Broadlink RM4C mini became unavailable

[ssrsmart]

The problem

I have 4 broadlink RM4C mini to control my air conditioners, it's frequently became unavailable and the only way to fix it by deleting the devices and re integrate it, the devices it's self have no issues, connected to the wifi and works normally from the broadlink app

What version of Home Assistant Core has the issue?

2023.9.3

What was the last working version of Home Assistant Core?

HAOS

What type of installation are you running?

Home Assistant OS

Integration causing the issue

Broadlink

Link to integration documentation on our website

No response

Diagnostics information

No response

Example YAML snippet

No response

Anything in the logs that might be useful for us?

No response

Additional information

No response

[home-assistant]

Hey there @Danielhiversen, @felipediel, @L-I-Am, mind taking a look at this issue as it has been labeled with an integration (broadlink) you are listed as a code owner for? Thanks!

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[felipediel]

Probably caused by a dynamic IP address. We don't support dynamic IPs currently, the address cannot change, so you have to figure it out in the network layer 👍

[ssrsmart]

Probably caused by a dynamic IP address. We don't support dynamic IPs currently, the address cannot change, so you have to figure it out in the network layer 👍

All the IP are static, when it becomes unavailable To solve the issue I have to deleting the device and re integrating it by adding the same static ip and it back to work normally, also I have a broadlink rgb bulb works with out any issues, only the RM4C is going offline

[felipediel]

Did you block access to the internet?

[feel2006]

I have the same message as in the picture.
The only difference is that I can see the device, but Temperature and Humidity are no longer available.
I checked in the Broadlink app, it still appears there.

[ssrsmart]

Did you block access to the internet?

Yes, after I connect it to the router via broadlink app, I disconnected the device from the power and deleted it from the app and restarted it and I integrated it to home assistant, recently I noticed that the issue accure when the router restart, also the last time it fail I noticed it back to work after home assistant operation system update، by the way I did the same think with the rgb bulb, I deleted it from the app but it works great without any issues, also the problem was frequently accure even before it deleting the device from the app

[ssrsmart]

I have the same message as in the picture. The only difference is that I can see the device, but Temperature and Humidity are no longer available. I checked in the Broadlink app, it still appears there.

There is no difference, so I can see the device, but the remote are no longer available

[gorbep]

I have the same problem with RM4C mini. Power OFF and ON the Broadlink device helps for a while... The IP adress is the same, and in the Broadlink app shows the device online... This issue beats only the RMC4 mini?

[djvj1]

I also have the same issue. I just got the RM4 Mini, added it to home assistant. Couple days later I got the notice in HA "Integration requires reconfiguration". I click the "Reconfigure" button in devices and get the error:
Error
Config flow could not be loaded: 500 Internal Server Error Server got itself in trouble

But it's working fine in the broadlink app. I think I did update HA in between from October to November release. The device has a static IP from my router, so the IP never changed.

In the devices logbook when I power cycle it, it shows it detected it's presence, yet still says I have to reconfigure it:
November 10, 2023
BroadLink RM 4 Mini IR Remote was detected at home
13:08:13 - 11 hours ago
BroadLink RM 4 Mini IR Remote was detected away
12:54:24 - 11 hours ago

If I disable the device, then re-enable it. It comes back online in HS. But HA still asks to reconfigure it.

[ssrsmart]

Home assistant core 2023.11.2
Home assistant supervisor 2023.11.3

The problem still exists

[claesr]

Same here. Had to bring back backup to core version 2023.11.1 and now it works again.

[MrMxyzptlk]

Ditto here, shows in Broadlink app on Android, static IP set on router.

[tomlyo]

Broadlink device (RM4) has been non-functional for a while now due to this. If I delete the integration and re-add it works, next day I look it broken again, likely after several hours

EDIT: I'd like to add that it isn't actually as random as I initially thought and is tied to an event such as power outage or APs going offline

[OmenBoy]

I've had this problem for over a year. My IP addresses are static, and this only happens if I restart my router. I've tried multiple routers. I doubt it's anything to do with our routers, and more to do with HA being garbage. 🤷‍♂️

[OmenBoy]

I checked my core.config_entries and sure enough the IP addresses were all changed to invalid IP addresses. I was gonna sub to Nabu Casa but after dealing with this for over a year, with no fix in sight, I'm just over HA. It really is a worthless platform.

[MagnusHass]

Same problem here. Static Ip that I can ping from HA. Try to reload integration manually with no success, but after a restart of HA then BroadLink will reload successfully. After a couple of days, same problem again. Runs HA 2023.12.4. BroadLink RM4C mini

[felipediel]

Does the problem persist with DHCP enabled on Hass? And disabled?

[tomlyo]

Does the problem persist with DHCP enabled on Hass? And disabled?

Presently my HASS install is configured for DHCP, it is my router that maintains all my static IP reservations for my devices. Are you suggesting I try disabling DHCP (i.e. setting a static IP on HASS itself)? Or perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're asking.

[felipediel]

DHCP discovery, there is an integration for this, do you have it enabled?

[OmenBoy]

DHCP discovery, there is an integration for this, do you have it enabled?

There’s an add on called “DHCP server” is that what you’re talking about? I don’t have any integrations or add ons called “DHCP discovery”, nor are there any in the add on store or in add integrations.

[tomlyo]

DHCP discovery, there is an integration for this, do you have it enabled?

Yes, it looks like the integration is part of the default config, and I have the default_config: line in my configuration.yaml file.

[felipediel]

Ok, disable it and let's see if the problem persists

[tomlyo]

Ok, disable it and let's see if the problem persists

How do I disable DHCP discovery integration? From what I've read, I'd have to remove the default_config: integration, which has 42 other integrations that would get disabled unless I specified all 42 manually in my config.

[felipediel]

You can disable integrations in Configuration -> Integrations -> ... -> Disable. If you don't see the DHCP discovery integration there, there's no other way, you need to rewrite the default config.

[tomlyo]

You can disable integrations in Configuration -> Integrations -> ... -> Disable. If you don't see the DHCP discovery integration there, there's no other way, you need to rewrite the default config.

No, DHCP discovery does not show in the integrations list. I've removed default_config from my yaml file and added the following:

automation: assist_pipeline: backup: bluetooth: config: conversation: counter: energy: frontend: hardware: history: homeassistant_alerts: cloud: image_upload: input_boolean: input_button: input_datetime: input_number: input_select: input_text: logbook: logger: map: media_source: mobile_app: my: network: person: schedule: scene: script: ssdp: stream: sun: system_health: tag: timer: usb: webhook: zeroconf: zone:

Thereby disabling DHCP discovery.. When I get home today I'll try restarting my APs/forcing the integration to break.

[tomlyo]

I'm not sure if it was a recent update (running HASS 2023.12.4), or by disabling DHCP discovery, but I haven't yet had the issue.. this extends to my Kasa stuff as well. I ended up cleaning up my config and using the https://github.com/arturpragacz/hass-cc-default-config-exclude integration to exclude dhcp. DHCP discovery wouldn't do much good for me anyway as all my IOT devices are on a different VLAN from Home Assistant.

[felipediel]

When the DHCP discovery component is enabled, this integration listens for DHCP requests on the network and tries to reach any registered Broadlink device on the new IP address when it sees one. If the device responds, the IP address is changed in the config entry.

So a new IP address is being assigned to the device at least for a brief moment and the integration is changing the config entry to that address.

[Jannik99]

After my RM4 Mini was unavailable for a while, I deleted the integration and wanted to reinstall it. However, my RM4 Mini is no longer found in the network, even if I enter the (static!) IP. I would like to try if it works with an old version, but unfortunately my backups don't include some tinkering solutions, so that's not an option at the moment. Core
2024.1.6
Supervisor
2023.12.1
Operating System
11.4
Front end
20240104.0

[felipediel]

Your device is probably locked, you can unlock it in the Broadlink app

[Jannik99]

Your device is probably locked, you can unlock it in the Broadlink app

Nah, it isn't. As I said, it worked before and I double checked if it's locked.

[felipediel]

I am inclined to close this issue. I don't see a problem with the Broadlink integration itself, I see a mix of problems like bad network configuration, Broadlink cloud interference and locked devices. None of these can be fixed the code. Maybe we should move this discussion to the community, as separate topics

[Jannik99]

I can understand that in principle. For my part, I can only say that the integration worked perfectly until recently and no longer does. Unfortunately, I can't quite understand until when the integration was running. I have now imported a backup that was about a month old, and it obviously wasn't working then either. For my part, I can only say that neither the transmitter nor my network configuration has changed. If I can do anything to help find the problem, I will be happy to do so. However, I do believe that there is a problem. I have now spent the evening doing Google searches, among other things, and there certainly seem to be more people out there with this problem.
And again:
I have checked both my network configuration and the settings of the RM4 Mini several times, tried a new setup (Neither auto-detection nor setup via typed IP work)... I am almost certain that everything should work correctly for me.

[felipediel]

Open the Broadlink app, click the device -> ... -> Property. Disable the lock button. If it doesn't work, completely remove the device from the Broadlink app. This should work.

[jhstatewide]

Not sure if this is significant but I have a RM3 that I purchased a while ago. It's been working great on HA for a while with a schedule, no troubles. I am regularly updating HA frequently.

Today I got a new RM4 and added it to my setup. Initially worked great, but goes unresponsive to the HA integration after a while. If I go to the Broadlink mobile app and change one little thing (change temp by 2F, change climate mode) the RM4 'comes back to life' and HA can then integrate with it for a few hours before it seems to go unresponsive.

I don't have any static addresses or special setup with my RM3 -- it just worked and still does. So, I'm guessing this is RM4 specific. What would be helpful? Logs, pings when it's not up, etc? Glad to help diagnose.

[KitHubek]

the same problem here. Aafter some HA update, i dont know if this was superwisor or HA update.

I have broadlink RM 4 pro and RM4C pro. I have this integrated in HA over year i think. All working ook, till last days. RM4C pro still is unavialable. I checked wifi connection to this device, and all time is connected. Via broadlink app all working ok. Via HA - no. RM 4 PRo working ok, no problem. Unplug RM4C from power and plug again, do job and some time working in HA again. But after some time - few hours i think - still unavialable.

Problem with device:

[Jannik99]

Open the Broadlink app, click the device -> ... -> Property. Disable the lock button. If it doesn't work, completely remove the device from the Broadlink app. This should work.

In deed this worked for me. I dont know what was wrong

[alejovea9]

Open the Broadlink app, click the device -> ... -> Property. Disable the lock button. If it doesn't work, completely remove the device from the Broadlink app. This should work.

In deed this worked for me. I dont know what was wrong

This worked for you? I have the same problem, i have 4 diferent installations of home assistant in diferent places, all of these installations with broadlink devices, and i think i have discovered the following:

• First installation, one broadlink rm4 pro, never had a problem
• Second installation, one broadlink rm4 pro, never had a problem
• Third installation, two broadlink rm4 pro, i have issues with all devices, after a time they are became unavailable, and i have to re-add integration, the two broadlink have static ip
• Fourth installation, two broadlink rm4 mini, the same problem of above

The first conclusion i have is that the installation fails if I have more than one broadlink device in HA, i don't know if is problem of HA, or dhcp integration, i don't know, i hope the HA team can fix this.

The only thing that i have´t done yet is remove the device from app, but honestly I don't think this will work, however I'll try

[KitHubek]

Open the Broadlink app, click the device -> ... -> Property. Disable the lock button. If it doesn't work, completely remove the device from the Broadlink app. This should work.

This not working for me. Only way to solve temporary is: unplug device from power and replug it again. Then intergation working again

[ulsteinmedia]

Open the Broadlink app, click the device -> ... -> Property. Disable the lock button. If it doesn't work, completely remove the device from the Broadlink app. This should work.

This not working for me. Only way to solve temporary is: unplug device from power and replug it again. Then intergation working again

I have the same issue. I have one RM4 Pro, one RM Mini 3 and two RM4C Mini. Adding more than one device made all of them lose connection in HA after a while. Sometimes after a HA reboot, sometimes randomly. They're apparently still connected to wifi. Replugging solves the problem temporarily.

[felipediel]

This may be related to FastCon. Some newer devices create a mesh network. The master remains with the IP address and intermediates requests to others on another network interface.

When devices go offline, can you reach their IPs?

[ulsteinmedia]

This may be related to FastCon. Some newer devices create a mesh network. The master remains with the IP address and intermediates requests to others on another network interface.

When devices go offline, can you reach their IPs?

Thanks. I have tested with only one device since your reply, and it works 100%. Yes, the IP is usually reachable, so FastCon could explain the odd behavior.

It seems FastCon can't be disabled, so what to do? Isolate Broadlinks from each other? Block WAN? Use different accounts? Will do some testing.

[supperka]

Any news? Had same issues with my r4mini

[ulsteinmedia]

I believe there are multiple issues addressed in this thread. Anyway, I isolated Broadlinks from eachother in Unifi, and haven't had any problems for two weeks. It appears my problems with multiple Broadlinks were related to FastCon as @felipediel suggested.

[felipediel]

Awesome @ulsteinmedia, thanks for confirming this.

We intend to support FastCon in the future, but it will take some time. For now, isolating devices is the way to go.

[supperka]

Is there way how isolated, without unifi routers? Just have tp-link router. And for DNS using pi-hole.

[Mrsash2020]

I have 1 RM4 Pro and 4 RM4 minis. One of them the temp/Hum are offline while the RM4 Mini is available. All devices are set with static IP's in DHCP table. I allocate all devices an IP address on my router.

Update: Turned power off and on to this one and both sensors online now. Interesting to note the device was still available both in the Broadlink app and HA but the sensors fell off. Powering off and on fixed the sensors