I enjoy playing with newly acquirable devices and was trying to figure out if that should drive my choice of Zigbee channel. I know there is also the issue of WiFi interferance, but that is a secondary concern for me.
I expect that channel limitation is and will continue to be less of a concern, but I currently have 2 types of devices that only operate on certain channels:
Is there anyplace that has a list of devices that limited to certain channels so that I could select a channel that is compatible with the largest number of devices?
Based on my research to date, I think the answer really boils down to this (but I would love to fill in any blind spot):
No general source is available
Multiple options available to learn about a products limitations, but adds a step to research when contemplating buying
So little cross product survey work done that most people who worry about the channel only really worry about potential WIFI interference.
Just one more thing to do in addition to figuring out support (official or community driver)
Given my current lineup of devices, I should go with 15, 20, or 25.
I gathered as much, but I would love to be able to know if channel 20 is compatible with 98.75% of available devices while channel 25 is only compatible with 98% of available devices.
It seems that many of us, as noted, end up on Zigbee channel 20 or 25, with some variations, and try to keep our 2.4GHz Wi-Fi down at the other end of the channels, on 1 or 6. Separation of Zigbee and Wi-Fi is good.
Really depends on your overall 2.4GHz Wi-Fi environment as well as your devices. If you have nearby neighbors blasting their 2.4GHz Wi-Fi at full power/40MHz on Wi-Fi channel 11 and you can't get them to adjust anything, you may be happiest w/Zigbee on 15.
Wifi interference is not a concern in my situation. I am just trying to figure out, what channel is least likely to mean I can't use a device that looks good.
For instance, I have a network that I set up somewhat randomly on channel 11. I was pleased to see that the Hue button worked with that. I was looking to move my Konke sensors to it, only to learn my options were don't take advantage of my channel 11 mesh or move everything over to 15,20 or 25 with the downtime and potential repairing that would involve.
My anecdotal evidence agrees with that and I suspect as Zigbee is maturing far fewer new devices will have any limitation, but getting bitten once, I was hoping there was some way to know that for sure.
This would be most valuable to me since I currently have 4 separate meshes running and want the main one to be on the most compatible channel. Unfortunately it is currently on 11 with experimental on 20 and 25. So I would hate to jump through the hoops of rearranging all of this only to later learn 18 was better than either 20 or 25. Of course, I would jump through the hoops again if that was true and there was a device that really met a need without any channel compatible alternate option.
That's good for you...pretty much same here, neighbors aren't too close and they generally play nicely w/Wi-Fi settings. Since others w/different situations will see these posts like to provide the entire picture.
I've never seen a Device/Zigbee channel matrix or listing, but @Tony and @kkossev have a lot of Zigbee experience and might want to chime in. My experience has been 20 and 25 seem to work w/my devices.
I think maybe your over thinking this a bit.
most people and my self included have better luck to make sure your wifi is chan ( 1 )
and use 20 or 25 for zigbee .. like dan said this shows whats what with this picture ..
I've seen too many incidents on channel 20. If channel 20 is used and there are no issues, then I wouldn't make the effort to change it, but when selecting a channel to build a new Zigbee mesh, or if a user has recurring Zigbee issues, then I would consider moving the channel up, and avoid using Wi-Fi channel 11. Also, sideband interference can cause issues with channel 20. The reality is that if channel 20 is used, then it can be affected by both Wi-Fi channel 6 and 11.
I seem to always think of this as @ogiewon 's image... I know he didn't come up with it, but he posted the first version I noticed here... I think for any channel issues... he's your man.... if not Bobby....
All the feedback seems to be most concerned with WIFI interference, barring additional input from someone who check the forum less frequently, it seems I should assume my 2 examples of restricted devices are enough to say pick on of the channels compatible with both of them and expect that I am unlikely to find a device I care about in the future that is not compatible with the chosen option.
By process of elimination, some devices work better on higher channels, so 15 is out. Based on frequent incidents, channel 20 poses some issues, so that's out. And the winner is: channel 25. Lol
In my 10 years of using Zigbee Home Automation devices, I have found channels 15, 20, and 25 to be the best. However, some very early SmartThings sensors were not compatible with high number channels including channel 25.
Thus, I have settled on channel 20 as being the most compatible and non-WiFi interfering channel. YMMV, of course.
I maintained zigbee meshes on channel 20 and 25. Both of them were stable. In my mind, there are three factors that determine mesh stability:
Lack of WiFi interference - so choose a zigbee channel that is far away from the 2.4 GHz channels used in your house and by your immediate neighbors.
The quality of devices. Devices that restrict channel choice to 15, 20, and 25 are not a great idea. And I'm saying this despite the fact that I had Konke sensors that were stable on channel 25.
The number and quality of repeaters. Some repeaters will not work with zigbee 3.0 devices. Others will.
I've had Hubitat on channel 23 (with C-8 Pro currently on power 16) and Hue on 25, for many years. I stayed away from using the Wi-Fi channel 11 for the longest time, but a year or so ago I added a new access point that is on channel 11 and haven't had any issues with either Hubitat or Hue.
A bit late to this thread, but FWIW the Zigbee HA 1.2 profile specs include a 'preferred channel mask' which designates Channels 11, 14, 15, 19, 20, 24, and 25 as the channels which get scanned during initial device reset/joins.
That's not to say that all HA 1.2 radios implement the mask feature, but a newly reset device that does won't discover a hub running on a non-preferred channel. However even if a device uses the preferred mask, it can still tune all Zigbee channels (even following the hub's change to a non-preferred channel if it was already joined on one in the preferred set).
I 've been running my C-3 on Ch 18 since I first set it up (at that time I never knew about the 'preferred channel mask') and only tripped over this issue in 2 of the 80-odd devices it runs. One of those was old GE-branded Zigbee dimmer I'd used with no issues on my ST hub (it ran on Ch. 20) which wouldn't join to the C-3; it joined fine when I changed the C-3 to 20). Found I could run the GE device on 18 by changing the C-3 to Ch 20, doing the join, then quickly switching the C-3 back to 18.
Probably best to pick one from the preferred set unless you have a reason not to (I assume those channels were chosen to be least likely to overlap with WiFi networks). That will certainly eliminate the preferred channel mask as a potential issue.
The only zigbee devices i’ve ever seen that did not support channel 25 are some very old smartthings gen 1 zigbee devices. While its zigbee and a lot of things are optional… i think you’ll be hard pressed to find devices that don't support this channel and for the 2% of devices that dont… the internet never forgets.
I think this is good info for anyone in the future looking to choose a channel. I think it really boils down to the idea that this is primarily a historic channel for what devices support which channels. Mostly this is irrelevant and the focus on worrying about WiFi interference is more relevant.
Even the WiFi interference issue is likely not a major issue for a robust mesh with enough repeaters and routers.
All in all, sounds like other than specific circumstances, 25 and 20 are probably very good choices for my situation and most other folks, but as always your mileage may vary.
