Zigbee Interface/non-Cloud Hub Available for $10

Works with Homeseer mcsMQTT and Home Assistant.
 

 
Read about it here ==>
 
Zigbee2MQTT
 
MCS Michael is offering the USB stick with a custom 3D cover for:
 
USA total cost is $10. International total cost is $20.  Purchase via email mcsSolutions at CenturyTel dot net.
 
Testing it this morning on a RPi2 with Stretch with a couple of Securifi Zigbee devices.

 

Stretch175:/opt/zigbee2mqtt# npm start

> [email protected] start /opt/zigbee2mqtt
> node index.js

        Zigbee2mqtt requires node version >=8.11 10, you are running v8.14.0!

  zigbee2mqtt:info 2018-12-5 09:30:38 Logging to directory: '/opt/zigbee2mqtt/data/log/2018-12-05.09-30-37'
  zigbee2mqtt:info 2018-12-5 09:30:39 Starting zigbee2mqtt version 0.2.0 (commit #5b38ad6)
  zigbee2mqtt:info 2018-12-5 09:30:39 Starting zigbee-shepherd
  zigbee2mqtt:info 2018-12-5 09:30:41 zigbee-shepherd started
  zigbee2mqtt:info 2018-12-5 09:30:41 Coordinator firmware version: '20180815'
  zigbee2mqtt:info 2018-12-5 09:30:41 Currently 0 devices are joined:
  zigbee2mqtt:warn 2018-12-5 09:30:41 `permit_join` set to  `true` in configuration.yaml.
  zigbee2mqtt:warn 2018-12-5 09:30:41 Allowing new devices to join.
  zigbee2mqtt:warn 2018-12-5 09:30:41 Set `permit_join` to `false` once you joined all devices.
  zigbee2mqtt:info 2018-12-5 09:30:41 Zigbee: allowing new devices to join.
  zigbee2mqtt:info 2018-12-5 09:30:41 Connecting to MQTT server at mqtt://localhost
  zigbee2mqtt:info 2018-12-5 09:30:42 zigbee-shepherd ready
  zigbee2mqtt:info 2018-12-5 09:30:42 Connected to MQTT server
  zigbee2mqtt:info 2018-12-5 09:30:42 MQTT publish, topic: 'zigbee2mqtt/bridge/state', payload: 'online'
 

How much of the github 'getting started' additional hardware did you need?  Or just this dongle?

https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee2mqtt/wiki/Getting-started

How much of the github 'getting started' additional hardware did you need? 
 
None.  Michael (MCS) is programming the Zigbee stick and installing it in a custom 3d cover.
 
Here it was plug n play using a RPi2 with Stretch on it and already running a Mosquitto broker.
 
Running the bridge

1 - sudo curl -sL hxxps://deb.nodesource.com/setup_8.x | sudo -E bash -
2 - sudo apt-get install -y nodejs git make g++ gcc
3 - sudo git clone hxxps://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee2mqtt.git /opt/zigbee2mqtt
4 - sudo chown -R pi : pi /opt/zigbee2mqtt
5 - cd /opt/zigbee2mqtt
6 - npm install
7 - use default configuration file (no changes required)
8 - npm start

For Docker run:
 
1 - mkdir -p /opt/zigbee2mqtt/data
2 - docker run -d --name="zigbee2mqtt" -v /opt/zigbee2mqtt/data:/data -v /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro --net=host --restart unless-stopped --device=/dev/ttyACM0 koenkk/zigbee2mqtt
 

 

Pete,
 
Thanks for the tip!
 
That simplifies life by eliminating the need for acquiring a CC Debugger and TTL-USB converter to install the firmware.
 
How's the range for the CC2531? I've been following the zigbee2mqtt project for many months and the upshot is that the device has a very limited range (in the average home). I've read as low as < 20 feet. Fine for tinkering, and for those who live in a one-bedroom apartment, but impractical for the average 2-storey suburban home. The recommendation is to have a nearby, hard-wired zigbee device acting as a repeater to immediately extend the range to something more useful. If I recall correctly, a repeater also expands the maximum number of accessible ZigBee devices (the CC2531 with the Zignee2MQTT firmware can only support 15 devices directly).   Your thoughts?

I have the Zigbee stick mounted on a computer in the computer wire rack in the basement and two securifi devices (lamp and appliance)on the main floor ~ 30 feet from the stick.  I tested pairing them next to the Zigbee stick and on the main floor and pairing worked.
 
Working except that it sees the modules but cannot identify them.  I have read that most if not all of the 120 VAC switches act as routers or extenders which brings the number of devices to 15 per router and up to 50 devices. 
 
The Leviton ZIM / Smartthings hub and Almond plus does work fine with same two devices here.
 
Next testing wireless Securifi devices.  You can also utilize more CC2531's as routers / repeaters.
 
Not much in to wireless automation here except for tinkering.   So far though relating to ZWave, Zigbee and WiFi liking WiFi and Mosquitto the best to date. 

Where I am headed here is a POE powered MQTT wireless hub of sorts that talks ZWave, Zigbee, Wireless and then some.
 
Initially was going to purchase a Zigbee GPIO card for the RPi but that will not work with the current ZWave GPIO card.
 
Going to post about getting the Securifi Zigbee devices to work with zigbee2mqtt.
 
One of the Securifi devices was never sold and provided to developers.  The other one is on sale today for $10 on Amazon.

The "getting started" page looks awfully familiar.  I used similar hardware to build and debug a zwave sniffer (CC1110) about two+ years ago and later to play with CC2531.
 
You need the hardware (the debugger and cables only if you want to flush the stick firmware yourself for whatever reason. 
 
My experiments were not a success story for two main reasons. 
 
The stick can house only one Zigbee profile (ZHA 1.2) which means that many but not all end devices are supported (e.g. those that use the ZLL or some custom profile). More importantly, I experienced poor range in my house, less than  20' across a single wall that zwave did not have any trouble penetrating. That is not surprising because zwave frequency is 908.4MHz as opposed to zigbee 2.4GHz, so the latter penetrates obstacles much more attenuated than the former.  I had exactly the same range issues with BLE sensors I played with at some point. Presumably, when one builds out a mesh the zigbee RF picture may improve.  Perhaps, Pete is curious enough to try a mesh.  Since zigbee sniffer can be flushed to the same cheap 2531 stick, one can approach the project scientifically and measure signal strength at various points on the premises and then decide whether or not this approach is viable.

Originally here was going to purchase the tools necessary to upgrade the firmware on the stick.  It was easier to just purchase the stick with upgraded firmware from Michael (MCS).
 
Been only sniffing the Zigbee devices I have which are all Securifi and while seen / paired to the USB stick do not work yet.  Note I am using the Zigbee stuff on the main floor of the home and the Zigbee stick in in the basement work room at this time which is greater than 20 feet away.  The two appliance devices though are tagged as routers and I did pair them from the main floor of the house.
 
Will move the Zigbee PIR to the second floor of the house and see how it routes through the appliance module on the main floor of the house.
 
Note the new updated with firmware WiFi devices are working well for me (from all over the house using one test OpenWRT micro WAP).  Different frequency and methodology.
 
Still learning.  I have only used the Almond +, Leviton Zigbee ZIM and Smartthings hub.  Noticed too that there are a number of wireless Zigbee trinkets being sold now for less than $10 these days.  My primary environmental sensors here are all wired to the Leviton OmniPro 2 panel.  Historically never have used wireless sensors until I tested the WiFi temperature / Humidity stuff. 

pete_c said:

Note the new updated with firmware WiFi devices are working well for me (from all over the house using one test OpenWRT micro WAP).  Different frequency and methodology.

Click to expand...

Actually, the frequency band is the same: 2.4GHz, and there are a number of publications discussing interference between zigbee and 2.4GHz wifi(and BLE).  Also, the  Tx power for both zigbee and zwave devices is pretty low, typically 0dbm(1mW), but the latter has better propagation.
 
WiFi signal is pretty strong in comparison, about 32mW for a typical laptop with a max regulatory of 100mW for routers, i.e. at least 32 times higher than a typical zigbee end unit Tx power. That's why you see WiFi having a better range than zigbee, no magic here.
 
The CC2531 stick Tx power can be boosted in the firmware to 4dBm (2.5mW), but that woul be hardly useful if your devices operate at 0 dBm.

Left the Smartthings hub on in the TV room.  Wondering if it acts as a router even though there are no Zigbee devices paired with it.
 
Understood about the comparison to WiFi versus Zigbee. 
 
Relating to WiFi devices like the built in diagnostic page that I see on the custom firmware.
 
Currently just sniffing (using mqtt to Zigbee in debug mode) the Zigbee network and trying to see if I can configure profiles for the devices I am using.