Best Zigbee hub?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Best Zigbee hub?

peejayw

1841 posts

Uber Geek

#293162 2-Jan-2022 21:19

Looking at using some Aqara door/window sensors with Home Assistant. What would be a recommended Zigbee hub to use?
Thanks.

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

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3518 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2842119 2-Jan-2022 21:28

I've had good success with the open source controllers and routers on zigbee2mqtt.

Chippo

129 posts

Master Geek

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#2842126 2-Jan-2022 21:42

I use a Conbee II USB Stick + ZHA. Works like a charm. I got mine from Amazon but they're pretty widely available.

ConBee II Overview (phoscon.de)

I started out using Conbee's deCONZ but got sick of how it handled entity naming, after switching to ZHA I find more user friendly.

I work for a global Data Protection Software company - But my opinions are my own.

peejayw

1841 posts

Uber Geek

#2842130 2-Jan-2022 21:47

ZHA?

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

davidcole

6037 posts

Uber Geek

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#2842139 2-Jan-2022 22:16

I’m trying a sonoff zigbee bridge. And had fairly bad luck with a cc2531. Find it just goes offline after a day.

Previously known as psycik

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djtOtago

1153 posts

Uber Geek

#2842142 2-Jan-2022 22:19

peejayw: ZHA?

Zigbee Home Automation - Home Assistant (home-assistant.io) I'm guessing.

Chippo

129 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#2842144 2-Jan-2022 22:26

peejayw: ZHA?

Yeah, Home Assistant has an in-built zigbee hub. ZHA.

Zigbee Home Automation - Home Assistant (home-assistant.io)

If you have USB Discovery enabled in a current Home Assistant release, it'll discover your Zigbee stick and configure automatically. Otherwise, just add the "ZHA" integration like any other once you've got your USB radio module (Whichever one you choose) connected to Home Assistant.

I work for a global Data Protection Software company - But my opinions are my own.

mulac

155 posts

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#2842200 2-Jan-2022 22:52

I use Sonoff Wifi Zigbee bridge and it works well for the sensors/lights/locks I use:
https://sonoff.tech/product/smart-home-security/zbbridge/

Their new USB dongle looks like it’s worth a look though:
https://sonoff.tech/product/diy-smart-switch/sonoff-dongle-plus/

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peejayw

1841 posts

Uber Geek

#2842241 3-Jan-2022 07:46

Thanks for all the info, going to give the Conbee a try.

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

RunningMan

8961 posts

Uber Geek

#2842242 3-Jan-2022 07:47

Aqara have got several of their own hubs, including ones with doorbell chimes and a couple that are built in to cameras. https://www.aqara.com/us/products.html

fearandloathing

504 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#2842371 3-Jan-2022 09:54

peejayw: Thanks for all the info, going to give the Conbee a try.

I don’t think you will go wrong with the conbee

phrozenpenguin

842 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2843760 5-Jan-2022 14:33

I use the Aqara one that matches the sensors and it has been rock solid for a few years now, and integrated into Home Assistant.

tieke

674 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#2843822 5-Jan-2022 15:30

phrozenpenguin:

I use the Aqara one that matches the sensors and it has been rock solid for a few years now, and integrated into Home Assistant.

Yeah - I too have been running Xiaomi/Aqara gateways for years with a variety of their devices linked into HA with no problems. Not sure if you still have to set the mi home server location to "China" to access the full device range, but I heartily recommend them, especially if you are using Aqara devices. I think the v3 hub is around $60 or $70, and can integrate into HA via the Homekit integration.

I have mine running door, temperature, light and movement sensors, and have also used the related Yi lights everywhere - the stick-on Lightswitch Controller/Dimmer is great for keeping an extremely capable physical light switch if you don't want to go for the Shelley in-wall switch option.

fe31nz

1232 posts

Uber Geek

#2844048 6-Jan-2022 01:35

How old are your Aqara hubs? As far as I know, later ones come with firmware that does not allow it to work with HA anymore. I have never been able to get mine to give me the required keys. If there is actually a way to get them to work with HA, could someone please give me a pointer to it?

PANiCnz

990 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2844072 6-Jan-2022 08:38

Zigbee2MQTT with a CC2652 based adapter would be my advice. I'm using a Electrolama zig-a-zig-ah! but the SONOFF Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus looks readily available.

phrozenpenguin

842 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2844422 6-Jan-2022 16:03

fe31nz:

How old are your Aqara hubs? As far as I know, later ones come with firmware that does not allow it to work with HA anymore. I have never been able to get mine to give me the required keys. If there is actually a way to get them to work with HA, could someone please give me a pointer to it?

I've probably had mine 5 years. There is a firmware update that I haven't done (if it isn't broken don't fix it).

I think I am using this integration https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/xiaomi_aqara/ and can't recall how I got my key - but it would have been following the HA instructions at the time.

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