Smart plug pairing issue

[dstill]

Hi, I have a smart plug, not sure what make it is other than it has WA1 on the label. It's worked flawlessly for over a year until now. I can't seem to get it into pairing mode which I understand is done by holding in the button until it flashes red and blue.

 

[ericmark]

I have Energenie, zigbee, and direct connected devices, all seem to use same protocol of getting it to flash then it is found by router, hub, or phone, but you need to select connect one, both zigbee and direct use Smart Life app on phone, but use a different route to pairing with the app.

 

[dstill]

Thank you, appreciate the help.

 

[foxhole]

Mine require powering off for ten secs, then on and then holding button in until flashing rapidly to pair.

 

[old duffer]

I have Energenie, zigbee, and direct connected devices, all seem to use same protocol of getting it to flash then it is found by router, hub, or phone, but you need to select connect one, both zigbee and direct use Smart Life app on phone, but use a different route to pairing with the app.

Both use different frequencies as well. 2.4Ghz is a very crowded space whereas the 433Mhz has far greater range and stability once connected. Zigbee stack protocol accepts anything then rejects where the 433 listens for data packets specifically. Back in 2001 when I was designing the first devices in zigbee we had battery life of around 2 hours but IC manufactures were telling us to expect 2 years. Happy days

 

[ericmark]

whereas the 433Mhz has far greater range and stability once connected.

Is not that frequency used for licence free hand held walkie talkies?

 

[bernardgreen]

whereas the 433Mhz has far greater range and stability once connected

433 MHz is a carrier frequency and not a protocol ( Zigbee is a protocol ).

Max ERP ( Effective Radiated Power ) on 433 MHz can be higher than the ERP on the Giga Hertz channels and hence the longer range.
Maximum Data rates ( bits per second ) are lower on 433 MHz than on Giga Hertz channels.

Long range can be a disadvantage as signals can reach and affect equipment that it should not be affecting.

Is not that frequency used for licence free hand held walkie talkies?

Are you thinking of PMR 446 ?

 

[old duffer]

reading and quoting wikis does not always give the picture. How does data communicate with another device unless through a communication protocol? How can they talk? All comms have the same, a carrier medium and a protocol for understanding the request/command process. Zigbee has various protocols and operates over various frequencies and can operate on 433-966Mhz.
Comparing data rates for home automation with is like having a Bugatti veyron driving through central London and saying it has better performance than a scooter.
Long range a disadvantage because it can talk to other devices? I thought that was the point here LOL

 

[bernardgreen]

reading and quoting wikis does not always give the picture.

Most of my knowledge about radio comms is from 12 years working in the design of communication systems using radio comms. I sometimes quote ( cut and paste ) from sources as it saves a lot of typing,

Long range a disadvantage because it can talk to other devices? I thought that was the point here LOL

An alarm bell box started sounding for no apparent reason. It's tamper detect was reacting to signals from the control/telemetry of a drone more than a mile away.

 

[old duffer]

maybe we know each other! I've 2 patents and 3 awards for my embedded communications designs over the last 22 years. The award I'm most proud of is when I combined 2.4GHz/433Mhz and PLC as a carrier network to interface with Bluetooth and RFID/NFC devices...in a single board. How could you detect the signal source that was a mile away? Do you work for GCHQ lol

 

[ericmark]

Are you thinking of PMR 446 ?

Yes sorry, but not a big user of 70 cm, I know an area of London not permitted, but other than that the power I am permitted to use would swamp any mW device. And a call "Is this frequency in use" at 400 watt is unlikely to help even if the unit could say yes when using mW.

In the main I use 2 meter, not 70 cm, but any device using 430 - 440 Mhz can clearly be swamped by any ham.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Pairing mode on mine is a blue rapid flash, there is also a slow flash - but I have not worked out what that means..

 

[bernardgreen]

Do you work for GCHQ lol

No, but did some communications projects for the Home Office back in the 1980s. Locating sources of interference was sometimes part of the job.