Aqara Zigbee
sensors disconnect from Home Assistant after enabling 160MHz channel width on a
WiFi 6 router because the wide WiFi band overlaps heavily with Zigbee channels,
causing severe 2.4GHz interference. Reducing WiFi channel width, selecting a
clean Zigbee channel, or repositioning the router resolves the instability.
Preliminary Diagnostic Steps
1. Check Zigbee Channel Allocation
Open your
Zigbee coordinator settings (ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT) and note your channel—commonly
11, 15, 20, or 25.
Compare it
to your WiFi router’s 160MHz channel spread, which covers channels 1–13.
If they
overlap → interference.
2. Measure Interference Using WiFi Analyzer
Use:
WiFi Analyzer (Android)
NetSpot / inSSIDer (Windows / Mac)
Look for:
Overlapping 2.4GHz signals
Extremely wide WiFi channel bandwidth
Distorted signal spikes
If the
2.4GHz band is saturated → Zigbee instability is expected.
3. Check Zigbee Network Map
In Home
Assistant or Zigbee2MQTT:
Open Zigbee Map
Check if Aqara sensors have weak LQI or
unstable routing
If routing
is unreliable → interference or poor mesh.
4. Verify Router Placement
If your WiFi
6 router is:
Near the Zigbee coordinator
Using USB 3.0 ports
Sitting on a metal surface
…it
amplifies interference.
StepbyStep Technical Fix
1. Reduce WiFi 6 Channel Width
Set the
2.4GHz band to:
40MHz (best)
or 20MHz (most stable)
Do not use
160MHz on 2.4GHz—it overwhelms Zigbee.
2. Change to a Clean Zigbee Channel
Use:
Channel 15
Channel 20
Channel 25
These
channels avoid most WiFi overlap.
In
Zigbee2MQTT:
```
advanced:
channel: 20
```
3. Move the Zigbee Coordinator Away From the WiFi Router
Pace it at
least 1 meter away using:
A USB extension cable
Preferably a USB 2.0 port
Avoid:
USB 3.0 ports
Metal cases
AirPods chargers
Power strips
4. Add Zigbee Routers for Aqara Devices
Aqara
sensors rely heavily on strong routing. Add:
IKEA Tradfri repeater
Sonoff ZBMINIL2
Tuya Zigbee smart plugs
This
improves mesh reliability.
5. Restart and Rebuild the Zigbee Mesh
After changes:
1. Restart
Home Assistant
2. Power
cycle Zigbee routers
3. Wait 1–2
hours for mesh routes to rebuild
Preventing Future Conflict
1. Avoid UltraWide WiFi Channels
Do not use:
80MHz
160MHz
Auto channel mode
Manually
set:
20/40MHz
2. Assign a Static Zigbee Channel
Pick a clean
channel and keep it fixed.
Stable
examples:
15
20
25
3. Maintain Clear Physical Separation
Keep at
least 1 meter between Zigbee and WiFi hardware.
4. Use HighQuality Zigbee Routers
Ensure every
Aqara sensor has a stable parent router nearby.
5. Keep Firmware Updated
Update:
Router firmware
Zigbee coordinator firmware
Home Assistant core
regularly.