Communication lost with Zigbee

RE: Communication lost with Zigbee

Marjeris Romero — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 15:08:07 GMT

Hi Maurizio,
For enabling ZBOSS logging there are only a few changes you need to do in sdk_config.h:

Set ZIGBEE_TRACE_LEVEL to 4 (debug)
Set ZIGBEE_TRACE_MASK to the value which track all subsystems (TRACE_SUBSYSTEM_ZCL| TRACE_SUBSYSTEM_ZDO|TRACE_SUBSYSTEM_NWK) which will be 0x0058.

The log output would look quite cryptic, but can be decoded by our Zigbee developers.

If the network is in another location, the best thing would be if you can try to recreate the issue with a minimal setup at your end using a DK and collect the log output from the DK.

[quote user="mau"]Instrument the network with a sniffer that perform traffic capture continuously.[/quote]

What I mean is that for debugging purpuses you should set a continuous traffic capture of the network together with the ZBOSS trace logs. Not to implement the sniffer as a part of your network.

Best regards,

Marjeris

RE: Communication lost with Zigbee

mau — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 10:41:19 GMT

Hi Marjeris,

[quote userid="73427" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/61096/communication-lost-with-zigbee/252976"]They would like you to experiment and try to figure out the smallest network size when this occurs. This is important to reduce the size of information we need to investigate the matter further.[/quote]

We are already working to do this

[quote userid="73427" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/61096/communication-lost-with-zigbee/252976"]Instrument the network with a sniffer that perform traffic capture continuously.[/quote]

This is not a problem for the network we are making.

[quote userid="73427" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/61096/communication-lost-with-zigbee/252976"]Take ZBOSS trace logs from nodes in question so that we can decode logs.[/quote]

This is a little bit difficult for me because I've no experience with logger module and also our test network is physically in another location managed to the customer.

BR,

Maurizio

RE: Communication lost with Zigbee

Marjeris Romero — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 11:30:26 GMT

Hi Maurizio,

[quote user="mau"]Traces attached to the case was sniffed at approximately 2 meters from coordinator.[/quote]

OK, thanks for the clarification.

After consulting with R&D this is what they propose:

They would like you to experiment and try to figure out the smallest network size when this occurs. This is important to reduce the size of information we need to investigate the matter further.

While doing so you should:

Instrument the network with a sniffer that perform traffic capture continuously.
Take ZBOSS trace logs from nodes in question so that we can decode logs.

This page should cover on how to implement ZBOSS debug tracing: https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/index.jsp?topic=%2Fsdk_tz_v4.1.0%2Fzigbee_prog_principles.html&cp=7_3_3_3&anchor=zigbee_debugging

I am sorry this has taken so long to figure out, but you see without more information we are a bit in the darkness here, specially when this is a larger network and the issue is not occuring with only ZBOSS devices.

Best regards,

Marjeris

RE: Communication lost with Zigbee

mau — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 07:11:27 GMT

Hi Marjeris,

[quote userid="73427" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/61096/communication-lost-with-zigbee/252775"]Just to update you here. I am waiting for some input from R&D for ideas on how to proceed here, but as I see it it looks like it would be difficult for us to recreate the issue when so many third party devices are involved.[/quote]

thank you.

[quote userid="73427" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/61096/communication-lost-with-zigbee/252775"]I was thinking, what happens if the affected nodes are in proximity of the coordinator? Does the coordinator reply to the route request of the affected nodes then?[/quote]

affected nodes are already in direct communication with coordinator. Traces attached to the case was sniffed at approximately 2 meters from coordinator.

Best regards,

Maurizio

RE: Communication lost with Zigbee

Marjeris Romero — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 13:51:07 GMT

Hi Maurizio,

Just to update you here. I am waiting for some input from R&D for ideas on how to proceed here, but as I see it it looks like it would be difficult for us to recreate the issue when so many third party devices are involved.

I was thinking, what happens if the affected nodes are in proximity of the coordinator? Does the coordinator reply to the route request of the affected nodes then? The nodes need a route request reply in order to send reports, so that's why they stop reporting. Maybe you can sniff the traffic between the coordinator and one of the affected nodes when the node is placed in proximity to the coordinator?

BR,

Marjeris

RE: Communication lost with Zigbee

mau — Wed, 27 May 2020 08:06:14 GMT

Hi Marjeris,

in our network there are Sunricher and Harward Zigbee led drivers in 1:10 ratio (1 our device for 10 third party nodes). The coordinator is based on ETRX357 Telegesis (now Silabs) module. Also Harward node is based on that module.

The role of our device is a motion sensor that turn on/off led drivers by sending Move to level with On/Off command and occupancy attribute (0x0000) of occupancy sensing cluster (0x0406) is reported to the coordinator.

[quote userid="73427" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/61096/communication-lost-with-zigbee/251620"]Could you try to figure out the smallest network which exposes this behavior?[/quote]

Our smallest network is composed of 4 our device, 40 third party nodes and 1 coordinator.

[quote userid="73427" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/61096/communication-lost-with-zigbee/251620"]And does this issue also occurs when only ZBOSS nodes are on the network?[/quote]

The issue never occur in a ZBOSS only network.

Best regards,

Maurizio

RE: Communication lost with Zigbee

Marjeris Romero — Tue, 26 May 2020 08:08:16 GMT

Hi Maurizio,

Could you provide brand and model information on third party nodes?

In the capture you send there are some nodes (e.g 0x5F7A) that are constantly requesting route to the coordinator. Since it doesn't get any reply it can't send any reports. So it might be that the nodes in question don't have a route to the coordinator for some reason or devices along the route misbehave.

We would need a better understanding of the network topology and information about stacks which are used on all nodes so we can have the whole picture.

The best thing would be to get a more isolated and repeatable way to reproduce the issue. Could you try to figure out the smallest network which exposes this behavior? And does this issue also occurs when only ZBOSS nodes are on the network?

Best regards,

Marjeris

RE: Communication lost with Zigbee

mau — Wed, 13 May 2020 06:55:07 GMT

Hi Marjeris,

[quote userid="73427" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/61096/communication-lost-with-zigbee/249272"]How do you know they have lost communication with the coordinator?[/quote]

The coordinator no longer receives any configured report or "device announce" message from affected nodes and when I try to read an attribute (I do it using CLI on coordinator) I see only a "route request" message from coordinator; there is no "route reply" from affected node and coordinator do not proceed to read the attribute.

Best regards,

Maurizio

RE: Communication lost with Zigbee

Marjeris Romero — Mon, 11 May 2020 16:38:32 GMT

Hi,

Sorry for the late reply. I took a look at the traces but without really understanding what could be the reason behind the nodes leaving the network. How do you know they have lost communication with the coordinator? Do they send a Leave message or do they get unresponsive somehow?

Anyways I have also forwarded this case to our Zigbee team to see if they may have any more insight about what could be happening.

Best regards,

Marjeris