I noticed that this issues has been discussed before, but I am hoping that there has been some new developments in respect of “Range Extender” and to ask advice.
I am very suspect of the Zigbee Map presented on the iHost device map. It is a little bit like elevator music.
I have attached my iHost Zigbee Map and to put things into perspective, all the devices are within 20 meters of either the coordinator (iHost) or router (Den Presence), but you will notice how bad the signal strength is to some of the sensors/ switches & other gadgets.
Has there been any Sonoff updates (software and hardware) that would make this process more streamlined?
I am hoping to improve the “Range” of my Zigbee Map by adding one of the following:
A Sonoff Presence Sensor that will do nothing other than being a router, it sounds simple, but will it work?
A Sonoff Smart Micro USB (Zigbee), I am not sure if this device will act like a router or not and how strong its’ signal boosting capabilities are. Your comments are appreciated.
Tuya Smart ZigBee/Bluetooth Multi Mode Gateway Hub Bridge. Honestly, I have no idea if this will work as a potential range extender and how/ if it will integrate into the iHost Zigbee network. Your comments are appreciated.Aliexpress Link
Smart Home ZigBee 3.0 Signal Repeater USB Extender Support eWeLink Tuya Home Assistant ZigBee2MQTT. Honestly, I have no idea if this will work as a potential range extender and how/ if it will integrate into the iHost Zigbee network. Your comments are appreciated. AliExpress Link
Signal issue is complex, Zigbee has its automation to mesh devices together. First thing I would check is the Wi-Fi router’s 2.4 GHz channel. I would recommend to move it to higher frequency.
That’s a primary feature of the device, and you can toggle the Turbo mode to achieve better coverage
Possibly no
This could work, but it depends on what firmware it uses, if the firmware is way too far from standard zigbee, iHost won’t work with it. Some will act as a virtual light or switch, which are more compatible.
This topic has been extensively discussed many times on this forum. I think everything that can be said about Zigbee networks has been said. Use a search and I’m sure you’ll find plenty of discussion and hints. You can find out more about optimising Zigbee networks here, for example.
There is no such thing as a Zigbee range extender, because Zigbee networks are mesh networks and therefore self-healing and self-optimised.
Maps are not binding but only illustrative and give a general idea. The state of the network changes frequently and what you have on the map may be out of date after a while. In addition, some end devices may be in sleep mode to save energy.
Counting on the fact that a Zigbee device designed for another platform will work just fine with the eWeLink platform is a somewhat naive approach. Because although the Zigbee 3.0 standard applies to all manufacturers, it only defines the framework for the communication protocol. No one can guarantee that some gizmo from AliExpress will work with your iHost. Various vendors offer a variety of wonders on AliExpress, most of which are nameless junk.
Here’s an illustration of the connections and dependencies in my main Zigbee network. The circles represent the end devices, the ellipses signify the routers, and the rectangle indicates the network controller. Observe how complex it is.
I agree with you and I understand that it is the general consensus. Some devices are just coming slower to Sonoff than other brands, but in the end you roll the dice and hope for the best.
Almost any non-battery powered Zigbee device functions as a router and is capable of mesh operation. As mentioned before, such devices are not extenders as they do not relay or translate communication. Therefore ZBMICRO’s do not extend Zigbee networks. Please read about the nature of mesh networks and how to optimise their coverage. Installing Zigbee routers in each room does not ensure enhanced performance.
I understand this, I used this link for a layman’s explanation, Understanding Zigbee and Wireless Mesh Networking
What concerns me from your comment is that if the ZBMICRO in a specific room has a stronger connection to the Coordinator it does not guarantee that the End Device in the same room will connect to that ZBMICRO.
From personal experience, the end devices that are closer to the Router than the Coordinator will always connect to the Router.
Taking the above into consideration and the relative low cost involved I will run an experiment on the room where none of the end devices want to connect to the Coordinator or Router.
Because it doesn’t work this way. As mentioned many times before, any Zigbee network is a mesh network, and it means it’s self managed and self-healing. Proximity isn’t the only factor to choose the best route. You do not need to be concerned about it. Simply allow it to operate as intended.
The reason for this is most likely something else. How many Zigbee devices are present at your location? How many routers are there?
They tend to connect to nearby routers, but it’s not a guarantee because some “lame” chipsets and firmware only allow it to connect to the coordinator.
This is generally the case, it is a universal rule. Based on my observations, other factors also influence interconnections. It could be due to ‘lame firmware’ (as @Ward mentions) or radio penetration/propagation in a specific location.
