I trashed my mesh-for you >>>Zigbee Neighbor Table Entry comparison

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1

So In using my SAA2 spectrum analyzer to compare Zigbee antennas, I thought to myself, what would happen if I removed the antenna totally and looked at Neighbor Table Entry:
NB-This C7 hub has had the external antenna mod performed on it, which enables me to swap antennas. This example serves to bolster, what people are reporting, much better performance with an external antenna.

No antenna looks like this..

NO ANTENNA-Neighbor Table Entry

Neighbor Table Entry
[Light 3D printer, 045E], LQI:250, age:2, inCost:3, outCost:5
[Syl Hat Library 1, 0B1E], LQI:62, age:3, inCost:7, outCost:0
[Repeater Tuya Loft, 0C6A], LQI:238, age:7, inCost:5, outCost:0
[Light By Furnace, 12EF], LQI:75, age:4, inCost:7, outCost:0
[Repeater Tradfri Front Door, 2149], LQI:254, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:0
[Syl Hat Library 2, 3D1C], LQI:237, age:3, inCost:5, outCost:0
[Repeater Tuya Basement By Furnace, 4326], LQI:254, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:5
[Strip Zig 3.0, 4EBB], LQI:225, age:3, inCost:5, outCost:5
[Syl Hat Fam 1, 592D], LQI:132, age:4, inCost:7, outCost:0
[Plug Iris Addition, AF8E], LQI:152, age:7, inCost:7, outCost:0
[Plug Closet Kitchen Iris, B3FD], LQI:254, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:5
[Plug Iris Basement Stairs, B6B0], LQI:246, age:3, inCost:5, outCost:0
[Syl Hat Loft 4, B985], LQI:247, age:4, inCost:3, outCost:0
[_nightlight_1DA5_909, BF58], LQI:184, age:5, inCost:7, outCost:0
[Plug Samsung Porch Left, F685], LQI:255, age:7, inCost:1, outCost:0
[XBEE3_UFL_ADTN, FA35], LQI:255, age:7, inCost:1, outCost:0

Then I attached the antenna, which had the lowest SWR(lower=better match) as reported by my SAA2 network analyzer at the frequency of my zigbee channel #25(2475GHz)

Results with 2.4GHz antenna (SWR=1.03 at 2475GHz)

Neighbor Table Entry
[Light 3D printer, 045E], LQI:255, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Syl Hat Library 1, 0B1E], LQI:254, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Repeater Tuya Loft, 0C6A], LQI:255, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Repeater Tradfri Front Door, 2149], LQI:254, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:0
[Syl Hat Library 2, 3D1C], LQI:255, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Repeater Tuya Basement By Furnace, 4326], LQI:255, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Strip Zig 3.0, 4EBB], LQI:255, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Syl Hat Hall 1, 4FDF], LQI:254, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[_bulb syl 75564, 79F5], LQI:254, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Syl Hat Fam 4, 8570], LQI:255, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Plug Iris Addition, AF8E], LQI:254, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Plug Closet Kitchen Iris, B3FD], LQI:254, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Plug Iris Basement Stairs, B6B0], LQI:255, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Syl Hat Loft 1, BE71], LQI:254, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[_nightlight_1DA5_909, BF58], LQI:255, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Plug Samsung Porch Left, F685], LQI:255, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1

My network is still recovering, and many factors go into radio transmission quality, but hopefully you can see what a difference the right antenna makes in your neighbor table entries.

Update- Network continues to improve after putting back the antenna

Summary

Neighbor Table Entry
[Light 3D printer, 045E], LQI:255, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Syl Hat Library 1, 0B1E], LQI:254, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Enerwave Zigbee Plug, 0BA4], LQI:254, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Repeater Tuya Loft, 0C6A], LQI:250, age:4, inCost:3, outCost:1
[Repeater Tradfri Front Door, 2149], LQI:255, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Repeater Tuya Basement By Furnace, 4326], LQI:255, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Strip Zig 3.0, 4EBB], LQI:255, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Syl Hat Hall 1, 4FDF], LQI:254, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Syl Hat Hall 2, 5F11], LQI:255, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[_bulb syl 75564, 79F5], LQI:254, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Repeater Tuya Porch, 83D6], LQI:254, age:3, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Syl Hat Fam 4, 8570], LQI:254, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Plug Iris Addition, AF8E], LQI:254, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Plug Closet Kitchen Iris, B3FD], LQI:255, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Syl Hat Loft 1, BE71], LQI:254, age:5, inCost:1, outCost:1
[Lampost Front, FF13], LQI:254, age:4, inCost:1, outCost:1

10 Likes
2

Would be interesting to see a comparison between a C7 original antenna and the external mod antenna Or did you mean No ANTENNA = C7 original antenna?

1 Like
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Yes it would, but I can't test the stock antenna, because it got removed with the antenna mod. No antenna means, I totally removed the external antenna, and left the hub "antenna-less". Not realistic I know, but only to illustrate a point.

4

I would think this is the only comparison that matters?

My car’s manufacturer says to keep the tires inflated to 38 psi because it improves gas mileage.

So first I monitored the gas mileage at the recommended tire psi. Then I took the tires off, and the gas mileage was really terrible.

Lesson learned.

6 Likes
5

As a retired auto mechanic I found that hilarious! :joy:

2 Likes
6

Funny, but the hub still runs with no antenna, a car without wheels, well you get it.
Maybe setting tires to a point where the car moves, at all, would be more accurate

7

Fair enough, but I think you see my point?

We’ve known that an antenna matters for the transmission and reception of radio waves for over a hundred years thanks to people like Hertz and Marconi.

But you have only demonstrated that any antenna is better than no antenna.

You can’t make this conclusion,

from the experiment you just conducted.

I’m not doubting the reports by people who found that their hub’s mesh performance improved with an external antenna. But no one, as far as I know, started with an antenna-less hub.

4 Likes
8

Okay, fair enough. I've seen lots of people ask about the neighbor table, and now we have an example of what a really crappy one looks like.
For a minute there I was going to put back the original antennas and look at the table, but too much else going on

2 Likes
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