Aqara T1 LED Strip keeps dropping from Zigbee — only power cycle helps (2 identical units, bought together)

Aqara Products
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1

Hi all,
I’m hoping for some advice on a stubborn Zigbee issue with two Aqara T1 LED strips I bought at the same time.

Setup

  • Base system: Home Assistant Yellow
  • Integration: ZHA
  • Coordinator: Built-in Yellow Zigbee radio (on USB extension)
  • Zigbee channel: 20 — note: changing the channel fixed it for my second strip
  • Other devices: Several mains-powered Zigbee routers present (plugs/lights/switches)
  • Firmware: Latest firmware available for Home Assistant (unable to check T1s)

The issue

One of the two Aqara T1 strips regularly drops off the Zigbee network. It becomes unavailable and only a manual power cycle (unplug/replug) makes it rejoin. This keeps happening even after a reset/re-pair. The strip is physically right next to the Zigbee coordinator, and I do have other routers in the mesh.

What’s strange: Changing the Zigbee channel solved the problem for the other T1 strip, but this one still keeps dropping.

What I’ve tried

  • Factory reset + re-pair (multiple times)
  • Leaving the device powered and letting it “find its way back” (it doesn’t)
  • Moving it between different outlets
  • Verified other Zigbee devices are stable
  • Channel change (helped the other T1, not this one)

Observations

  • The failing strip is very close to the coordinator (could near-field RF or desense be an issue?).
  • When it’s online, it works fine; after some time (hours/days), it silently falls off and won’t rejoin by itself.
  • Power-cycling the strip brings it back immediately.

Questions for the community

  1. Known quirk with Aqara T1 strips on ZHA?
  2. Too close to coordinator? Has anyone seen drops when a device is too near the coordinator? Would moving it 1–2 meters away help?
  3. Firmware: As I’m not having an Aqara hub I don’t know if there is a new firmware — anyone seen improved stability after an update?
  4. OTA support: Does anyone know if OTA updates for Aqara products will be officially supported in ZHA?
  5. Channel choice: I’m on channel 20 (EU). Any recommendations for channels that play nicest with Aqara devices?

If anyone has this exact strip working reliably, I’d love to know your coordinator model/firmware, Zigbee channel, and whether it’s stable for you on ZHA with the latest firmware. And if you’ve seen one unit be flaky while an identical twin on the same network is rock solid, what ultimately fixed it?

Thanks in advance!

2

@Sylar Hi there! It sounds like you’re dealing with a rather frustrating issue with your Aqara T1 LED strips. While I don’t have a specific fix for the exact problem you’re experiencing, I can offer some insights and suggestions based on the general information available about the Aqara T1 LED Strip and Zigbee networks.

  1. Known Quirk with Aqara T1 Strips on ZHA: It’s not uncommon for Zigbee devices to have connectivity issues, especially when integrated with various systems like ZHA. The Aqara T1 LED Strip is designed to work with the Aqara Hub, and while it can integrate with other systems, sometimes compatibility nuances arise.

  2. Distance from Coordinator: Being too close to the coordinator can indeed cause issues. Zigbee operates on a mesh network principle, so placing the strip slightly farther away—say 1-2 meters—might help improve the connection stability.

  3. Firmware Updates: Unfortunately, without the Aqara Hub, it might be challenging to verify or update the firmware of the T1 LED strips. If someone in the community has successfully updated their firmware and noticed stability improvements, it would be great to hear from them.

  4. OTA Support with ZHA: Official OTA support for Aqara products in ZHA is something that could evolve. Checking the latest updates or community forums for ZHA could provide more current insights.

  5. Channel Choice: While channel 20 should generally work fine, different environments might have varying levels of interference. Channels 11, 15, and 25 are often recommended for having fewer overlaps with Wi-Fi networks, which might be worth trying.

It’s fantastic that you’ve already tried many troubleshooting steps, and your observations are quite detailed. Hopefully, someone in the community can share their experiences and solutions. Keep experimenting and sharing your findings; it helps everyone in the long run!