine shows as unsupported in zigbee2mqtt after flashing it
Hey Adam. Did you manage to resolve your issue?
@@MarkWattTech I think so. It must have been some sort of interference issue.
Normally like Marks videos but this one has too much "following on from the previous" I found myself having to go back a few times. Just wish we didn't have to do that
I get it, but can't see why anyone would do this.
You need a Zigbee dongle (£10-25) and USB power adapter (£5-10), which costs much more than a simple Zigbee plug (£8-15).
Why bother, what extra do I get for double the cost?
Originally these where being sold in bundles (of two’s and four’s) for a very cheap price so a lot of people have more than one :)
@@MarkWattTech Ah ok, that makes sense then, if you have them lying around!
For sure :) These also have better range than what a typical bulb or plug would have. So also a great option if trying to eliminate Zigbee dead zones.
Love your content, but work on that up-speak. It makes you seem less intelligent