I use zigbee devices quite a lot, of course, when using zigbee, there are many advantages, such as this network works as a mesh network, that is, it allows you to greatly expand your coverage area due to the fact that some devices may be routers in this network, that is, not end devices, but transmitting devices.

For example, I use switches, sockets, wireless temperature and humidity sensors, sensors for opening and closing doors and windows, and motion sensors. I also have wireless switches that also work on zigbee, there are buttons that work on zigbee.

To connect zigbee devices, you need a separate gateway. It can be a proprietary gateway from the manufacturer, for example, Tuya or Xiaomi, or it can be a homemade device, that is, you buy a separate stick, it acts as a network coordinator and connects to some microcomputer, for example, Raspberry. There are also self-made gateways that are more versatile and can work with different devices in different ecosystems.

Recently, more devices have appeared, such as smart speakers, for example, from Yandex, which allow you to connect zigbee devices to yourself. These are mostly devices from Aqara, but when using the zigbee network itself, there are a lot of problems.

Sometimes when the signal disappears, such as the gateway freezes or the stick freezes, devices, especially wireless ones, try to connect for a while, and then go into standby mode. And you can only take them out of this mode manually. You need to go to these devices, press a special button or use a paper clip to do this, and then they will reconnect and be re-identified in the ecosystem. Or as I had several times when using the stick, or the version of the stick changed and I had to switch all zigbee devices.

The same need may arise for various reasons, for example, if there was a failure and the data was damaged, so you have to reconnect everything again. Similar problems occur with branded gateways, when the manufacturer either updates the firmware, it happens that all the settings and bindings fly off, or it's just a new version coming out, for example, when zigbee 3.0 was released, many new devices no longer work with the old gateways and, accordingly, the entire system had to be migrated to the new gateway.

For example, if I use wi-fi devices, then when replacing the router or some other router reboots, reinstallations, while if I saved the network SID, the device can also be detected and reconnected, but for example with zigbee devices, this will not work, because for example the stick uses a unique network identifier, and if in this network, there were already devices linked to this identifier, then a new stick in this network can no longer be made, respectively, you will need to create a new identifier for the new network and re-link all devices to the new router.

And even with the most preprivyazke, of course, you need to follow the sequence, because as I already said, there is a network coordinator, this is the central stick, some sticks can be flashed as routers and plug them into USB ports, for example, and they will help expand networks, so they need to be rebinded next, then you need to rebind all the sockets that can also act as routers, all switches are smart, which can also act as routers, and then only bind the end devices, because if you start, for example, tying a temperature and humidity sensor in a remote room, it may not find the coordinator and not connect.

This is especially critical when the battery in the wireless sensor is no longer fresh, and when there are many connection attempts, or a large number of signals need to be sent, which are required when the device is powered up, the battery drains and the sensor turns off.

Some devices, of course, for example, a temperature sensor can be placed on a shelf and used this way, or a motion sensor can also be placed somewhere on a shelf, but for example, a door opening sensor it is attached to the doors and, accordingly, it is quite difficult to peel it off, and in this case there are also problems with re-linking.

Sometimes it's a problem that just the sensor itself can not connect remotely and for example if I use the Xiaomi opening sensor, then you can disassemble it, get the board and bring it to the router and then reconnect, but many devices are not collapsible and so simply cannot be reconnected, for example, even in them it is impossible to change the battery if they are do not detach from the surface.

If in this case, when the zigbee network was disconnected and the sensors, for example, went into standby mode, then of course you will not be able to restore this network remotely and you will need to take all this into account in the scripts and process it accordingly. For example, if the temperature sensor is used in heating scenarios or monitoring the temperature drop below critical, or is used as a security sensor, such as motion sensors or opening sensors, then of course you need to understand how the scenario will work out this situation.

Also, a big problem occurs with devices, such as smart relays, which are usually mounted either behind the ceiling, or under the switch, or in the wall, and accordingly, in order to reconnect them, this is a whole problem, you need to disassemble, for example, remove the normal switch if a smart relay is installed under it, or it is to get a light bulb from the ceiling and accordingly, it is necessary to change it, or do some other complex manipulations, and sometimes since these relays are usually located in the sub-sockets and there are a lot of electrical wires and metal objects around, their antennas are not enough for that, to connect to the coordinator and reconnect to the network.

For example, recently, when my relay stopped working and fell off the network, I had to disassemble the switch, and this relay is quite compact, but it was so deeply installed in the socket, and the reset and reset button was on the other side and I had to completely get it out of the wall, which in principle affects the reliability of the wires themselves, reliability of connections and this often do of course will not work. Therefore, I always think about how to place these relays carefully and in general how to use them and for what purpose.

I have an idea to make the control of ordinary light bulbs located on the ceiling in the corridor, there are 6 of them there, so you need several multi-channel relays, but again, if they are placed behind the ceiling, then in this way I will not be able to reconnect them.

Very often it is suggested to use smart relays with wireless switches, but in such situations, of course, there are big problems, and in principle, until everything is reconnected again, it will be impossible to use the devices, so either you need to buy devices that know how to handle such situations, or for example, immediately buy a switch that can be used both physically and physically, using the smart home network.

Automation in a smart home should be useful and create additional comfort, but sometimes everything goes wrong… The reasons for this, and how to configure everything, see on my channel.