Zigbee finds but will not initialize Iris V1 devices on C-7

[Dustyd5]

Just setting up an old c-7 to use some new-out-of-the-package iris v1 zigbee devices I still have. I've tried a motion sensor and a presence fob. Neither has been paired before. The lights flash... they are looking to pair. The "add device" page finds the device, but spins forever in the initializing phase, then times out. The only other devices I have at the moment are my iPhone and the openweather "device".

[ogiewon]

Just want to make sure... You are choosing the special "Iris v1 Zigbee" pairing option for these devices, correct? Also, I would make sure the hub is using Zigbee channel 15, 20, or 25 as those devices might not like other channels.

[Dustyd5]

I am using the special Iris v1 pairing mode. I tried all the others too.
The zigbee radio is set to channel 20...

What is "pair while exchanging keys in clear"? how do i try that?

[danabw]

@Dustyd5

What is "pair while exchanging keys in clear"? how do i try that?

AFAIK that pairing approach doesn't apply/and won't be displayed when you're trying to join Iris V1 Zigbee devices.

The V1 pairing when I've used last (admittedly likely over a year or two more ago) "just worked."

You can give this a try:

1. Turn off hub, wait for red LED on hub
2. Unplug 30s
3. Restore power
4. Try pairing again

Unplugging the hub clears the Zigbee radio, can help w/pairing issues (Zigbee or Z-Wave).

Also, if you have other hubs using Zigbee, don't use the same Zigbee channel on the other hubs. You may want to experiment w/changing Zigbee channels, to 15 or 25, depending on whether there are other hubs in your house using those channels. My C7 is on Zigbee channel 25, but of course which channel works best is a YMMV issue, since home RF setups are all different.

Also can't hurt to make sure your V1 devices have fresh batteries.

[chrisbvt]

Good advice. I had a hub with a bad Zigbee radio, that would struggle connecting any device, but I could brute force things in. That hub got replaced by Warranty. My go to for forcing them in was to rebuild the Zigbee network and then pair, so that is worth a try.

I also have a couple of these paired to the C8, not sure if they are V1?

|Endpoint Id|01|
|Firmware MT|104E-0030-1E005310|
|Manufacturer|CentraLite|
|Model|Motion Sensor-A|
|Software Build|1E005310|

I would assume not if they are paired with the C8, but I remember they were hard to get paired to the C8 even with Zigbee working fine.

[danabw]

You can't pair V1 Zigbee devices to a C8, but you can migrate them to a C8 from another hub. That would be how you have them on the C8.

You shouldn't have to rebuild the Zigbee network, but if the steps I provided didn't help then you can also try that. I assume you mean turning off your hub for 15m to intiate Zigbee "panic" mode to force your Zigbee devices to rebuild their neighbor tables...

[chrisbvt]

I did migrate those devices, but I think I had to once totally remove one of them and re-pair to the C8, with much difficulty. Maybe Zigbee still remembered the device from the migration when I got it back in on the C8 as a new device.

[aaiyar]

@chrisbvt

I also have a couple of these paired to the C8, not sure if they are V1?

They’re not. They Iris v2 sensors, OEMed by Centralite. V1 cannot be paired with a zigbee 3.0 coordinator.

[danabw]

Nope...V1 sensors just won't pair w/a C8 or C8-Pro. Last supported hub for Iris V1 was C7.

Oops - @aaiyar and I are piling on, sorry.

[chrisbvt]

Thanks, I wasn't sure how to tell V1 vs V2. The V2s are still a struggle to get paired Hubitat C8 though.

[Dustyd5]

OK, I got fresh batteries,
Changed the zigbee channel to 25 even though i have no other hubs or zigbee devices here
Ran through the above shutdown proceedure.
Still the same result: it finds the device quickly but never initializes it.

On some thread somewhere I saw a suggestion about getting a zigbee repeater physically distant from the hub and seeing if it could pair through that. I have no zigbee repeaters... is it worth me buying some to try this? Or does it just seem like this hub has a bad radio? I did buy it used.

[danabw]

You have unfortunately exceeded my expertize with Iris V2 devices.

@chrisbvt

The V2s are still a struggle to get paired Hubitat C8 though.

As noted, this issue has a history.

@Dustyd5

Still the same result: it finds the device quickly but never initializes it.

From a couple years ago...

Iris V2 contact and motion sensors not paring

Motion sensor was removed from ST and reset. Blue light is blinking. Contact sensor has never been paired to a hub. Tried adding new device by brand and general Zigbee pairing with no luck. Tried adding them to ST and had no issues. Is there something else I need to do?

I've had Iris gear that seemed to reset but didn't really (mostly v2 motion sensors) and would join but not report motion. I had to pull the battery, wait an hour, and then do another reset.

You could try using a repeater to pair...there is a way to pair Zigbee devices via a specific repeater:

[RELEASE] Zigbee Map app

Released version 2.2.0 with the following small change: Added Add "Advanced Zigbee pairing" functionality This update has no change to the map functionality. It just adds the option to pair a joining device using a specific repeater that is already part of the Zigbee network. Usually you don't need this functionality; it is useful only when pairing IKEA battery-powered and some Aqara devices. The same functionality was available using the Zigbee Pairing Helper driver, but now the journey is…

[Dustyd5]

@danabw

You have unfortunately exceeded my expertize with Iris V2 devices.

Well, these are v1 devices, but thanks for your suggestions to date. Do you know if there is a way to make a support ticket with the powers that be? I don't see that option in the "get help" section but maybe i'm just missing it?

[ogiewon]

@Dustyd5

Do you know if there is a way to make a support ticket with the powers that be? I don't see that option in the "get help" section but maybe i'm just missing it?

Easiest way is to tag the @support_team.

These old Iris v1 devices have really become obsolete. Not sure it is really worth the effort when Zigbee standards compliant devices are readily available and are pretty low cost.

[bobbyD]

@Dustyd5

these are v1 devices,

I can check to see if our engineers still have any V1 devices so they can try to see if they still work with C7 hubs. Since it's weekend, you can expect an update on Monday. If they no longer work with recent Zigbee updates, you may not be able to use them.

[danabw]

Oops...mixed up my topics, we had another topic w/V2 device discussion. Need another nap.

[Dustyd5]

OK, I figured it out. The 2.4.3.158 firmware will not pair with Iris v1 stuff.
It let me roll back to 2.2.4.158.
Now I can pair them.
I'll see if, after pairing them, I can re-update the firmware to something newer, but til then, this is solved. Thanks everyone!

[danabw]

You will be fine (or at least I have always been) updating to newer FW on your C7 after pairing V1 devices on an older version. I've don't remember anyone posting that updating to a newer platform version messed w/existing V1 pairings.

If you have Hub Protect on the C7 (and you should!) take a cloud backup on 2.2.4.158 before you update.

[gopher.ny]

FYI, older firmware can be downloaded using an endpoint like this:

http://hubs.ip.address.here/hub/advanced/downloadPlatform/239 for latest stable 2.3.9
http://hubs.ip.address.here/hub/advanced/downloadPlatform/240 for latest stable 2.4.0
etc.

There is no feedback or any progress indication until download completes (or fails). There is a simple success/failure error message in the end. If download is successful, the version becomes available to switch to in the diagnostics tool.

[Dustyd5]

Great tip... thank you.
Pairs well with Release Notes - Hubitat