IKEA Zigbee Repeaters

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ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#281266 8-Feb-2021 20:03

I’ve started dabbling in Zigbee stuff, with a DIY CC2531 zigbee2mqtt hub with external aerial and a couple of Aqara wireless sensors. All working well.

I now want to add some more Aqara sensors, but I’m reaching the range limit of my hub (which seems to be about 8-10m, through a wall or two). I’ve read that IKEA repeaters are good value and also work well with the Aqara sensors.

On the IKEA website, they sell two products that appear to do the job, both are AUD 20:

Wireless control outlet

Signal repeater

I don’t need the wireless outlet functionality, I just want the one with the best range extension ability.

Does anyone have experience with either of these? What is the range like? Any reason to buy one over the other? Does anywhere in NZ sell either of them?

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26 posts

Geek

#2649920 8-Feb-2021 23:24

I'm using a couple of Tradfri repeaters with Aqara sensors (and some Tradfri dimmer buttons). The repeaters are up to about 10 meters from my ConBee II hub and I'm not having any problems with range. Can't comment on the wireless control outlet, I added the repeaters about six weeks ago after moving house, and at that time the wireless control outlets weren't on the website and weren't available in store.

Bear in mind that the pictures of the Tradfri repeater on IKEA's website are only the power supply for the repeater, not the repeater itself. This is what the repeater actually looks like attached to the power supply:

Can't help you on where you might get these in NZ (I live in Australia.)

mulac

155 posts

Master Geek

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#2650384 9-Feb-2021 14:12

I've been searching for ways to get Ikea home automation stuff in NZ for a while, specifically their blinds and PIR sensors. Let us know here if you find a method!

ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2650392 9-Feb-2021 14:38

Thanks for the tip on the repeater, and the photo.

Does this mean the repeater plugs into the USB port on the side of the plug? If so that’s a nice tidy look and looks a bit smaller than the wireless outlet, which might encourage me in that direction.

I think my only way to get them from Aussie will be to ‘phone a friend’ and have them send me a couple in the post. Would be nice if IKEA NZ got up and running but I won’t hold my breath...

mdf

3512 posts

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#2650416 9-Feb-2021 14:51

I had a few tries and fails with off the shelf zigbee devices offering routing or range extension (though not the Ikea ones). I ended up building a router following the zigbee2mqtt instructions (https://www.zigbee2mqtt.io/how_tos/how_to_create_a_cc2530_router.html).

Works really well. So well I built another for downstairs. 😀.

One thing I did change was switching the buck converter to a 5V - - > 3.3 V and using a standard USB wall plug. I didn't want to risk anything at mains voltage personally.

ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2650428 9-Feb-2021 15:27

Nice. I’ve done the DIY CC2531 hub so a DIY router isn’t out of the question, but at ~$25 I’m keen to give the IKEA option a go.

PANiCnz

989 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2650510 9-Feb-2021 17:39

I’ve got the IKEA repeater and find it problematic with Xiaomi sensors. The sensors insist on connecting to my hub or Hue bulbs. I haven’t done any research on the problem so it may be easily fixed. On the flip side I’ve found the Hue bulbs to be good repeaters.

Hub is a Electrolama zig-a-zig-ah! adapter coupled with Zigbee2MQTT.

stevenk

26 posts

Geek

#2650617 9-Feb-2021 19:48

ashtonaut: Thanks for the tip on the repeater, and the photo.

Does this mean the repeater plugs into the USB port on the side of the plug? If so that’s a nice tidy look and looks a bit smaller than the wireless outlet, which might encourage me in that direction.

I think my only way to get them from Aussie will be to ‘phone a friend’ and have them send me a couple in the post. Would be nice if IKEA NZ got up and running but I won’t hold my breath...

Correct - the repeater is USB powered and plugs into the side of the plug pack.

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TTerBNZ

43 posts

Geek

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#2650716 9-Feb-2021 23:56

mulac:

I've been searching for ways to get Ikea home automation stuff in NZ for a while, specifically their blinds and PIR sensors. Let us know here if you find a method!

Those FYRTUR blinds look so nice!! im so keen to replace me windows with them soon, but your right hard to find here in NZ.

Handle9

11386 posts

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#2650722 10-Feb-2021 04:05

I just bought a couple of the outlets. They are the same price as the repeaters so I figured they would be a better idea.

I've got around 12 bulbs on the ZigBee network.

They seem to work well so far, I'll let you know how they go.

ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2655883 14-Feb-2021 07:31

I’ve now purchased a couple of the repeaters from Oz with the help of a friend. I’ll update this thread when they arrive and I have a chance to do some range testing.

mulac

155 posts

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#2657667 16-Feb-2021 16:39

Cool, let us know how it goes. I'm hoping they'll release some AU/NZ power outlets shortly to use as repeaters (like https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/tradfri-wireless-control-outlet-00364477/)

If nothing is out in the next couple of months, then I'll probably try giving something like this USB repeater a nudge: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001836655744.html

EDIT: Not reading properly. Guess I'll try find a way to get some over from Aus too. I had only noticed mention of the USB signal repeaters 🤦‍♂️

Handle9

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#2657668 16-Feb-2021 16:42

mulac:
Cool, let us know how it goes. I'm hoping they'll release some AU/NZ power outlets shortly to use as repeaters (like https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/tradfri-wireless-control-outlet-00364477/)

If nothing is out in the next couple of months, then I'll probably try giving something like this USB repeater a nudge: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001836655744.html

They are available now. Link in OP.

ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2657735 16-Feb-2021 18:37

Interesting, I hadn’t seen those Tuya repeaters. Nice and compact, I wonder how well they perform for something so tiny.

ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2677387 19-Mar-2021 20:37

Repeaters finally arrived. Setup was easy, both are now paired and working. I’ll leave them for a couple of days in their current locations to see how they settle down and what they connect to (and connects to them).

Does anyone have a simple, noob guide on how to create a basic network mesh map? Preferably using MQTT Explorer on Windows. I’ve read more than one guide online but they all assume i know how to do a couple of key steps and I can’t get the map output back from the hub...

Edit: Not sure what I was missing with previous attempts, it was trivial to get the network map. For reference, within MQTT Explorer, publish the raw word "graphviz" to the topic zigbee2mqtt/bridge/networkmap, then you'll get a response with the graphiviz code, which can be viewed using edotor.net or similar online tool. At the moment my end devices (Aqara sensors) are only connected to the coordinator and not the extenders, will see how that goes over the next 48 hours.

TTerBNZ

43 posts

Geek

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#2695369 20-Apr-2021 16:44

ashtonaut:

Repeaters finally arrived. Setup was easy, both are now paired and working. I’ll leave them for a couple of days in their current locations to see how they settle down and what they connect to (and connects to them).

Does anyone have a simple, noob guide on how to create a basic network mesh map? Preferably using MQTT Explorer on Windows. I’ve read more than one guide online but they all assume i know how to do a couple of key steps and I can’t get the map output back from the hub...

Edit: Not sure what I was missing with previous attempts, it was trivial to get the network map. For reference, within MQTT Explorer, publish the raw word "graphviz" to the topic zigbee2mqtt/bridge/networkmap, then you'll get a response with the graphiviz code, which can be viewed using edotor.net or similar online tool. At the moment my end devices (Aqara sensors) are only connected to the coordinator and not the extenders, will see how that goes over the next 48 hours.

How is everything looking now?

Im keen to get these to extend my conbee around my house abit more... Need cheaper zigbee stuff in NZ..

Recently got the Tuya temp sensor (circle with LED) and cant get it to sync via zigbee...

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