Is a Zigbee device running on main power the only requirement for acting as a router? I consider a smart bulbs mesh network (connected to the power all the time) e.g LED Light Bulb (Tunable White) - Aqara
Most Zigbee devices that are running on main power will act as router, but there are exceptions (mostly switches that allow for a “no neutral” configuration).
It’s fairly safe to assume that this light will act as a router.
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The last question from me. Do Zigbee devices create mesh networks even when different homey apps are used to manage them?
E.g
device 1 use Philips Hue, without the bridge App for Homey | Homey
device 2 use Aqara App for Homey | Homey
Yes, as long as the devices are directly managed by Homey’s Zigbee, they will mesh with each other.
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Very interesting post thank you. I’m new to homey and I recently bought a Sonoff SNZB-02D temperature sensor.
My issue is that as soon as I connect it, it disconnect a couple of seconds after.
From what I understand, I might be missing a router device. Is that correct?
My Philips bridge isn’t supposed to act like one?
Thank you for your help
Not necessarily. If your sensor is close enough to Homey, it will connect to that and you don’t need a router device. Routers serve two purposes: extend your network (so you can add devices to it that are beyond the reach of Homey) and unload Homey (which can only support a limited number of directly connected devices).
If you mean a Hue bridge, then no. That’s a completely separate Zigbee controller that builds its own Zigbee network, devices connected to that network will do nothing for Homey’s Zigbee network.
Then I don’t understand why it disconnect right after initialising the connection 
Yes I meant a Hue Bridge.
It could be interference, it could be that the sensor is at the edge of what Homey can reach, it could be Homey’s Zigbee being unstable, etc.
Thanks for this quite helpful write up. May I ask if these colors have any meaning beyond identifying a device?
No, it’s purely to identify the device a bit more easy
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Great info in this thread, thanks for sharing.
Does anyone have update on “graphical map” for zigbee network like we can do for z wave network to see routing of end devices to routers etc?
I ask this because lately I’m having major issues with Aqara water leak sensors dropping off
I have read that Aqara devices don’t necessarily follow strict zigbee protocols? Meaning the water leak sensors may not be latest zigbee v3.0 which allow them to repeat/connect through a router device to HP thus are trying to connect directly to HO and range issue would be why they are dropping offline?
If this is case are there any known zigbee router/repeater devices that will work with Aqara leak sensors?
When you happen to have Ikea zigbee lights added to the mesh as well:
Aqara sensors + Ikea lights + Homey is not a good combo. Using Ikea smartplugs wasn’t a problem though.
As soon as the sensors start to use the Ikea lights’ zigbee routers, they stop sending updates, and worse, they stop searching for alternative routers.
On other platforms, like zigbee2mqtt, this issue is non-existent on my system.
For now, you’d replace the Ikea lights or the Aqara sensors.
I have a mixed setup for many years now. Zwave, Zigbee, Wifi Devices connected to my Homey. Most of them in my flat and only few wifi based devices outside or on other floors. But for many devices I need Zigbee outside too (door sensors etc) and its difficult for me to plan or estimate network reach behaviour. Using Wifi I can easily see and chance network reach.
First, you should set up your zigbee network in a certain order but thats not real life reality for me. I just grows. I dont want to delete and add the devices after a change.
Also, I cant analyze the network effectivly. The Homey dashboard doesnt give many hints.
Are there any recommeded devices that act as a bridge? I found some recommendations some years but I guess these are outdated.
@Bisch If you want a really stable Zigbee network; don’t use Homey’s Zigbee implementation imho.
Use another Zigbee dongle/controller (I have the Sonoff Zigbee Dongle-P), connect it to HA or Zigbee2MQTT and import the connected devices in Homey.
My Zigbee network has never been better…
More info on Zigbee2MQTT:
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Any powered device will act as a zigbee router in the network. Battery devices will not.
thank you! So I should buy a raspi and a Sonoff Dongle which I plug into the raspi and install HA on the raspi plus everthing else mentioned in your link?
My link is about Zigbee2MQTT.
Integration via HA is also possible, but you should use the Home Assistant Homey app then.
Let’s keep the conversation here instead of by PM, so others can benefit from it as well if they want.
I cannot recommend a RPi, as I have Zigbee2MQTT and the dongle installed in Docker on my Synology NAS.
For repeating Zigbee, you can you almost any mains-powered Zigbee device.
By the way: Buying the Sonoff Dongle from AliExpress is fine of course, but prices at EU sellers often don’t differ that much.
thanks! Very good point and info!
I missunderstood things obviously. Im interested in Zigbee2MQTT and I thought I would need HA too. Even better this way. Another good idea from you: Synology! I just bought a new Synology to replace my old, so I ll try the same what you did. Is this difficult?
I already saw that outdoor plugs arent expensive in EU and I already ordered ledvance outdoor plugs on amazon. Going to compare the rest of my desired items too.
It needs some work, but it is worth the effort.
And you need a NAS that can run Docker.
But all of this is a bit off-topic here.
Perhaps better continue here if you have more questions about setting up Zigbee2MQTT for Homey:
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