Strange things happen with some SONOFF ZBMINI ZigBee Switches

[bft]

In this topic: ZigBee Signal from sensors is Lost
I wrote that from Motion Sensors SNZB-03 ZigBee their signal is lost, up to 5-6 times a day.
No one has found a solution to my problem.

But I think I found the reason and it is neither a lie nor a joke.
It cost me money and a lot of time in searching and checking.

The problem is due to some SONOFF ZBMINI ZigBee Switches.
I found 6 (yes six) and 5 will be returned to the store.

Some of them have a problem with their firmware and it shows in 3 ways:

1. when they are connected to iHost then in the Version show UNKNOWN, as you can see in the next picture.
   

   

2. when they are connected to iHost in the Zigbee Map you will find floating devices as shown below.
   

   

3. when they are connected to the ZigBee Bridge Pro, then the green light of the Bridge turns on for no reason every 5 seconds or so.

So If you experience:
A. signal lost problem from motion sensors, or
B. the network respond is slow for 2-3 seconds, or
C. some devices flow in the Zigbee Map,
then you must search the Version of all the Zigbee devices one by one.

If you find Version UNKNOWN then this device must removed from the network. Delete the device immediately and if it’s a Switch then removed it from the power source.
Reboot the iHost and then the Zigbee network will run with no problems.

Lets go to the… Twilight Zone.

It seems that the problematic firmware in the Switch expands on the Zigbee network. Strange!
I found 1 Motion sensor with Version UNKNOWN and yesterday 1 Door/Window sensor.

Let me tell you the story:
I updated the firmware from i host to 2.3.4 and the network worked for 3 days with no problems.

I connected the problematics SONOFF ZBMINI ZigBee Switch to the Bridge Pro to see if this is my idea, or some new firmware fixes the strange issue.
The Bridge Pro had only 1 device connected at a time.
The green led was flashing for no reason every 5 seconds.
I kept the last switch connected for 1 hour. After seeing that there was neither an firmware update nor an improvement, I unplugged both.

And then some time later… the Zigbee network I have on iHost showed the known problems!!!
I noticed some lag to the scenes that triggered from motion sensors!
Immediately I searched the version of the devices one by one and I found 1 Door/window Sensor with Version UNKNOWN.

Yep! the problematic firmware moved from Switch which is connected to the Bridge Pro to the Sensor which is connected to the iHost.
I cant prove it but it happened.
It’s too obvious to be a coincidence.
The sensor immediately deleted from iHost and I removed the battery.
I will returned it.

Now i have 28 Zigbee devices to iHost all with correct Version and the network works with no problems almost 10 hours (the Bridge Pro has no power). I will monitor them every day.

I don’t know if I bought a device with a firmware problem or if the problem came from the internet. I will buy some ZigBee devices and i will check immediately the Version.

If found something i will let you know.

[jam3]

I don’t want to criticise your unorthodox approach but everything you write about seems highly questionable. Of course, it is possible that the firmware version is referred to as ‘unknown’. This happens, for example, when the device for some reason has not uploaded a set of the intended data or the system misinterprets the data. However, it is highly doubtful that this is the reason for the malfunction. From your description, it seems that you are having trouble penetrating the Zigbee network and I would rather associate the malfunction with this.

[bft]

@jam3

I don’t want to criticise your unorthodox approach but everything you write about seems highly questionable

Feel free to ask.

If Version UNKWOWN its ok, then why the green light blinking every about 5 seconds when this switch is connected to the Pro bridge?
This was also the first observation that something was wrong and I started to looking for it.

[jam3]

I use a number of Sonoff devices running on two Zigbee networks (by choice, for greater convenience). One is formed by NSPanel Pro, the other by SkyConnect (dongle from Nabu Casa). The latter case is interesting because, for example, only 1 of 4 ZBMINIL2 shows the firmware version. And this has been the case for many months. Nevertheless, all Sonoffs within ZHA are working correctly and the other devices (including IKEA) are not affected at all. Hence my doubts about your conclusions.

[bft]

These symptoms:
a. signal lost problem from motion sensors, or
b. the network response is slow for 2-3 seconds, or
c. some devices flow in the Zigbee Map, or
b. green light flashing without a reason
are real!
And they show up on ihost in ZigBee Bridge Pro as I wrote in the first place.

You do not have ihost or ZigBee Bridge Pro, so it follows that the problematic firmware does not affect your devices. This is good news. If things get worse I will move to these solutions.

The only thing I can’t prove is the cause of these errors.
But by trial and error I found that it is the fault of ZBMINI ZigBee Switches when they have Version UNKNOWN.
Now for over 24 hours the network is working flawlessly, whereas before I had problems that I had highlighted in the forum and they were never resolved.
What changed? I removed all devices with Version UNKNOWN

But I would like to know if other users, who have ihost and ZigBee Bridge Pro are facing similar problems as me.

[SuiKa]

Can you provide your system so we can pinpoint the problem more accurately?

[bft]

Of course.
Tell me what you need.

[SuiKa]

Sorry about the typo.
It’s system log.
Please download it in setting page and send it via feedback.
Also give us the ticket number so we can find it faster.

[bft]

The ticket is ID221255

Thank you!

[SuiKa]

We did received the ticket but no system log in it.
Did you send it properly?

[bft]

Sorry about that.
The new ticket is ID221301.

I think i send the log it as attachment.

1. Download logs (tar.gz file)
2. Feedback
3. Attachments(recommend). Upload the log.
4. Submit
   In case something goes wrong, I put a link with which you can download the log.
   Maybe yesterday i didn’t noticed the error message.

Thanks again!

[ociepa.ekotox]

@ward , @SuiKa I encountered a problem that the scene with the zbmini device is not executed.
feedback 221469

(date 09/11/2024; time:16:33:09).
I encountered a problem that scenes in ihost are not executed. An error has occurred with the zbmini device. at the same time ihost matter bridge became offline in smartthings app.

I also noticed that not all temperature data is sent by ihost matter bridge to the smartthings app. temperature charts are full of holes.

While reviewing the scene logs I noticed that the problem also occurred on other days on other devices. But all of the devices were ZBMINI devices.

[ward]

@ociepa.ekotox

I encountered a problem that the scene with the zbmini device is not executed.
feedback 221469

We’ve got your logs. Thanks for the feedback.