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Why the far end of the house keeps dropping
A Zigbee mesh is only as good as the mains-powered devices holding it up. Battery sensors do not repeat anything — they just hang off whatever they can reach.
Which devices actually repeat
| Device | Repeats? |
|---|---|
| Smart plug | Yes — the best value repeater there is |
| Mains bulb | Yes, but some are poor at it |
| In-wall relay | Yes, and it never moves |
| Door / motion / temperature sensor | No — asleep almost always |
| Battery valve or lock | No |
A bulb you switch off at the wall is worse than no repeater at all. Devices that had chosen it as their route go quiet until they give up and find another one — which can take hours.
Questions people ask
Why don't battery sensors help the mesh?
Because they are asleep almost all the time. Only mains-powered devices — plugs, bulbs, relays — stay awake to pass messages along.
Do all mains devices repeat?
Most do, but not all, and some are notoriously bad at it. Certain cheap bulbs are famous for dropping messages and making the mesh worse rather than better.
Where should a repeater go?
Halfway to the problem, not next to it. A repeater beside a device that already works adds nothing.