you might have to go through each channel one at a time to find the best signal.
most people have found channel 20 to be the best and 25-26 to be the worst.
thanks for the info i was on 20 it's great sometimes but not at 3am for some reason going to try 26 to get away from all the AP's
and some device may not like to pair when using 25-26
maybe channel 21 was not to bad either
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ok going to give 21 a try because 26 is acting weird with the pro
I use 15, 17, 18... But wifi congestion isn't bad in my area and my home is on 1 and 11 for 2.4ghz.
Wifi Congestion is horrible around me just switch to 21 the devices that have switched over are back down in the-40db range. Hopefully whatever goes on at 3am around here will leave me alone now.
There's a nightly 3am hub automatic database backup so that could be the problem. Stop playing around with your HE at that time and get some sleep! 
Lol for sure...Good to know thanks for that info. What I did notice is that when I have the hue bridge app installed the Hub runs really slow everything is delayed & Zigbee signal shoots up from -45db to around -80db. Remove the Hue App and unplug the hue bridge everything goes back to normal. Hue bridge is on channel 25 hubitat zigbee is on ch 21. So weird because I only use hue with outdoor lights not bulbs and those don't get delayed but all the lutron and zwave slow down.
That makes no obvious sense unless the hue bridge was on the same zigbee channel as HE...
yep I know... But I'm not going to mess with it anymore if not using the hue bridge fixes my problem then bye bye hue bridge I don't really need it anyways
I just updated my Xbee3 to the new firmware 1008
@Ryan780 I think I was able to duplicate a similar issue you were having with the Xbee3 set as a arrival/presence sensor dropping off.
It appears that updating the firmware corrupts the micro python code that is loaded.
Mine would cycle going present but then go departed after a few minutes and back present again.
So for anyone updating their firmware after it is complete just reload the micro python code.
Then push the apapter boards reset button or power off and back on the Xbee3.
I didn't notice any micro python code being corrupted if just writing new config settings but still something to be aware of.
Sent a bug report the XTCU developers.
I also see that setting CR can now be set to 0 (disabled) not that it seemed to make a difference but if ID (extended pan id) is set might as well turn CR off.
That wasn't the problem I was having. Mine would drop off the Zigbee network until I rejoined the device. I never did get it working. Both Xbee's are sitting in a box.
Ok here is a simple overview to setting up Xbee3
I will update the original post with it.
I found Zigbee channel 20 to work the best for all Zigbee devices
9 easy steps (you only have to make 2 manual edits ID and JV):
1. Purchase:
-
xbee3 pro XB3-24Z8ST (antenna required)
or
XB3-24Z8PT (no antenna required) - XBEE THT GROVE DEV BOARD
- use an old router wifi antenna or buy one like these wifi antennas
(smaller ones work fine as well)
2. download and install
- XTCU software
-
Xbee3 router settings
created using firmware version 1008
(most people will want this one it can also be used as an arrival sensor if used carefully you do not want to route any other devices through an arrival sensor)
or
End point settings (will not route other devices only used for arrival sensor mode)
created using firmware version 1008 - micro python code (both named Main.py so save them to separate folders)
60 second reporting (default I use this for router settings)
or
10 second reporting (I use this for arrival sensor)
(mainly used for end device arrival sensor you might not want it reporting this often) - Xbee3 DH download it and save it to the Hubitat "drivers code" as a "new driver"
3. Hubitat settings
Go to your Hubitat settings page and select "Zigbee Details" on that page you should see " Extended Pan ID: XXXXXXXXXXXXX" X being your Pan ID number copy it.
4. Attach your Xbee3 pro and DEV board to your computer and start XTCU s/w
- select the top left corner + (add radio module) select your com port and set the baud rate to 115200 and uncheck "the radio module is programmable" (you would think it should be checked but it is not).
- Select the new radio module in the left column and select "Update" (firmware)
- product family should be XB3-24
- function set should be Diji Xbee3 Zigbee 3.0 TH
- firmware version select the one that says (Newest)
- now select update and update the Xbee3 firmware
- Select "Default" and "yes" then select "write"
(to ensure all settings not used are set to default) - Select "Profile" and "Apply configuration profile"
selecting the "Xbee3 router settings profile_1008.xpro" file
or
the "Xbee3 End Device settings profile_1008.xpro" - In XTCU you can find these settings easily by typing them in the magnifying glass at the top right (example type in Ky or ID)
- paste your Hubitat Pan ID number in the XTCU ID settings
- ensure KY is set to 5a6967426565416c6c69616e63653039
- ensure JV is set to 1
- (if adding more than 1 Xbee you must change each Xbee NI value to a different name for the identifier)
- now select "Write"
5. Load the micro python code
(firmware updates may corrupt the micro python code you may have to do this step again if you update the firmware in the future)
In XTCU at the top of the page now select
- "Tools"
- "File system manager"
- "open" (you will have to format it the first time)
- In the left column you will have to find where you downloaded either the 60 second or 10 second "Main.py" file
- drag that "Main.py" file to the right column (not into one of the folders)
- Select "Closed"
- Push the reset button on the Dev Board or power off then back on the Xbee3
6. Pair the Xbee3 to Hubitat
- place Hubitat in Zigbee pairing mode
- reset or power cycle the Xbee3
- It should appear as a device save it with a name
7. Change DH type
- In Hubitat go to the new device you just saved and change the DH type to "XBee Presence"
- select save device
- select configure
- select save preferences
8. Hubitat logs
Check the log to make sure there are no errors for this device and it is reporting a battery mV every 60 or 10 seconds depending on which micro python code you loaded.
If you see errors in the logs remove the device from Hubitat and redo this from step 2.
9. Go back to XTCU
- change JV to 0 and select write
(to disable after pairing to the hub to keep the Xbee on the same channel after power cycling)
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When using this new code, I get the following error every 10 seconds:
I also had to save preferences for the device and it seems to have gone away. So, there is something in the Update method that isn't called in the Initialize or Configure methods that needs to be done on changing the driver.
First indications with this new profile are good. I pulled power from the board for a couple minutes and did NOT have to rejoin it to the hub when I applied power again and it worked as soon as I powered it up. I'm going to do some further testing but we might have a winner here. 
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Thanks for testing it
Added select configure and save preferences to the steps.
So, I did some more thorough testing today. After being powered down overnight, I powered up the board today and it connected, without a problem!!! So, it looks like whatever gremlins were plaguing me in the past are now resolved. Thank you!!! This is really appreciated. And it couldn't have come at a better time too. The Hubitat app, which for me has been rock solid as far as presence goes, completely stopped working at all in the last couple days. So, I needed this solution more than ever. Thank you!!!
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glad it is working!
I suspect corrupted micro python code or maybe even corrupt firmware was the cause.
XTCU developers got back to me and had me send them a copy of the micro python code.
They are looking into it.
I have 2 plugged into my cars USB ports that only power on when the cars are running and no issues with them constantly power cycling.
Then the other 2 as routers one to my computer and the other to my garage roof.
So, almost a week now using my xbee presence and I set up the other one as a repeater and mounted it outside the garage door. So I get the max range out of both of them. So far it's been working like a dream! Thank you so much for finally figuring this out. I had completely given up.
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I am sharing this small video on using Digi XBee S2C (firmware ZIGBEE TH REG v4060) + SparkFun Xbee Explorer USB Dongle + Digi XCTU to map/extend the Zigbee network + Hubitat integration. It's Spanish but it should pretty easy to follow. This configuration works great in my network (I have more than 20 Xiaomi Aqara zigbee devices) and the pairing-loss issues have significantly improved after I installed XBee as a permanent router in my network.
3 Likes
Hey Ryan, Great to hear. Last I saw you had given up.
Without my xbee's I don't know if I'd still be on hubitat, as the signal is not as strong as ST was, but with the Xbees it's like "super zigbee"
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