First Zigbee Devices, Questions and Advice.. | Home Assistant | Page 1

hollow moon May 13, 2025, 6:32 PM

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Hello there, so I've been looking to purchase some sensors and whatnot for my greenhouse but recently I found out that zigbee does in fact require a hub (which I've been trying to avoid this whole time). I see that there's a lot of zigbee compatible devices so I'm thinking of just biting the bullet and going for it. But before I do I have a few questions.

-How easy is the Hub (or coordinator) to implement with home assistant?

-Given that my Home Assistant server will be a significant distance from some potential Zigbee devices in my large home and garden, how does the communication range work? Do Zigbee devices connect directly to my Wi-Fi, or does the coordinator handle communication with them? I'm particularly concerned about ensuring adequate coverage.

-If zigbee isn't right for me, is there anything else I should be looking for? Total beginner here so any input/advice is appreciated.

Thank you all for reading

dawn pike May 13, 2025, 6:35 PM

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zigbee is a seperate wireless protocol. its not wifi

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various suppliers will have their own hub which is a zigbee coordinator that talks ethernet/wifi as well as zigbee.

if you have a zigbee network you should be able to add devices to it without their specific manufacters hubs.

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zigbee is a mesh network. its range is not great on an individual connection. however some devices (usually perma powered ones) will act as routers on the mesh which widens your "net" of range. lower powered sensors running on batteries generally are not routers but as long as they are in range of a device on the network that is then it can send its info to the network

hollow moon May 13, 2025, 6:55 PM

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I see, thanks. I'm trying to think of a viable solution that will solve the connection of zigbee devices between my server and the greenhouse. Is buying a bunch of devices to make a mesh network the only way? I can't imagine powering them over the garden 😆

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Especially since battery powered ones don't work in the mesh

dawn pike May 13, 2025, 6:57 PM

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do you have any connections to the greenhouse?

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or at least close to it?

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you can use an ethernet coordinator. and place it in/near greenhouse to handle communication

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then HA talks to the coordinator over network

hollow moon May 13, 2025, 6:59 PM

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I have power in the greenhouse yes

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I'd have to see how the ethernet coordinator works, first time I hear of it

dawn pike May 13, 2025, 7:01 PM

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one thats pretty highly recomended is the SLZB-06

hollow moon May 13, 2025, 7:04 PM

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Just had a look at it, so I'd have to run a ethernet cable over to the greenhouse?

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If I'm understanding this correctly

dawn pike May 13, 2025, 7:06 PM

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depends how far the greenhouse is from the house?

hollow moon May 13, 2025, 7:09 PM

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I'd say about 30-40 metres away

dawn pike May 13, 2025, 7:13 PM

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this is what i was trying to get at

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30-40 meters might be a struggle for low power sensors transmisions. you ideally would want a coordanator in the greenhouse

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running ethernet is going to be the "best" option if its something that's feasible

hollow moon May 13, 2025, 7:26 PM

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Okay I understand now, thank you for the help and advice. I appreciate the illustration 😆

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I'll see what I can do with the cable

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If not maybe I'll just do zigbee at home and WiFi devices in the greenhouse

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Since I have good connection there

dawn pike May 13, 2025, 7:35 PM

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its one of those situations where theres 100 solutions and you have to find the one that works for you

hollow moon May 13, 2025, 7:53 PM

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You're absolutely right. Actually just one last question in regards to that ethernet coordinator you sent earlier. I understand it has to be plugged into ethernet but what would the other side be plugged into? If not WiFi since it's it's own network would it be another zigbee device that's connected to the server or would it have to be the PC (server) itself directly?

dawn pike May 13, 2025, 8:06 PM

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you plug it into your network. then your HA can connect to it via network and get access to the zigbee network

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another slightly dodgy diagram 🙂

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"regular network" of router/switches/AP's whatever you have into 1 block for simplicity

hollow moon May 13, 2025, 8:16 PM

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Aha perfect that makes it a lot simpler for me, thank you 🙂

dawn pike May 13, 2025, 8:18 PM

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the zigbee side is more complicated with routers and non routers meshing but it give you a general idea of how stuff works

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this is why companies simpify stuff with "must use our hub" because they obscure how zigbee works entirily from the user. and i get the reasnoning behind that to be fair

hollow moon May 13, 2025, 8:55 PM

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dawn pike the zigbee side is more complicated with routers and non routers meshing but it ...

No worries I understand the meshing part as I have a mesh WiFi network around my house because I had a lot of problems with deadzones but I'm sure I can figure it out. I just bought a zigbee dongle and a compatible shutter controller and I'll try to get it to work. Thanks a lot for explaining it all to me it's a lot more clear now

dawn pike May 13, 2025, 8:56 PM

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cool, good luck with it all.

hollow moon May 13, 2025, 8:56 PM

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I never liked hubs because they're clunky and wires are everywhere, that's mainly why I wanted a smart home anyway, I hate the ecosystem every company tries to force on me 😂

#First Zigbee Devices, Questions and Advice..